One of the things I love most about teaching at the Arboretum is that nature is never static, and neither are our field trips. Each season brings its own surprises, challenges, and lessons.
This year we experienced such a drop in water levels at Willow Pond that we were unable to utilize it for one of my favorite field trips; the aquatic macroinvertebrate lesson where students scoop up dragonfly larvae and water beetles, then make connections between life cycles, adaptations, and clean water. At first, I worried the absence of that program would be a disappointment.
But as the kids have reminded me again and again, curiosity always finds a way.
Instead, we adjusted and created new lessons that meet this moment in nature: exploring animal adaptations in response to drought and learning how watersheds connect us all. It has been a joy to watch students puzzle through questions like, “Where do the western chorus frogs go when the water is gone?” or “How do snails migrate?”
Their observations are often both hilarious and profound. One second grader earnestly told me, “There is water underground, maybe the animals dig a tunnel!” Another chimed in, “No, they have to move away!” These moments show me that even when conditions change, kids are more than capable of thinking critically and creatively about the world around them.
Hands-on experiences like this matter. When students hold a seed pod, roll it in their fingers, and realize it has wings designed to fly, they’re not just learning vocabulary words, they’re building lasting memories. When they walk through a dry streambed and imagine the powerful rush of water that shaped it, they’re connecting to forces bigger than themselves. Research tells us these early experiences in nature foster lifelong curiosity and care for the environment, but the kids’ wide-eyed “whoa!” reactions say it better than any study could.
As our field trips evolve, so do our students’ opportunities to grow. If anything, this year has been a reminder that change in nature is not a loss but an invitation to notice more closely, to ask new questions, and to discover resilience together. I can’t wait to see what lessons next season brings.
👉 Teachers and parents: If you’d like your students or children to experience the Arboretum this fall or next spring, now is the perfect time to plan your visit. Reach out to Helena.Murray@thearb.org to schedule a field trip!
Helena Murray is the Educational Manager of The Arboretum at Flagstaff.
