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The University of British Columbia
- a place of mind
- The University of British Columbia
- Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at UBC Farm
Children connect the theory of plant life cycles to experiential learning while harvesting radishes
The Children’s Learning Garden is home to a wide array of youth programming for students from pre-kindergarten through secondary school, with involvement ranging from 2-hour tours to interactive programming that runs throughout the school year. The student-built cob structure that frames the entrance to the Children’s Learning Garden is made of locally available natural materials and serves as a dynamic and inspiring medium for the farm’s educational programs.
A cascade of learning across generations begins with the planting of a single seed. An initiative of UBC’s Faculty of Education, the Intergenerational Landed Learning Project brings children to the UBC Farm for hands-on immersive and transformative learning experiences in the Children’s Learning Garden.
Landed Learning students develop skills in preparing garden-fresh foods with the guidance of adult mentors.
Under direct mentorship from faculty, seniors and UBC students, the children learn the practices of ecosystem stewardship, agriculture, health and nutrition, and integrate all elementary school subjects through land-based inquiry. Research elements of the project push the boundaries of pedagogical knowledge and have been widely disseminated in academic literature. The project has sprouted a suite of on-farm children’s programs, some working with aboriginal students and elders, others running through the summer for seamless continuity through the seasons. This model is being spread through the province in work with regional school districts, providing UBC students and faculty the opportunity to use innovative pedagogy to build environmental literacy in the next generation.
Through its “Get Growing” publication (pdf) on curricular food and gardening activities, the Landed Learning Project is being disseminated as a refreshing model for elementary and middle school teachers who wish to integrate experiential learning about the food system in their classrooms. To find out more about Landed Learning or to become involved as a volunteer, please visit the Project website.
Please also see the following short clip about Landed Learning, which was created as part of UBC’s Start an Evolution fundraising and alumni engagement campaign.
Every fall and spring, the UBC Farm offers field trips for school classes ranging from elementary to secondary levels. The field trip focuses on where food comes from, how we grow food and the social, and community responsibilities toward the food system. FarmDiscovery Tours provide an opportunity for students to see a working organic farm, learn about organic farming techniques, and to discuss some of the social and ecological aspects of human food production.
Students on FarmDiscovery tours learn about farming and ecosystem stewardship
Each tour consists of a brief introduction to the farm, followed by education stations in which students can gain hands-on learning about topics such as annual plant life cycles, basic soil science, the role of farms in our food system, season extension, and forest and farm ecosystems. Tours may also include discussions about local and global issues in food security and sustainability. Each tour is approximately 2 hours and concludes with a guided walk to visit the farm’s many unique features.
FarmDiscovery tours for 2011 are now finished. For general information about these tours, please email ubcfarm.tour@gmail.com.
SpringFarmers offers a hands-on, farm-based after-school education program for 7 to 12-year-olds. It is designed to introduce children to a science-based approach to land, food and community. Children work in small, collaborative groups with community volunteers to sow, grow, harvest, and eat crops in the Children’s Learning Garden at the UBC Farm. Opportunities to explore other parts of the farm are included. Participants engage in the environment through all of nature’s cycles, learning what nature has to teach through the seasons. Each visit of the program corresponds with a theme. Pre- and post-visit materials are included for most visits in order to support families in exploring these themes in more depth at home or in the community.
Summer camp children engage in farm-to-fork activities such as gathering and preparing free-range eggs
FarmWonders is an innovative, educational and fun student-run community education initiative committed to promoting environmental awareness through science-based farm learning. Hosted in the Children’s Learning Garden, FarmWonders aims to offer a unique experience that allows children to explore the wonders of science at the farm and discover the mysteries of the food that they eat. For more information visit the FarmWonders website.
