The orchards and forest represent a rich learning environment and provide endless opportunities for exploration and experiential learning. In my thesis, I investigated the perceptions of 5-6-year-old children about the blossoming and development of fruit/cones from flowers, in trees within the orchard and forest. I aimed to determine how conducting planned activities, in which children actively participate and learn about the blossoming and development of fruits/cones of selected tree species, affects their knowledge.
Forty-two children participated in the study: 24 children in the experimental group and 18 children in the control group from the Zagorje ob Savi kindergarten. With the experimental group children, we observed selected tree species in the orchard and forest for 2–3 weeks and conducted planned activities. In the orchard, we monitored apple, apricot, plum and cherry trees. In the forest, we observed mountain maple and common spruce. During experiential learning in nature, we observed and trecked the development on tree branches, from buds to the development of fruits/cones. During tree blossoming in the orchard, we observed bees and learned about their role and body structure. For more precise monitoring of development, we used the technique of herbarium collection of tree branches. With the control group children, we followed the kindergarten's usual rutine. Before and after the implementation of planned activities, we conducted individual interviews with children from both control and experimental groups. We compared the children's responses and determined whether the activities conducted in the experimental group influenced the children's perceptions of tree blossoming and the development of fruits/cones in the orchard and forest.
We found that the children in the experimental group progressed in their understanding of tree blossoming and fruit/cone development in the orchard and forest, and that early science learning has many positive effects on children, including fostering their interest in observing and exploring nature.
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