Sweet Lessons from the Orchard: Barnesville Students Blend Learning, Service, and Joy

Our Pre-K and Kindergarten students enjoyed a special fall adventure this week—continuing a beloved Barnesville School of Arts & Sciences tradition!

As part of Apple Wednesdays, Barnesville School partners with our friends at Kingsbury Orchard to bring fresh, local apples to campus. This year, our youngest learners took an active role in the tradition by riding the bus with Mrs. Johnson to pick up the apples themselves.

When the group arrived, Mr. Kingsbury had a wonderful surprise—there were still apples left on the trees! He invited the students to pick them, and they eagerly got to work. By the end of the afternoon, their baskets were full and spirits even fuller.

Back at school, students put their math skills to the test by predicting, sorting, and counting their harvest. They arranged the apples in groups of ten and discovered that they had picked an impressive total of 94 apples! Using the game “Guess My Rule,” they sorted apples by color, size, and other fun attributes before each choosing six to take home—a sweet, handpicked treat for families to enjoy.

The following morning, the student scientists had an in-depth apple investigation! They each chose one apple for a series of examination, including determining the height of the apple using counting cubes, comparing the weight of apples, experimenting with whether the apples would sink or float, cutting into the apple to discover the core and count the seeds, and of course, enjoying a taste test! The burgeoning chefs also listed the items we could cook using apples. The students washed and chopped some of the remaining apples to prep them to cook and enjoy the fruits of their hard work together.

This fruitful experience embodies one of Barnesville’s core values—service learning. By helping prepare apples for the school community, our youngest students discover that even small hands can make a big impact. The trip reinforced lessons in cooperation, gratitude, and stewardship, while connecting classroom learning in math and science to real-world experiences.

Just one of the many examples of how at Barnesville School, joyful learning is rooted in curiosity, community, and care for others. Through traditions like Apple Wednesdays, our students not only explore the natural world around them but also grow in empathy and understanding—developing the character to make a difference.