Science@Orchard

Seeing Science in Action and Helping Urban Children overcome Nature Deficit Disorder (NDD)

A Day Out at The Living Science Classroom at Dusun Matahari@Lanchang, Pahang
 

You have always wondered:  


Why fruits are sweet? How to measure their sweetness? 


What happens to durian where there is too much water during harvest?


Plants cannot just survive on Nasi Putih Kosong ( NPK), what else do they need? 


Why is the Ph of the soil affects the health of the plant? How is oxygen supplied to the roots?  


Now you can fly DRONES to do spraying work? Have you seen it? 


And more physics, chemistry questions in class,  

Now in Nature’s setting you can really understand them. 



Sign up as a school member, and every class at the secondary level gets a day out at the orchard, 

It is not any other casual farm visit; it is a living Science Classroom.

 

A. HOW TO REGISTER:


In 2019, we will launch the program for Junior High, and will begin with Training the Science Teachers in your school. This is how it works: 

  1. Your school sign up as a school member,
  2. Send your science teacher/teachers at the secondary level for training and briefing at the farm. The training will be conducted by Our Science Master. All the teachers who joined this program will receive a certificate of completion, that will enable the teachers to take and mentor their own school students. 
  3. Your school class by class book the visit in an annual calendar by paying a block fees. Each student membership is RM250  ( which entitles the students to one visit that includes bus, arranged meals, workbook and the use of tools at the farm) The school has to pre-booked all the class visits; for example if you have 4 classes of Year 9, you can book them all on one weekend. Our maximum capacity is 4 classes per day.

B. Levels to be available: 

  1. Lower Secondary School ( Launching in 2019)
  2. Upper Secondary School
  3. Primary School
  4. Pre school
.C. Science Activities Include: 
  1. Fruit Tree Trail / treasure hunt / riddles – Who am I?  identifying species.
  2. Mystery boxes ( Nursery ), farm maze,
  3. Seed germination and growing from twig
  4. Wonderful speed growth (grafting)  
  5. Hands on making of water irrigation models ( observe water irrigation system, man made ponds, then make models, understand gravity flow)
  6. Growth Boosting (fertilizers) ( Plant food – NPK)
  7. Combat! (pest/ wild boars/ bats, pesticides, drone) 
  8. Buzz…Busy Bees (fertilization) 
  9. Yahoo Harvesting time! 
  10. Yummy! Yummy! Fruit cutting & tasting time
  11. Look to the future ( Food Processing/ Technology: how to keep food natural and fresh)
  12. Photo shoot Fun in orchard
  13. Photo shoot plants & identifications
  14. Exploring & Facts finding with smart phones
  15. Life cycles of fruit trees/ other plants in the orchard
  16. Life cycles of insects in the orchard ( Bee, butterfly, dragon fly, beetles, earth worms.)
  17. Seasonal cycles of fruit trees
  18. What goes up & what comes down in a plant? ( model of Plant Transport System)
  19. Help! I am sick ( To identify & analyze some plant problems & suggest solutions)
  20. Fruit Power ( Fruit battery)
  21. How acidic/ alkaline am I? ( pH test on soil and fruits). Understand acidity and its impact on health.
  22. Fruit ripening process
  23. Buoyancy of fruits: Does fruits sink/ float? 
  24. Fruit tree propagation – grafting & budding
  25. Fruit Enzyme in the making
  26. Incredible nutrients & health benefits of fruits
  27. Surprising/ interesting facts about fruits (e.g. Which fruit has seeds on the outside?)
  28. Nature’s wardrobe (Orchard ecosystem & landscape)
  29. The magical leaf – photosynthesis
  30. Energy story: Energy from the sun to plant to fruits
  31. How do plants reproduce?
  32. Chained to the web ( Food chain/ food web)
  33. Orchard Biodiversity
  34. Orchard – Priority Habitats! (Which animals live in orchard?)
  35. Fruit taste test with 5 senses ( taste, smell, feel, see, hear)
  36. Types of Leaves & sorting 
  37. Types of fruits & sorting 
  38. Types of flowers & sorting 
  39. Types of roots & sorting
  40. Flowers/ Leaves art & craft
  41. From fruit to juice (Watch our juices are made at factory)
  42. Potting – grow your own flower plant in a pot.
  43. Watch a drone spraying session

Fees include: Student membership per person per year  ( Fees will be advised upon signing up)

This entitles to one visit to the farm that includes transport; water and free flow of fruit juices throughout day, fruits buffet and lunch, dinner, field trip and lessons, and materials used. Addutuibak visits will be chargeable. 

Students will be prepared according to a checklist for the visit, a briefing session will be given by the science teacher of the school, to ensure the visit is enjoyable and rewarding, Students to  bring along a tool kit. 


Each participant are advised to pay attention to the following:  Have a hearty breakfast before start, be early. The bus picks up at 7am from school, it is absolutely important that our participants arrive early at the farm to experience how the land and the plants wake up and to enjoy the brisk air and positive ions of nature. Parents are advised to prepare a breakfast box and some snacks for the child. A large water tumbler that can take at least 1 liter to bring along.

  1. You are advised to be dressed properly, absolutely no open slippers; long sleeve and long pants, Large hats and sun glasses, sun blocks, bring an extra set of clothing – we do not want students to be into the air conditioning in their sweaty attire, Towel, mosquito repellent, gloves, plastic bag, own safety aid and allergy medicine must be brought along in case of emergency. 
  2. The school group will be accompanied by their own Science Master and each class will have a class leader who is a teacher or parent. Our resident Science Mentor will supervise the program, and will assign Science Guides to help the group. 
  3. Students are encouraged to produce a piece of work documenting the visit, in video, ppt or movie. These works can be submitted to The Living Science Classroom facebook for sharing. Outstanding work will receive prices and receive mention. 
  4. The Science Teachers training is provided free by Science@Orchard.  Training Dates for 2019 school membership ( to be advised)

 

Schools interested to participate in the program are advised to register on the website and sign the Expression of interest form below: 

 

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