 Children’s
Garden Guided Programs
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to Sign Up for Your Fieldtrip Today The
Children’s Garden is a safely-fenced, one-acre outdoor
setting. It is an ever-changing place to discover,
using all the senses, how the human, plant, and animal
worlds depend upon one another. Leila Arboretum Society
(LAS) staff members, assisted by trained volunteers
working as Garden Guides, lead groups of students on
fun-filled learning adventures. Each activity is age-appropriate
and runs from 30 minutes to an hour in length. Adult
chaperones are required.
The Children’s Garden is open for formal academic field trips
and informal club or recreational field trips May through October.
All Children’s Garden School Programs meet Michigan Curriculum
Framework Science Standards and Benchmarks. Our hands-on activities enhance the construction of, use of, and
reflection upon, new scientific knowledge. Children experience
the connection between the natural world of plants and the environment,
health, Michigan history, math, language arts, and social studies.
Programs vary somewhat by season but all activities meet the Benchmarks.
If anyone in your group has a plant or food allergy
of which our staff and volunteers should be aware, please alert
us when making
a reservation or prior to your arrival. We will do our best to
accommodate you if possible.
Group
Program Descriptions
Curriculum-Based School Programs
Similarities in content occur across the curriculum. Each program
is grade-level and/or age level appropriate.
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to Sign Up for Your Fieldtrip Today
Preschool
Curious students are introduce to the wonders of the natural world
through multi-sensory exploration. They discover that plants are
diverse and have fascinating parts – roots, stems, leaves, flowers,
fruits, and seeds – each of which has a valuable role to play.
Each child engages in a hands-on activity, making a project that
they can take home and enjoy. Grade K: Plants are Living Too!
Students observe that plants, like people, are alive and change
as they grow and mature. Students learn what a plant needs to grow
and as they use all their senses to experience connecting with
a living plant they appreciate nature. Each child takes home a
project of his or her own creation.
I.1.C. Generate questions about the world based on observation.
II.1.E. Develop an awareness and sensitivity to the natural
world.
III.2.E. Compare and classify familiar organisms on the basis
of observable physical characteristics.
III.2.E. Describe life cycles of familiar plants.
III.5.E. Describe the basic requirements for all living things
to maintain their existence.
V.1.E. Recognize and describe different types of earth materials.
V.2.E. Describe uses of water.
V.3.E. Describe seasonal changes in weather. Grade 1: Those Amazing Plant Parts
Just as animals differ in size and shape, so do plants. Hands-on
activities introduce students to the diverse array of seeds that
can be classified by size, color, and shape. A variety of exercises
help students learn about plant parts and functions. They learn
ways in which plant seeds protect themselves and how tiny seeds
can become gigantic trees. I.1.C. Generate questions about the world based on observation.
II.1.E. Show how science concepts can be interpreted creatively
through language arts and fine arts.
II.1.E. Develop an awareness and sensitivity to the natural world.
III.2.E. Compare and classify familiar organisms on the basis
of observable physical characteristics.
III.2.E. Describe functions of selected plant parts.
III.5.E. Describe the basic requirements for all living things
to maintain their existence.
IV.1.E. Classify common objects and substances according to:
color, size, shape, smell, hardness, texture, flexibility, length,
weight,
buoyancy, states of matter, magnetic properties. Grade 2: Lifecycles: Growing Through Changes
No plant or animal exists independent of its own life cycle. The
butterfly is one of the most fascinating creatures from which
to learn this. When visiting the Butterfly Garden at the Children’s
Garden, students discover what special food plants are necessary
for the survival of butterflies at each life stage.
I.1.C. Generate questions about the world based on observation.
II.1. E. Show how science concepts can be interpreted through
creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.
III.2.E. Describe life cycles of familiar organisms. Grade 3: Flowering Plants
Plant parts must work together, just as our parts must, to be healthy
and do their work. Students are introduced to the process of
pollination as they learn about pollen movers and catchers. Flowering
plants are vital to the continued existence of all living things.
I.1.C. Generate questions about the world based on observation.
II.1.E. Show how science concepts can be interpreted through
creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.
III..2.E. Compare and classify familiar organisms on the basis
of observable physical characteristics.
III.2. E. Describe the life cycles of familiar organisms.
III.2.E. Compare and contrast food, energy, and environmental
needs of selected organisms.
III.2.E. Describe functions of selected seed plant parts.
II.1.E. 3. Develop an awareness and sensitivity to the natural
world.
III.5. Describe the basic requirements for all living things
to maintain their existence. Grade 4: All Living Things are Connected
Plants, people and the environment all come together in a garden.
All organisms depend upon one another for survival. Understanding
these interrelationships in the beginning of learning how to
protect our environment. Students observe how plants are important
to the food chain as food, shelter, and homes. Plants are important
even when they don’t smell or feel like something we like!
II.1.E. Show how science concepts can be interpreted through
creative expression such as language arts and fine arts.
