Students at St. Mary of the Assumption Elementary School in Santa Maria went on a tasty tour of local strawberry fields at the end of April.
Brian Sheehy, a fourth-generation strawberry farmer, taught kindergartners from the school how to grow and harvest the red berries. After learning how to find ripe, juicy strawberries, they were allowed to pick their own.
However, the day’s activities were not limited to just learning about the cultivation of strawberries. Following a picnic lunch, the children planted sunflower seeds that they could take home and transplant into their yards.
The field trip coincides with the end of a science unit in which kindergarteners learned about how plants grow. Swinging by a berry farm provided students with an interactive demonstration of their science lessons, and taught them about how agriculture can provide people with delicious fruit.
“St. Mary’s students are grateful for the chance to see firsthand the hard work that goes into farming and growing produce,” Patsy Bissin, a kindergarten teacher, said in a press release. “Hands-on experiences bring our studies to life and increase our gratitude for the people who grow and pick the strawberries we eat.”
This article appears in May 8-15, 2014.