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Cherry Blossoms in the Classroom
It was green and brown, made out of wood, alive but not breathing. It was in a box with a hole, very light and had many pieces. These were some of the conclusions my class drew as they guessed about the mysterious parcel that arrived at our school.
Over a period of the next few weeks the students observed the changes of these cherry tree prunings as they changed from buds to blossoms to spent flowers. Through digital photographs, the students were able to observe and discuss the growth stages of a cherry cycle that ensued in the following months of spring. We compared the climate, industry, and weather of our Northern community to that of Osoyoos’ hot, Southern community.
The students were delighted when our unit culminated with the arrival of another parcel – fully grown, delectable, Okanagan cherries. The students developed a virtual rapport with Mell and Ken, of Casa Del Mell, which made our study personal and meaningful. They looked forward to emails and photos. The friendliness of this type of research made this a fun learning project. Who doesn’t want learning to be fun?
Karma Vance
Grade 2/3 teacher
Westwood Elementary School
Prince George, BC
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