First graders have been enjoying the spring and taking their learning outside of the classroom during two recent field trips! 

At the end of April, in collaboration with Rye Country Day’s community partner Our New Way Garden, students visited the PepsiCo campus in Purchase to continue their yearlong study of trees. The campus is home to one of ONWG’s gardens and greenhouses. Walking around the campus, students discussed the important role that honey locust and other types of trees have in our environment, visited the greenhouse, and harvested seeds from honey locust tree pods. They also re-potted 11 sprouted tree saplings from seeds they planted earlier in the year. These saplings will soon be planted by the Westchester Land Trust.

Their second outing was a walk around campus! First graders conducted a tree survey with Upper School students who participated in the Westchester County Regional Envirothon competition and a representative from the Rye Nature Center. Together, they walked around the grounds to observe the various tree species, learned the difference between coniferous and deciduous trees, and measured a tree’s diameter to determine its age. Students used an app that helped them identify the tree species through pictures.  They also discussed the different bark patterns of trees and created their own bark rubbings on the trunks.