Fall Fun and Learning Come to Life in Oakhill Day School’s Living Lab

Oakhill Day School invites students to embrace the season with a unique blend of fun and learning at the Living Lab’s Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt. This engaging activity, organized by the school's Compost Club, invites young explorers to search for 25 hidden pumpkins while soaking in the vibrant fall colors and discovering the wonders of nature up close. The scavenger hunt is open now through November 22, giving students ample time to take part in the autumn festivities right on campus.

“Our Living Lab is full of seasonal beauty and provides a real-time view into Missouri’s ecology,” said Jared Cole, Science Teacher at Oakhill. “Classes heading out in the next week will still get to see Monarch butterflies migrating, skippers fluttering about, and trees like the Wild Plum showing off their fall colors. The asters may be a bit droopy, but their purples are as brilliant as ever.”

The Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt is designed with accessibility in mind—pumpkins are visible from the gravel path and wood-chipped areas, allowing students to explore without disrupting the natural space. Teachers are encouraged to bring their classes out for a mini field trip experience on school grounds, where students can enjoy the thrill of exploration while observing seasonal changes in the Living Lab.

The Living Lab: A Hands-On Outdoor Classroom

Oakhill’s Living Lab offers more than just fall fun; it’s a dynamic outdoor learning space that allows students to connect directly with nature as part of their science education. Originally inspired by a 2019 third-grade project, the Living Lab began with the creation of a 700-square-foot rain and butterfly garden. The success of this initial endeavor led to further development, transforming the area into a comprehensive outdoor science zone. With grant funding in 2020, Oakhill expanded the Living Lab to include a 210-foot trail, a compost demonstration site, an upland prairie garden, and a gathering space.

Students from kindergarten through eighth grade engage with the Living Lab in numerous ways:

• First graders capture Monarch caterpillars from the garden, observe their lifecycle, and release them as butterflies.
• Second graders test models of wind-borne seeds in the open space.
• Third graders survey the lab to create food webs, understanding the interconnections of local ecosystems.
• Eighth graders design and carry out investigations to estimate plant populations, applying NGSS scientific practices in real-world contexts.

Oakhill Day School’s Commitment to Sustainability

The Living Lab also supports Oakhill’s commitment to environmental sustainability. The school’s Compost Club manages an on-site composting process, collecting food scraps from the school’s cafeterias and adding the finished compost back into the garden beds. This hands-on learning approach aligns with the school’s nutrition education efforts, as students grow food plants that support lessons on healthful eating.

Through activities like the Pumpkin Scavenger Hunt and its science curriculum, Oakhill Day School empowers students to explore, understand, and care for the natural world. With plans for potential future expansions of the Living Lab, Oakhill continues to foster environmental stewardship and a love of learning in the heart of its community.