This October, our classrooms are beginning a month-long project called I Am an Agriculturist. Through hands-on experiences with food, plants, and seasonal materials, children will have opportunities to investigate agriculture and changes in the fall environment.
The project may include fresh produce, pumpkins and squash, apples, corn, seeds, leaves, weather tracking, composting, harvesting, food preparation, and farm-to-table tastings. These possibilities give our teachers a place to begin while leaving room for each classroom's work to develop in response to the children.
A Project Guided by Children's Interests
At Rise Above, a project isn't a fixed series of lessons. Teachers introduce materials and experiences, observe how children respond, and listen closely to their questions and ideas.
One class may spend more time investigating seasonal produce, while another may become interested in seeds, weather, or changes in the outdoor environment. Teachers build on that interest by adding materials, asking thoughtful questions, and giving children time to revisit their ideas. This responsive process respects children as capable learners while keeping the work meaningful and developmentally appropriate.
Learning Through Agriculture
Agriculture gives children familiar, concrete materials to study. They can examine natural objects, identify similarities and differences, sort items into groups, make predictions, and describe what they notice.
These experiences can support development across several areas, including: – Early science concepts related to plants, seasons, weather, and change – Early math concepts such as classification, quantity, measurement, and patterns – New language connected to food, farming, and the natural environment – Fine-motor development through hands-on work with materials and ingredients – Social development through shared investigations and collaborative problem-solving
Working with real materials helps children connect new ideas with what they can see, touch, smell, compare, and discuss.
Where the Investigation May Lead
Throughout the month, children's interests may lead classrooms to investigate: – Harvesting and the outdoor fall environment – Fall leaves and other seasonal materials – Pumpkins and squash – Apples and cider making – Sorting and cleaning produce – Corn and kernel exploration – Composting fall materials – Weather tracking – Different kinds of seeds – Farm-to-table tastings – Harvest celebrations
Teachers will follow the ideas that are most meaningful to each group, adapting the investigation to the children's developmental stages, observations, and questions.
Through I Am an Agriculturist, children can deepen their understanding of food, nature, and seasonal change while practicing observation, communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.
