Children’s Garden Guided Programs

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The Children’s Garden is a 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 on one another. Leila Arboretum Society's staff members, assisted by trained volunteers working as garden guides, lead groups of students on fun-filled learning adventures. Each grade level program is age-appropriate and runs from one to one and a half hours. Adult chaperones are required.

The Children’s Garden is open for academic and club or recreational field trips from May through October.

All guided programs in the Children’s Garden meet Michigan Science Content Standards and Expectations. Our hands-on activities in the garden engage students in the learning process. Children experience the connection between the natural world of plants and the environment and the importance they play in our lives.

If anyone in your group has a plant or food allergy, please alert us when making a reservation. We will do our best to accommodate it.

Group Program Descriptions

Based on Grade-Level Content Expectations in the Michigan Department of Education's Science Curriculum

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Preschool: Science Sense
Curious children are introduced to the wonders of the natural world through multisensory exploration. The five senses will be discussed and put to use as the children explore the fun and exciting theme areas of the Children’s Garden including the Zoo, ABC, Caterpillar and Butterfly gardens. Each child will engage in a hands-on activity, make a project and pot a plant to take home.

Science Processes - Inquiry Process
S.IP.00.11 Make a purposeful observation of the natural world using the appropriate senses.

Grade K: Plants are Living, Too!
Students will observe that plants, like people, are alive and have basic needs to live. All animals and plants need air, water, food and a source of energy (the sun) to survive. Nonliving things do not. Students will participate in hands-on activities that teach these concepts.  Many interesting and fun plants will be touched and observed in the Children’s Garden, including the ABC garden where there is a plant for every letter of the alphabet.  Each child will pot and take home their own plant. 

Life Science - Organization of Living Things
K-7 Standard L.OL Develop an understanding that plants and animals (including humans) have basic requirements for maintaining life which include the need for air, water and a source of energy…
L.OL.E.1 Life Requirements - Organisms have basic needs.  Animals and plants need air, water and food.  Plants also require light.  Plants and animals use food as a source of energy and as a source of building material for growth and repair.
L.OL.00.11 Identify that living things have basic needs.
L.OL.00.12 Identify and compare living and nonliving things. 

Grade 1: Sun and Earth Help Plants Grow
Hands-on activities will introduce the concepts that plants, just like animals, have basic requirements to live, grow and have healthy lives. Requirements include air, water, food (earth) and an energy/light source (the sun). When these basic needs are met, animals and plants are often able to repair/heal when needed.  Students will explore the fun and exciting theme gardens including the Sun Dial, where they will learn to tell time from their shadow on a sunny day.  Each child will pot and take home their own plant.

Life Science - Organization of Living Things
K-7 Standard L.OL: Develop an understanding that plants and animals (including humans) have basic requirements for maintaining life, including the need for air, water and a source of energy (sun).
L.OL.E.1: Life Requirements - Organisms have basic needs.  Animals and plants need air, water and food.  Plants also require light. Plants and animals use food as a source of energy and as a source of building material for growth and repair. 

Earth Science- Earth Systems

K-7 Standard E.ES Develop an understanding of the sun's warming of the earth as the major source of energy for phenomenon on Earth…
E.ES.E.1 Solar Energy – The sun warms the land, air and water and helps plants grow.
E.ES.01.11 Identify the sun as the most important source of theheat that warms the land, air and water of the Earth.
E.ES.01.12 Demonstrate the importance of sunlight and warmth in plant growth.

Grade 2: Life Cycles
All plants and animals have life cycles. Life cycles are different for different organisms.  Butterflies are one of nature’s organisms that have fascinating life cycles.  When visiting the caterpillar and butterfly gardens in the Children’s Garden, students will learn that special food plants are necessary for each of these stages in a butterfly’s life cycle.  After exploring the garden, children will participate in hands-on activities involving the life cycle of a flowering plant including the following stages: seed, plant, flower and fruit. Students will also observe that characteristics of plants (such as leaf shape, flower type, color and size) are passed from parent to young.  Each child will pot their own plant to take home.

Life Science - Organization of Living Things:
K-7 Standard L.OL … Understand that all plants and animals have a definite life cycle, body parts and systems to perform specific life functions.
L.OL.E.2 Life Cycles – Plants and animals have life cycles.  Both plants and animals begin life and develop into adults, reproduce and eventually die.  The details of this life cycle are different for different organisms.
L.OL.02.22 Describe the life cycle of familiar flowering plants including the following stages: seed, plant, flower and fruit.

Heredity
K-7 Standard L.HE Develop an understanding that all life forms must reproduce to survive.  Understand that characteristics of mature plants and animals must be inherited or acquired and that only inherited traits are passed on to the young.
L.HE.E.1 Observable Characteristics - Plants and animals share many, but not all, characteristics of their parents.
L.HE.02.13 Identify characteristics of plants (such as leaf shape, flower type, color and size) that are passed from parents to young.

