School gardens are cropping up all over the state!
In the garden at Auburn School District
In this section, learn about:
- Ideas for school garden activities and education
- Best practices for food safety in the garden
- School garden success stories in Washington
- Grant and Funding opportunities
Students in elementary school through high school are learning about how food grows and are engaged in growing their own. A school garden is a fantastic and complete teaching tool that allows educators to use hands-on experiences to teach everything from math and science to art and reading. In fact, there isn’t anything that can’t be taught from a garden, including some important things about patience and nurturing, caring for our world and ourselves, and understanding life cycles. Students will begin to make their own connections and learn skills that can have life-long benefits. Plus, gardening can be fun. For students, being outside, planting seeds and watching them grow, and then harvesting their own food can be very fulfilling.
Join the School Garden group on the Sustainability Education social networking NING site. If you haven't already, first join the general site at: http://wasustainabledesignproject.ning.com/
Then join the School Garden Group: http://wasustainabledesignproject.ning.com/group/school-gardens
Once you join the group you can post questions, comments, resources, etc.
Also be sure to check out this great map created by the OSPI Education for Environment and Sustainability program to see all of the school gardens near you: Map of Washington State School and Community Gardens
Don't see your school garden on the map. Click here to add your school garden?
A school garden can be any size and even grow with the students. It is often a focal point for parents, teachers and students to cooperate whether it is small or large. It should be flexible and help meet the precise needs of the school community. Educators know that it can also promote opportunities for interdisciplinary lessons, good nutrition and exercise and instill a positive work ethic. It gives kids a chance to contribute positively to their environment.
Quilcene 5 & 6th grade school garden students grinding wheat with bicycle powered grinder - Photo Candice Cosler |
.jpg "Quilcene students making pizza from wheat they threshed, winnowed & ground with bicycle powered grinder. - Photo Norma Bridges")
Quilcene students making pizza from wheat they threshed, winnowed & ground with bicycle powered grinder. - Photo Norma Bridges |
