Living Lab

Long before photography and modern field guides, scientists, explorers, and botanists learned by observing the natural world carefully. They sketched what they saw, kept detailed journals, asked questions, and compared their discoveries over time.

Living Lab is a journey into nature's gifts. Students become "plant detectives," discovering how herbs and other useful plants provide food, fragrance, comfort, and practical uses in everyday life.

Herbs make an ideal outdoor classroom because they connect science to everyday life. Each plant has its own biology, history, and story to tell—from how it grows and supports local ecosystems to how people have used it for food, wellness, craft, and daily living across generations.

Throughout the course, students practice these same time-honored skills, using drawing, note-taking, and careful observation as tools for scientific learning rather than artistic perfection. Most of our learning takes place outdoors in the garden, where we return to the same living environment throughout the semester. By observing familiar plants week after week, students begin to notice seasonal changes, ask deeper questions, and discover that even ordinary places are full of remarkable details.

Together, we'll investigate, experiment, create, and build a Field Journal that documents observations, discoveries, and the fascinating stories behind the plants we explore.

"Designed to spark wonder and a lasting appreciation for the living world around us."