Grade 3: Amazing Plant Parts
Plant parts must work together, just like our body parts must, to be healthy. All organisms have different parts that serve different functions that ensure their growth, survival and reproduction. The function and characteristics of the following plant parts will be discussed and observed: flower, stem, root and leaf.
Through observation and discussion, students will learn that plants adapt to their environment (habitat), and if they do not evolve over time and adapt to their environment, they will become extinct, just as animals can. Students will tour the garden, participate in hands-on activities that teach these expectations and pot their own plant to take home.

Life Science - Organization of Living Things
K-7 Standard L.OL:… Understand that all plants and animals have a definite life cycle, body parts and systems to perform specific life functions.
L.OL.E.3 Structures and Functions – Organisms have different structures that serve different functions in growth, survival and reproduction.
L.OL.03.31 Describe the function of the following plant parts: flower, stem, root and leaf.
L.OL.E.4 Classification- Organisms can be classified on the basis of observable characteristics.
L.OL.03.41 Classify plants on the basis of observable physical characteristics (roots, leaves, stems and flowers).

Evolution
K-7 Standard L.EV Develop an understanding that plants and animals have observable parts and characteristics that help them survive and flourish in their environments.  Understand that life forms either change (evolve) over time or risk extinction due to environmental changes and describe how scientists identify the relatedness of various organisms based on similarities in anatomical features.
L.EV.E.1 Environmental Adaptations – Different kinds of organisms have characteristics that help them live in different environments.
L.EV.03.11 Relate characteristics and functions of observable parts in a variety of plants that allow them to live in their environment (i.e. leaf shape, thorns, odor and color).

Grade 4: Ecosystems
Plants, people and the environment all come together in a garden. All organisms depend on one another for survival.  Understanding these important interrelationships will help students realize the need to protect the environment. Students will observe how plants are important for food, air we breathe, shelter and homes. A worm compost ecosystem with producers, consumers and decomposers will be described and observed. Following a guided garden tour, students will pot their own plant to take home and participate in hands-on activities that reinforce the following Grade Level Content Expectations:

Life Science – Organization of Living Things:
K-7 Standard L.OL …Understand that all life forms can be classified as producers, consumers or decomposers as they are all part of a global food chain where food/energy is supplied by plants which need light to produce food/energy…

Ecosystems: K-7 Standard L.EC: Develop an understanding of the interdependence of the variety of populations, communities and ecosystems including those in the Great Lakes region. Develop an understanding of different types of interdependence and that biotic (living) and abiotic (nonliving) factors affect the balance of an ecosystem.  Understand that all organisms cause changes, some detrimental and others beneficial, in the environment where they live.
L.EC.E.1 Interactions - Organisms interact in various ways including providing food and shelter to one another.  Some interactions are helpful; others are harmful to the organism and other organisms.
L.EC.04.11 Identify organisms as part of a food chain or food web.
L.EC.E.2 Changed Environment Effects - When the environment changes, some plants and animals survive to reproduce; others die or move to new locations.
L.EC.04.21 Explain how environmental changes can produce a change in the food web. 

Grade 5: Heredity and Evolution of Plants
Plants, just like animals--including humans, inherit certain traits from their parents. Plant characteristics, like animal characteristicss, are determined by inheritance factors and their interactions with the environment. Plants and animals have characteristics that help them survive and flourish in their environments. For example, a cactus needs very little water and a lot of warm sunlight; therefore it flourishes in a desert habitat.
The Children’s Garden is alive with hundreds of different types of plants where these concepts will be discussed and observed. Following a guided tour of the garden, students will participate in hands-on activities reinforcing the following Grade Level Content Expectations:

Heredity
K-7 Standard L.HE: Develop an understanding that all life forms must reproduce to survive.  Understand that characteristics of mature plants and animals may be inherited or acquired and that only inherited traits are passed on to their young.  Understand that inherited traits can be influenced by changes in the environment and by genetics.

L.HE.M.1 Inherited and Acquired Traits – The characteristics of organisms are influenced by heredity and environment. For some characteristics, inheritance is more important; for other characteristics, interactions with the environment are more important.
L.HE.05.11 Explain that the traits of an individual are influenced by both the environment and the genetics of the individual.
L.HE.05.12 Distinguish between inherited and acquired traits.

Evolution
Develop an understanding that plants and animals have observable parts and characteristics that help them survive and flourish in their environments.  Understand that fossils provide evidence that life forms have changed over time and were influenced by changes in environmental conditions. Understand that life forms either change (evolve) over time or risk extinction due to environmental changes and describe how scientists identify the relatedness of various organisms based on similarities in anatomical features.

