Soil is every-where, and everything comes from soil! A Handful of Dirt gives students an in-depth look at how soil is formed, what it’s made of, and why it is important to all life—from microorganisms to worms to rabbits. Learn about the different jobs of microscopic creatures in the soil and discover hidden activity that’s always happening just below our feet.
Joe and Gram plant a garden together, but they each have their own special way of doing things. Together, this grandma and grandson pair complete tasks during each of the four seasons, and then wait as the good brown earth takes care of the rest. Children will relate to Joe’s creative way of gardening. They will appreciate the magic that happens when the earth turns a seed into a plant.
A young boy and his dog are sick of winter, so they plant a garden and begin to wait. And wait, and wait. Just when it seems as though the brown will never become green, spring magically appears! This book is a quick read that benefits from paying close attention to the beautifully illustrated pages.
Mags and Cody replant their grandmother’s garden after she passes away, and hope that the bluebirds return along with the flowers.
Good eating habits and a love of learning both start early, and what better way to instill both in children than with a garden? Gardening with preschoolers not only engages children in hands-on learning, but begins to build positive experiences with healthy food. This is why school gardens are a key component of effective Farm to School programs. Farm to School can include local food included in school meals, farm field trips, school gardens and cooking local food, but the goal is to rebuild connections between children and the food they eat. Proving positive social reinforcement for healthy eating, Farm [...]
Each quarter, ASAP’s Growing Minds co-hosts a school garden meeting with an area school. The winter meeting was held at Hall Fletcher Elementary, a school with an active garden program. Despite it being the middle of December there was still a lot to see and learn.
Eddie decides he wants a garden and gets to work, with just a bit of help from him mom and younger sister. He learns about all of the elements that help his garden to grow!
Over the years the US presidents have enjoyed the south lawn of the White House in a variety of ways. When Barack Obama became president, First Lady Michelle Obama decided to plant a kitchen garden on the lawn! With the help of some local school children the south lawn was transformed into an edible garden.
Thomas Jefferson loved to grow peas, and every year hosted a contest to see who could bring the first peas to the table. Maya’s class decides to hold the same contest, and Maya has a few secrets up her sleeve that she hopes will help her win. Will her plants be the first ones in the class to produce peas?
