School Excursions Near Brisbane: Curriculum-Connected Learning at Green Thumb Farm

Looking for a school excursion near Brisbane that brings classroom learning to life? Green Thumb Farm offers hands-on educational experiences for Prep to Year 6 students, connecting learning about science, food production, living things and sustainability with the real world.

Located in Samford Valley, north-west of Brisbane, Green Thumb Farm provides farm excursions and school incursions designed to complement learning already happening in the classroom.

Students can explore growing environments, observe plants and pollinators, investigate soil and composting, and discover how food moves from the farm to the table. For teachers, these experiences offer opportunities to connect classroom concepts with real examples, encourage student questions and extend learning beyond the school grounds.

More than a day out: learning through real-world experiences

Children often learn best when they can see, explore and investigate something for themselves. A working farm provides a rich setting for students to make observations, ask questions and connect ideas they have discussed in class with the world around them.

At Green Thumb Farm, students may explore:

• Living things and ecosystems: observing plants, insects and other living things, and considering how they interact with their environment.
• Pollinators and food production: discovering the role of bees and other pollinators in growing food.
• Food systems: exploring where food comes from and the processes involved in growing and harvesting it.
• Soil health and composting: learning how healthy soil supports plant growth and how organic materials can be returned to the soil.
• Sustainable growing: investigating practical approaches to growing food and caring for the environment.
• Inquiry and observation: asking questions, sharing ideas and looking more closely at the natural world.

The aim is to give students a meaningful context for learning, with activities that teachers can connect to their current classroom priorities.

Connecting farm learning with the Australian Curriculum

Green Thumb Farm's primary school experiences can provide practical contexts for selected Australian Curriculum Version 9.0 content descriptions, particularly in Science and Design and Technologies.

The most relevant connections will depend on the year level, the unit being taught and the learning intentions teachers have already established.

Prep: noticing and exploring the natural world

For younger students, a farm visit can encourage careful observation and curiosity. Students might compare the features of different plants, notice insects and other animals, and ask questions about worms, soil or pollinators.

Teachers can build on these experiences through drawings, sorting activities, class discussions and a shared record of students' questions.

Years 1 and 2: discovering where food comes from

Students can investigate how plants and animals provide food and other useful products. They might identify foods growing on the farm, explore the journey from growing to eating, or compare how garden beds and composting systems help meet practical needs.

Back in the classroom, students could sequence the stages of food production, create a labelled diagram or explain how a growing system works.

Years 3 and 4: exploring relationships in living systems

Farm observations can help students explore life cycles, food chains and the roles of producers, consumers and decomposers.

Plants, pollinators and composting provide tangible examples that teachers can use to support further investigation. Students might develop a food-chain model, compare life cycles or explain the role of decomposers in a growing environment.

Years 5 and 6: investigating managed environments

Older students can consider how soil, water, sunlight, crop selection and other conditions affect food production and the survival of living things.

Depending on the planned learning activities, students might record observations, develop investigable questions, compare growing conditions or evaluate a garden or composting proposal against sustainability criteria.

These examples are starting points rather than a complete curriculum program. Teachers remain responsible for selecting the relevant content descriptions, providing explicit instruction and determining how learning will be assessed.

Helping teachers plan before and after the excursion

An excursion is most valuable when it forms part of a broader learning sequence.

Green Thumb Farm is developing curriculum mapping resources that identify selected Australian Curriculum connections, suggested farm activities and possible forms of student evidence.

Teachers can use these resources to help identify relevant learning opportunities, prepare students before the visit and plan follow-up activities. Depending on the learning intentions, evidence might include labelled drawings, observation tables, diagrams, student questions or written explanations.

For example, a class studying food chains could prepare by discussing the roles of producers and consumers, look for relevant examples during the farm visit, and then construct and explain a food chain back at school.

This approach helps make the connection between the excursion and classroom learning clear, while allowing teachers to tailor activities to their students and existing curriculum plans.

Choose a school excursion or an incursion at your school

Green Thumb Farm offers two ways for primary schools to bring food, soil and sustainability learning to life.

Primary school farm excursions

Bring your students to Green Thumb Farm in Samford Valley for a morning of guided, hands-on learning in a working farm environment.

Students can explore growing areas, discover regenerative growing practices, investigate composting and pollinators, and take part in practical activities such as making a mini no-dig garden to take home.

Farm excursions are designed for Prep to Year 6 students and usually run from 10 am to 1 pm on Thursdays and Fridays. The farm can accommodate groups of up to 55 students, subject to booking arrangements.

Primary school incursions

If travelling to the farm isn't practical, Green Thumb Farm educators can bring a hands-on learning experience to your school in Brisbane or Moreton Bay.

Available themes include:

• Exploring Herbs: discover herbs, their uses and how they can be grown at home.
• Farm-to-Fork Journey: investigate where food comes from and explore connections between food production, sustainability and healthy eating.
• Living Soils: explore soil, learn about its role in plant growth and investigate ways to support soil health.

Incursions are designed for Prep to Year 6 and generally run on Wednesdays. Session length and timing can be discussed with the farm team when enquiring.

Both options offer opportunities to connect learning with practical examples of food growing, living systems and sustainability. The best choice will depend on your school's learning goals, group requirements and available dates.

A practical way to connect learning, food and sustainability

School excursions and incursions can help students connect classroom learning with the systems that support everyday life. Exploring plants, soil, pollinators and food production gives students opportunities to ask questions, make observations and consider how people interact with their environment.

At Green Thumb Farm, these experiences sit within a broader commitment to growing healthy people, thriving communities and regenerated soil for future generations.

Whether you're planning a Science unit, exploring food production or looking for a practical way to introduce sustainability concepts, we welcome enquiries from schools interested in learning through real-world experiences.

Plan your school's next learning experience

Explore our primary school programs to see the available activities, current pricing and booking information.

Green Thumb Farm
2204 Mt Samson Road, Samford Valley QLD 4520

Email: programs@greenthumbfarm.org.au
Primary School Programs: https://greenthumbfarm.org.au/school-programs

When enquiring, please include your year level, approximate group size, preferred dates and the learning topics you're exploring. This will help us discuss the most suitable option for your school.