L.EV.M.1 Species Adaptation and Survival – Species with certain traits are more likely than others to survive and have offspring in particular environments.  When an environment changes, the advantage or disadvantage of the species’ characteristics can change.  Extinction of a species occurs when the environment changes and the characteristics of a species are insufficient to allow survival.
L.EV.05.12 Describe the physical characteristics (traits) of organisms that help them survive in their environment.
L.EV.05.13  Describe how fossils provide evidence about how living things and environmental conditions have changed.

Grade 6: Composting/Go Green
Students will tour the Children’s Garden, which is alive with hundreds of plants in a variety of themed garden locations including a sun dial, four winds (Native American), balloon, and a worm composting ecosystem. They will learn the important role plants play in providing necessary food, shelter and air for all earth’s living things. The importance of recycling, composting and conserving the earth’s resources will be stressed. Students will observe first hand a working ecosystem (compost bin) that contains producers, consumers and decomposers. Students will participate in hands-on activities that reinforce the following Grade Level Content Expectations:

Life Science – Organization of Living Things
L.OL.M.5 Producers, Consumers, and Decomposers - All animals, including humans, are consumers that meet their energy by eating other organisms or their products. Consumers break down the structures of the organisms they eat to make the materials they need to grow and function.  Decomposers, including bacteria and fungi, use dead organisms or their products to meet their energy needs.
L.OL.06.51 Classify organisms (producers, consumers, and decomposers) based on their source of energy for growth and development.
L.OL.06.52 Distinguish between the ways in which consumers and decomposers obtain energy.

Ecosystems
K-7 Standard L.EC: … Understand that all organisms cause change, some detrimental and others beneficial, in the environment where they live.
L.EC.M.1 Interactions of Organisms - Organisms of one species form a population.  Populations of different organisms interact and form communities.  Living communities and nonliving factors that interact with them form ecosystems.
L.EC.M.2 Relationships of Organisms - Two types of organisms may interact with one another in several ways: They may be in a producer/consumer, predator/prey, or parasite/host relationship.  Some organisms may scavenge or decompose another.  Relationships maybe competitive or mutually beneficial….
L.EC.06.22 Explain haw two populations of organisms can be mutually beneficial and how that can lead to interdependency.
L.EC.06.23 Predict how changes in one population might affect other populations based upon their relationships in the food web.
L.EC.M.3 Biotic and Abiotic Factors - The number of organisms and populations an ecosystem can support depends on the biotic (living) resources available and abiotic (nonliving) factors, such as quality of light and water, range of temperatures and soil composition.
L.EC.06.31 Identify the living (biotic) and nonliving (abiotic) components of an ecosystem.
L.EC.06.32 Identify the factors in an ecosystem that influence changes in population size.
L.EC.M.4 Environmental Impact of Organisms - All organisms (including humans) cause change in the environment where they live.  Some of the changes are harmful.
L.EC.06.41 Describe how human beings are part of the ecosystem of the Earth and the human activity can purposefully, or accidentally, alter the balance in ecosystems.

Program Pricing
$3.50 per child
$3.50 per adult (free to teachers and group leaders)
Minimum fee $35 per group

Programs include multisensory hands-on activities, a guided garden tour and take-home plant for each child. Please bring boxes to transport plants safely on the trip home.

Advance reservations are required.
A 50 percent nonrefundable deposit is required.
Please try to arrive no more than 10 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 free casual drive or walk through the arboretum.
Restrooms are on site, pathways are paved, and visitors are welcome to picnic on site.

Other Nature and Plant-Related Opportunities for Children
Each year during Arbor Week, the last week in April, people across the country and around the world, celebrate the life-benefiting role that trees have in our lives. Programs are offered every day amid the beautiful trees of Leila Arboretum where students participate in hands-on activities helping them appreciate nature and trees.

Students learn answers to the following questions: How do trees function? How do they help clean our air? Why is the shade they provide important? What if the world had no trees? How can we tell how old a tree is? Why do we have so many different kinds of trees? Students take home plants to begin their own contribution to making the world a healthier place.

To schedule your Arbor Week field trip please call Nancy at (269) 969-0270 x 120 or (269) 317-9657 (cellular).

Other 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 group 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 learn about gardening, including selecting plants, organizing space, and tending the plants throughout the season. Students have the satisfaction of tasting the fruit of their labor! To learn how the program works and what is required, call Horticulturist Stacey Rocklin at (269) 969-0270 x 124.

Self-Guided Opportunities
The the admissions booth has Garden Explorer Packs available for 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 identification is required to check out a Garden Explorer Pack.

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Special Events
We offer a summer-long series of themed programs that are fun and educational. Visitors can take part in activities, wander the garden at their leisure, even bring a picnic lunch and spend the day! Our pavilion offers protection from the sun and summer showers. Click here to learn about Special Events.