SCHOOLS Teachers love the maze

Teachers love the maze. Agriculture, the 2nd largest industry in Arizona, plays an important role in our daily lives. Yet how much do students really understand about how agriculture factors into what they do every day? Our “Classroom in the Corn” acquaints students with agriculture by allowing students to be in the middle of a cornfield, learning about all that goes into raising crops, while also enjoying the experience of finding the maze’s one and only exit.

Do students understand what goes into the food they eat, the clothes they wear, the games they play? Out of sight, often means out of mind; and increasingly, this important topic is not fully understood by many children because they have little exposure to agricultural settings.

Our Corn Maze allows teachers the opportunity to educate students about concepts such as farming, nutrition, ecosystems and conservation through hands-on exposure to these principles. And walking through the fields is the best place to teach the role the American Farmer plays in the future of our country and the world.

    AZ Mazes’ 2008 Fun Farm Maze is an 8-acre human puzzle in West Phoenix and contains more than three miles of twists and turns. Most visitors spend an average of one hour trying to maneuver their way to the one and only exit of the labyrinth.

    It’s also about teamwork. You’re only limited by your own imagination as to how to create an exciting project for your students. The students could split into 2 groups, one group starting at the entrance to find the exit; the other group starts at the exit and tries to find the entrance. Or you can compete with another class on a timed basis. How do YOU want your students challenged?

    We have Corny Passports available (these are sheets with 10 questions on corn), and as you proceed along the trails you will find 10 numbered posts where you can answer that specific numbered question. The correct answer will turn you right or left in your quest to find the exit. Another challenge, of course, would to be sure ALL questions are answered, in correct numerical sequence...meaning, you’ve taken the correct trail ALL THE WAY through the maze.

We've added another game this year called "Cornundrums". At each of the 10 numbered posts there will be a farm picture that has to be interpreted into a famous saying. Hard to explain without the pictures, so I guess you'll just have to come and check it out for yourself.

For Home School Groups, immediate family members can attend with the student at the $5.00 price. Immediate family includes brothers, sisters, parents.

CONTEST OPEN TO ALL STUDENTS

    And again this year, we are having a CONTEST for all students K through 8. Students will be competing against students in other schools at their own grade level. The WINNER of each class will get to bring their class FREE to AZ Mazes. This FREE field trip will include:
    *     Going through the maze
    *     Classroom In The Corn
    *     Cow Train Ride.
                                                            Contest Rules

Teachers Guide & Activity sheet with lesson ideas, activities and lots of other great information (and links) applying to real-life situations, are available ONLINE and by request.

Our “Classroom in the Corn” is AZ Learning Standards compliant:
Solving problems
Communicating
Using technology
Working on Teams

The Corn Maze will be open from
Thursday, September 25, through Friday, October 31, 2008.
The cost of the field trip is $5.00 per child.
Teachers plus 1 aid are FREE (for each class) and Parents & siblings are $5.00 each.
We recommend one adult for every 6-8 students.
Tours are subject to good weather & irrigation schedule.

Picnic tables are available in the grassy area inside the cornfield & in the back yard of the house for lunch. You may bring your own lunch, have pizza delivered or buy snacks food or drinks from our Snack Bar. (Snack Bar only open when Maze is open to public; water & sodas will be available for purchase other times). Or arrange for a special meal prepared by Steve’s Smokin’ BBQ. No alcoholic beverages are allowed on the property.

Tours are subject to good weather and irrigation scheduling (irrigation is scheduled for Oct. 6 through Oct. 9, 2008). The trails in the Corn maze are wheel chair accessible.

CORN MAZE RULES: For the safety of you and all of our other guests, we do have some basic rules which we expect visitors to abide by. We have corn cops available to enforce the rules...and also to help you find your way out if you get lost. One of our most important rules bears mentioning specifically. And that is NO SMOKING, NO FIRES, NO FIREWORKS....inside our fences, either in the Common Area, or inside the corn field.

We are at 99th Avenue & McDowell,
near the intersectionof I-10 and the 101 Freeway.
Click here for map and directions.

We have plenty of bus parking spaces
and picnic lunch areas for your group or school.

The trails in the Fun Farm Maze are all wheel chair accessible.

IF YOUR GROUP WANTS PUMPKINS YOU MUST CALL
THE PUMPKIN PATCH @ 503-577-6297
TO ASSURE YOU WILL HAVE ENOUGH PUMPKINS FOR YOUR GROUP

HOTLINE................................................................... 623-936-4598
GROUP RESERVATIONS.................................... 623-824-2560
FAX ................................................................................623-936-1417