Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen Connects Students to Nature through Hands on Learning
This school year, Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen (VSUFSD Thirteen), arranged for fourth grade students from throughout the District to participate in a farm-based education program. In the spring, students paid a visit to Crossroads Farm at Grossman’s located in Malverne, N.Y., that offers a program for both children and adults to learn how a farm operates, the complexity of nature, and a human being’s impact on this environment.
During their initial field trip, students were led by farm educators who taught them all about plants, animals, and the lifecycle of honeybees. Students concluded the first phase of farm-based learning by planting their own seeds that were later transported into a garden at Crossroad Farms. Upon returning to farm weeks later, students were invited to harvest what they had previously planted and celebrate the end of their ‘farm to table’ educational experience by preparing a feast.
Students from Valley Stream Union Free School District Thirteen were able to walk away with a fresh understanding of environmental friendliness, and the hard work it takes to maintain a farm.
