Hampton Students Tap 24 Trees, Turn Maple Sap Into Syrup In District Learning Project

HAMPTON, NH — Students at Hampton Academy and Marston School spent the last weeks of winter learning the science and tradition behind maple sugaring through a hands-on district project.

Superintendent Lois Costa said students learned to identify maple trees, assess whether they were suitable for tapping, and determine the right time to collect sap.

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When conditions were right, students tapped 24 trees and installed 26 collection buckets at Hampton Academy, the High Street Cemetery, and Marston School. Since then, students have collected sap and helped transform it into maple syrup. The district reported that the project gave students a closer look at the chemistry of sap and syrup, calculations used to estimate yield, and agricultural practices tied to syrup production.

Students also used specialized tools, including hydrometers and refractometers, while learning about osmosis and observing biological changes. The district used its propane-powered maple evaporator during the project. An evaporator was purchased through grant funding from the University of New Hampshire Cooperative Extension.

During a recent full-day boil, students from multiple grade levels watched sap concentrate into syrup. The district said that experience helped students better understand both the science involved and the process's efficiency. The project also connected students across grade levels.

A group of seventh- and eighth-grade students led an after-school Nature Club session for 24 Marston School students. The Hampton Academy students guided younger students through choosing and tapping trees and led four interactive learning stations. Those stations focused on sap collection and data recording, operation of a reverse osmosis machine and a refractometer, the internal anatomy of maple trees, and the function of the evaporator.

Students also tasted and compared maple sap and finished syrup. To date, the district has produced just over two gallons of maple syrup. According to the district, students plan to enjoy the syrup and gift some of it in bottles decorated with student-designed stickers.

"This project is an excellent example of how hands-on learning brings education to life for our students," Costa said. "Not only are they building skills in science, math and agriculture, but they are collaborating and connecting with a meaningful local tradition."