Field Trip - Explore the Mysteries of the Biological Kingdom

It's the little things in life that are the most important. Taking time to smell the flowers and walk amongst the trees, mountains and rivers, makes us even more eager to get close to nature. And, when a cross-curricular unit meets nature, meaningful learning begins.

The focus of the first grade cross-curricular unit was to explore the ecosystem. Mr. Botha and the homeroom teacher, Mr. Houge, took the adventurous children on a trip to the Qingdao World Horticultural Expo Park where they observed plant growth firsthand and took time to explore the importance of ecosystem to plants and animals.

At Jellyfish World, a bloom of the colorful aquatic species swam in the water, affording students the opportunity to understand their living conditions and growth needs by noting the shape and size of the jellyfish and listening to the guide. Did you know that there are more than 250 varieties of jellyfish in the world?

After Jellyfish World, the kids came to the colorful and wonderful world of the botanical garden in order to learn about the soil and collect leaves. Mr. Botha presented interesting information about the growth environment and regional distribution of the different plants. The children were surprised to learn that the growth rates of different plants vary widely.

Plants are alive. Can I sing you a song? 

I want to give you a hug before I leave. 

Thank you for your company today.

We had a wonderful field trip!

When we got back, we made a record of all the plants we observed.

Growth stems from exploration of the world. The paths we walk and the scenery we have seen will lead us better understanding and success in the future.