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School Gardens
Students will eat what they grow. The school garden component of Growing Minds reconnects children with their agricultural heritage, and gets them to eat healthily at the same time.
Jeremy, a fifth grade student at Hazelwood Elementary, returned to the table of garden food to serve himelf seconds on the salad he helped grow, harvest and prepare. "Knock me over with a feather." Jeremy's mom muttered, "I have never seen that boy eat salad in his life."
School gardens can be a powerful learning experience for students, offering hands on experiential learning and a connection to where food comes from.
Sarah is an awkward pre-teen who will be entering middle school next year. "[The garden] gets her out from in front of the television." her grandmother explains. "I have always had a garden at home, but this year Sarah wants to help and make the garden bigger."
How ASAP Can Help
Check out the resources below. Teachers can learn how to start a garden, and how to integrate it into their curriculum.
We can provide seeds for your garden, and ideas for making it flourish. We can also help you connect with volunteers and community resources.
Contact us.
Resources
Easy Steps to a School Garden (PDF)
Best practices for using produce from school gardens (PDF)
Appalachian Garden Trunk Available to Teachers
Common Ground -School Garden Start-Up Guide (PDF)
Developing a Sustainable Garden Program: Lessons Learned from Growing Minds
Planning an Edible Garden (PDF)
Farm to School: From the Grassroots (2008)
Links
National Gardening Association - Kids Gardening
The Honey Bee Project
Edible Schoolyard
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School Gardens