Learning on the Farm

A living classroom. A day of wonder. A weekly rhythm for every child.

At Golden Bridges School, every class from Preschool through 8th grade spends one full day each week at Hawk Creek Farm, our urban farm just down the street from the main campus in San Francisco.

A day at the farm is an integral part of our curriculum, and is what makes a Golden Bridges School education unique. Rain or shine, our farm days nourish learning through movement, wonder, and meaningful work, helping students grow as compassionate, capable humans. The farm lives deeply in our day-to-day life through songs and activities, and as students explore and experience the cycles of the seasons.

One of the school's teachers and farmers is holding a bunch of orange and red flowers in one hand. The person is standing in a garden with green plants and a wooden fence in the background.

What Happens on “Farm Day”?

The children tend the garden, care for animals, cook with seasonal ingredients , learn to use many types of tools, write and draw about what they observe, and learn from the land. The lessons are shaped by age and developmental stage that build upon each other as the students make their way through the grades:

Early Childhood (Preschool & Kindergarten):
Imaginative play, seasonal songs and stories, gentle gardening and herbalism, natural dye projects, vegetable harvesting, soup making (including vegetable chopping), and animal care.

Lower Grades (1st–5th):
Composting, beekeeping, planting, herbalism, harvesting, tool safety, botany, storytelling, cooking, and teamwork.

Upper Grades (6th–8th):
Sustainable farming practices, soil science, ecological research, environmental justice, leadership in farm projects, cooking, herbalism, and reflection-based writing.

Two children, one dressed in a teddy bear coat with a Patagonia hat and the other in a blue jacket, are holding eggs in their hands outdoors. The children are partially visible, and the eggs are light-colored and smooth.
Group of children and an adult sitting outdoors on dry grass, examining insects and objects in small bowls and containers.
Young child with glasses smiling, holding a large sunflower on their head outdoors with green trees and blue sky in the background.
Two students smiling outdoors, one holding a bunch of freshly harvested green vegetables in their arms. In the background, there are other children and a garden on Hawk Creek Farm.

Why It Matters

Learning through Doing, Feeling, and Thinking
Farm work builds resilience, focus, fine and gross motor skills, and problem-solving through movement and rhythm.


Integrated Academics
Math, science, geography, and language arts come alive through practical, land-based applications.

Connection to Place
Through caring for plants, animals, and one another, students learn that the land is not only something to tend but also something to be in relationship with. Each interaction on the farm becomes an opportunity to give back, whether through watering, weeding, or simply offering gratitude. This nurtures a sense of reciprocity and responsibility as land stewards.

Social-Emotional Growth
Shared tasks build collaboration, confidence, and a deep sense of contribution to something larger than oneself.

Group of children gathered around a composting bin outdoors, observing composting process.

“It’s on the farm that our daughter began seeing herself as capable—of caring for animals, solving real problems, and working through challenges with joy.”
 — Golden Bridges School Parent

Learn more about Hawk Creek Farm's nonprofit mission at hawkcreekfarm.org