III.4.E. Develop understanding of how living organisms adapt
to survive in their environment.
III.5.E. Identify familiar organisms as part of a food chain
or food web and describe their feeding relationships. Grade 5: Plant Recycling
Humans alter the environment to meet their needs and need plants
to rebuild soil. In this get-your-hands-dirty activity, students
focus on the Compost Demonstration Area to learn the difference
between soil and dirt, explore the components of a soil sample,
and understand how rocks and minerals break down to form soil.
They will appreciate compost, the value of household food scraps,
and the role of friendly worms in making compost. (The Worm House
is a favorite in the Garden.)
III.5.MS.7 LEC 12. Describe the ways in which humans alter
the environment.
V.1.MS.2 EG8. Explain how rocks and minerals are formed.
V.3.E. Recognize how daily weather and seasons affect the atmosphere
and the planet. Grade 6: Food Factories
Plants are unique because they are one of the few living organisms
that can make its own food. They do this using chlorophyll. Students
learn what is required for plants to carry out this amazing function
and how they store food. This curriculum increases their appreciation
for the interdependence of plants and animals.
III.1. LC3. Explain why specialized cells are needed by plants
and animals.
III.3. LC4. Explain how cells use food as an energy source.
III. 2. L07. Describe the life cycle of a flowering plant.
III.2. L08. Describe evidence that plants make and store food.
III.5. LEC8. Describe how all organisms in an ecosystem acquire
energy directly or indirectly from sunlight.
III.5. LEC12. Explain how humans use and benefit from plant and
animal materials.
Non-Curriculum based Children's Garden Programming
Adopt-A-Garden
Several small garden plots within the Children’s Garden are available
to school groups or clubs to adopt for the season. Gardening
is a great way for a youth club to share a healthy activity throughout
the summer and maybe even earn points toward a badge or a school
project. This is a superb way for students of all ages to gain
knowledge of all aspects of gardening, including selecting plants,
organizing space, and tending the plants throughout the growing
season. Students have the satisfaction of tasting the fruits
of their own labor! To learn how the program works and what is
required, call the Arboretum’s horticulturist, Stacey Rocklin,
ext. 124.
Self-Guided Opportunities
The Children’s Garden has wonderful “Garden Explorer Packs” available
at the Admissions Booth for use by groups who would like to explore
the Garden at their own pace. Packs are filled with fun, hands-on
science discovery activities that encourage learning. Each pack
is self-contained and self-guided. Adult I.D. is required to check
out a pack while in the Garden.
The 2008 Summer Season of Fun!
In addition to the field trip curriculum for groups of young people,
we offer a summer-long (through October), series of themed weekend
programs that are fun and educational. These activities are led
by trained Garden Guides and LAS staff. Visitors can take part
in making garden-themed crafts to take home, wander the Garden
at their leisure, even bring a picnic lunch and spend the day!
Our bright and beautiful pavilion offers protection from
the sun or from the summer showers that we may not want to enjoy
quite as much as the plants do.
Children's Garden Opens - for the Season - June 14 thru Sept 27, 2008
(Only open for pre-scheduled tours and special event days below)
SPECIAL SUMMER EVENT SERIES - 2008
(Open rain or shine…. except during severe weather)
June 14 – Opening day - 10am-4pm
June 21 – Youth and Children’s Garden Celebration Day
10am-4pm
June 27 – Lady Bug and Lightning Bug Night
Friday Night 7pm-10pm
June 28 & 29 –Open for Garden Tour – Hrs. same as Garden Tour - LAS Fundraiser
July 12 – Faerie Festival
10am-4pm
July 26 – Soakin’ Saturday
10am – 4pm
Aug. 2 – Butterfly Day
10am-4pm
Aug. 18 – Discovery Day
10am-4pm
Aug. 23 - 24 – Planes, Trains & Automobiles
(Saturday 10am-4pm & Sunday Noon-4pm)
Sept. 13 - Pet Owner Awareness Day
10am-3pm
Sept. 27 – Scarecrow Jubilee
10am-3pm
October 25 – Merry & Scary Haunted Garden
5-8pm
Program Pricing
Groups <10:
Child: $3.00
Adult: $5.00
Groups of 10 and >
Child: $2.50
Adult: $3.50
Free adult admission to:
One chaperone per 5 pre-schoolers
One chaperone per 10 students K-6
Additional adults welcome at adult rate
Guided General Tours: $25 per group up to 30, includes activities)
Additional Benchmark Activities
(1/2 hr. per activity, $15)
Advance reservations preferred & 50%
non-refundable deposit is
required for all group discounts & programs.
Restrooms on-site, paved pathways ADA compliant,
visitors welcome to picnic.
When scheduling a field trip, please try to arrive no
more than five minutes early as another group may be on-site.
Staff and volunteers may be unable to assist early arrivals.
If you find you’re going to arrive early, treat your group
to a casual drive or walk through the Arboretum.
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to Sign Up for Your Fieldtrip Today |
