Twenty-four excited Hawthorne students made the journey to Tsawwassen's Farm Roots Mini School earlier this month, the first elementary kids to work and learn with teens at the new farm school.
While Hawthorne's students are already involved with many garden activities in their own extensive raised garden, Grade 2 teacher Susanne Bohmert felt the opportunity to work with older students and in a farm setting would only increase their interest and motivation to become stewards of our precious farming lands.
The Delta School District initiative to engage elementary students at the farm was initiated by district principal Brooke Moore. Bohmert joined with Farm Roots teachers Tammy Veltkamp and Graham Harkley to plan the interactive day.
The teens designed a scavenger hunt, which sent the groups running all over the farm, solving clues with their big buddies'help, discovering farm tools, sliding down playground slides and venturing deep into woods. They also worked cooperatively to conduct chemical experiments on various soil samples, testing for pH, phosphorus, nitrogen and potash.
One Grade 2 student, Violet Nissen, was able to provide an insightful answer as to why we test for these things: "So we know what has to be added to the soil."
Farm Roots Mini School, which seeks to connect students to the agriculture industry, is nearing the end of its first year in Boundary Bay. Students in grades 10 to 12 spend every second day at the farm, either working outside or inside completing other school subjects. They are also provided with the unique opportunity to earn credits from Kwantlen Polytechnic University in an agriculture course taught by a visiting professor.
