Oxbow’s Virtual Farm Adventures connect you and your learning community to the seasonal changes on an organic vegetable farm, wherever you are! Virtual Farm Adventures are for everyone, including schools, families, homeschool groups, and beyond. Step into Oxbow’s world and learn about our organic farming practices, Snoqualmie Valley ecology, and more about the plants that humans (and other critters!) eat.
Last year, we hosted virtual farm tours for students to watch in their classrooms. But, those can be viewed on YouTube now! For kids aged 4 to 9, watch our 2020 tour of Talview Farm.or our 2019 tour from Dutch Hollow Farm. Kids aged 10-13 will enjoy our virtual tour of Will-O-Crest Farm. We also had a tour last year you will enjoy. Virtual Farm online. Play free Virtual Farm game online at Big Fish. It`s a hillbilly, hay-ridin` adventure.
Oxbow is excited to remain a part of your school year and support students of all ages through fun, engaging virtual experiences. Even in a remote learning model, on-farm or garden-based environmental education is an excellent platform for exploring Life Sciences through guided inquiry. During our time together, there will be plenty of space for students to make observations and ask questions.
Hosted via Zoom, Oxbow Educators need your support to make Virtual Farm Adventures successful! We’ll ask you to monitor muting/unmuting students, facilitate the question and answer session, and coordinate with our staff to schedule your zoom call. The last 15-20 minutes of our program time will be reserved for a question and answer session with an Oxbow Farmer. Young learners are invited to ask us anything about farming and nature – students especially enjoy engaging with our Farmer-Educators during this portion of the program!
What to expect on a Virtual Farm Adventure
- We’ll make you, the teacher/group leader, a Zoom co-host. This will give you the opportunity to share your virtual classroom expectations and take class attendance prior to the start of the program, if desired.
- You’ll meet a friendly Oxbow Farmer (or two!) and start with a welcome activity like a song or story. Then we’ll introduce a learning question or theme for the visit.
- We’ll take a live video tour of what’s growing on the farm, looking for ripe fruits, farm helpers, and pests. We’ll also explore farm phenomena such as decomposition or plant life cycles.
- Next we’ll dig into a concept that is relevant for your group. Do you want to dissect an apple & count the seeds? Curious about what the root structures of different types of plants look like, or how pumpkins grow so big from a tiny seed? Let us know!
- We’ll wrap up the experience by repeating our learning theme and asking students to share what they learned.
- Participants will be invited to ask questions along the way and share their experience through the chat function on zoom, via hand signals, and through reflection questions.
- We’ll conclude with a fun Q&A session with the farmers!
“I have been hearing such wonderful things about the virtual field trips from our Educators, about how much campers enjoy it. Several Educators have attended more than once, and say it is the highlight of the week each time for these camps. They also have mentioned a particular song (something along the lines of “my roots grow down down in the ground”) that our Educators have been referencing and campers keep singing. So you have made quite an impression; thank you so, so much.” – Dakota Spear | Youth and Family Programs Coordinator | Pacific Science Center
Virtual Farm Tour For Kids
“That field trip was absolutely delightful and my students loved it. I was so impressed with how well both of [the farmers] engaged them online. I know it isn’t easy, so I appreciate all the extra effort it took.” – Victoria Butler | Lower School Teacher | The Bear Creek School
Offered on a sliding scale
Virtual Farm Adventures are available on a sliding scale starting at $50. We invite you to pay what you can on an open sliding scale, reflecting Oxbow’s mission to make programming as accessible as possible for students near and far. No one will be turned away; please reach out to us if program costs pose a barrier and we’ll explore other options with you.
Virtual Farm Games
Email education@oxbow.org to schedule your Virtual Farm Adventure!