Eastside Connections kindergarten students got to feel the rough shell of a live box turtle Thursday.

They also got to see the red, orange and yellow autumn leaves reflected in a pond, hear the birds sing, smell different kinds of leaves plucked from trees and even taste a butterfly cookie.

It all happened during a “Five Senses” field trip at Fernwood Botanical Garden and Nature Preserve.

Nearly 50 kindergarten students participated from the classrooms of Eastside teachers Paula Rose and Bonnie Prenkert.

Prenkert said the field trip coincides with a project the students are completing about the five senses. Prior to coming to Fernwood, students learned about leaves and how they could use their five senses to experience all nature has to offer.

“When they come here we talk about what they’ve learned and what they’ve learned new here and add it to what they know,” said Prenkert, who has been taking the field trip the past 10 years. “This is the favorite of the year, to come out to Fernwood.”