Boxerwood Gardens: Nature Center and Woodland Garden
Fetch a Pail of Water (Spring) In this early introduction to the local watershed, your kindergarteners partner up like Jack and Jill to collect water at its source in the springs, streams, and ponds of Boxerwood. The fun is in the collecting. They’ll scoop up water polliwogs and all from the pond, trawl for it, drink it from the tap, pump it on the Play Trail, and experiment with its amazing properties—even make a game that demonstrates natural flow and surface tension. Of course, we’ll also brainstorm ways to reuse and conserve this precious resource for all who need it—plants and wildlife, as well as people. Jacks and Jills return their pails to the Play Trail and spend some time playing and exploring. (2 hours)
Seed Travelers (Fall) --- First graders compile a travel guide to the natural world—for seeds! Using a map, they’ll hike woods and meadow, gathering tree and plant seeds. In the process, they’ll help a seed traveler get to a place where it can live and grow. Students will categorize their seeds by how they disperse: droppers, ploppers, poppers, hitch-hikers, sailors, copters and parachutes. We’ll save the last half hour for the Play Trail.
Lost in the Woods (Spring) -- When the adventurous Hansel and Gretel stray from the Boxerwood Play Trail, they quickly lose their way—and each other. This story will have a happy ending as your students come to their rescue, using a picture map and trail signs to lead their wayward friends through the woods and back to the Play Trail. Along the way, they’ll discover clues that indicate other fairytale characters have crossed the forest path before them. After drawing their own Play Trail maps, the children will gather around a giant compass rose to orient themselves. They’ll decorate a real compass that they can keep and use to find their way on other woodland adventures.
Adapt or Die (Fall) -- Second graders learn a few tricks from nature as they explore animal “adaptation” and “survival” along the paths and ponds at Boxerwood. A game of hide-and-seek will demonstrate how animals use camouflage to trick their predators. At the pond, students will take a quiet moment to observe changes occurring in nature as fall cycles into winter. Then, through movement, they’ll mimic the changes that pond and woodland animals undergo as they prepare for migration, hibernation, dormancy and other forms of adaptation. Our scientists will also keep a field journal, sketching their day’s observations.