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All the resources are wonderful, but the Edible Schoolyard Project is most geared toward our current program.

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Understanding Organic: Connections to Action in the Garden Classroom is a garden and classroom based curriculum for middle to high school students that explores the concepts and meanings of organic agriculture. The curriculum consists of a short preparatory unit, a sequence of ten core lessons, and twelve optional extension inquiries that can also be taught as stand alone lessons.

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The 25+ Planting and Gardening Activities For Preschoolers page was exactly what I needed! There were some other great pages as well with excellent printouts, and I have saved them as bookmarks. I plan on using one of the planting and gardening activities this week so I can move away from table-based activities and get exploring in the dirt!

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They have a ton of info here, and a great set of posters about pollinators/pollination. 

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They have a ton of info here, and a great set of posters about pollinators/pollination. 

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https://gardens.si.edu/learn/educational-resources/

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Smithsonian Learning Lab: Discover, Create, Share

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I have visited this site many times since starting the garden club at the library several years ago. It has many resources for gardening activities with children and also provides grant opportunities. In addition, you can sign up (for free!) to be part of their online community, where you can participate in discussions revolving around all topics related to kids' gardening.

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KidsGardening supports the educators and caregivers bringing the life-changing benefits of gardening to kids.

We support educators and families with grant funding, original educational resources, inspiration, and community to get more kids learning through the garden.

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We create opportunities for kids to learn and grow through gardening, engaging their natural curiosity and wonder. Helping young minds grow!

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I have found that parents and other adults within the school community are awesome free resources at times. We have had parents come in to teach about compost tea, native plants and to help with weed control. It's easy to get so caught up in looking for resources that we forget what is right close by. I have also reached out to local nurseries and I have been lucky enough to have plants donated or discounts given.

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School Garden Network in Sonoma County, CA

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School Garden Network in Sonoma County, CA

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https://www.schoolgardens.org/grow_kits.html

This program also put me in touch with other local nurseries and resources that offer discounts or goods to school gardens.

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SGN delivers themed Grow Kits containing a variety of plants to support high output School Gardens. The "Eat Your Greens" kit offers leafy and crunchy winter vegetables; "Fruit Basket" kits bear sweet fruits; and "Harvest" kits provide plants and seeds for spring planting and a cornucopia of fall abundance.

​As part of the GROW KIT, we offer Cooking from the Garden recipes, ideas, best practices, and more. Please click HERE for more information.

Each GROW KIT was made possible through community donations from individuals and the businesses listed below. Thank you!

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SGN delivers themed Grow Kits containing a variety of plants to support high output School Gardens. The "Eat Your Greens" kit offers leafy and crunchy winter vegetables; "Fruit Basket" kits bear sweet fruits; and "Harvest" kits provide plants and seeds for spring planting and a cornucopia of fall abundance.

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Planting and gardening with preschoolers is a great way to learn about the natural world is through hands-on activities and experiences. They learn about science by practicing science. You can help your children learn about spring, plants (and their life cycle), and growth by planting and caring for flowers and vegetables. This collection of ideas can help you and your preschoolers plant a garden of learning possibilities.

Ideas For Gardening With Preschoolers

1. Sprouting Sweet Potatoes - (Pre-K Pages)- Have fun growing your own sweet potatoes by using one you pick up at the store or farmer's market! This is simple gardening activity the kids will love!

5. Planting Pumpkin Seeds in a Pumpkin - (Pre-K Pages) Have you ever planted pumpkin seeds with your class? Check out this awesome experiment Denise Hoefer did with her class. Pumpkin seeds are very easy to plant, just follow these simple steps below. Planting pumpkin seeds is a fun experiment your preschoolers will not forget.

6. Planting and Growing Beans (Pre-K Pages) - A quick and easy way to grow beans in a zip top plastic bag with cotton balls. Invite your students to make observations of the growth process over time.

7. Winter/Indoor Gardening (Tinkerlab) - Gardening doesn't have to be always done outdoors in the spring and summertime! Get some wheatgrass seeds and enjoy this indoor gardening activity any time of year!

8. Eggheads with Cress Hair (Nurture Store) - Your kids will be sure to giggle over this gardening activity. It's perfect for Easter time!

9. Sprouting Indian Corn (Gift of Curiosity) - Kids will be fascinated when they take an ear of corn and see it sprout!

10. Growing Beans on Cotton Balls (Imagination Tree) - This is a really easy, visual way to teach children about root systems and is something I used to do with my school children each Spring time. Plus it's very exciting to watch how FAST the plants grow!

11. Growing Romaine Lettuce from Kitchen Scraps (Educator's Spin On It) - Here is a simple, but extremely effective science project to do with your children:Growing Romaine Lettuce from Kitchen Scraps. Grab your since journals and record the results.

12. How to Regrow Celery (Housing a Forest) - Don't throw out those celery stems! Use them to regrow celery instead with this fun science gardening experiment you can do with your kids!

13. How to Grow Sprouts on a Sponge (Housing a Forest) - Grab a sponge and some seeds and watch them grow in this easy gardening experiment.

More Gardening Activities

14. Growing Vegetables from Scraps (What Do We Do All Day) - Observing how some vegetables magically regrow from scraps is a fascinating plant science project you can do at home with the kids even if you don't have a yard!

15. How to Grow a Carrot Top (Laughing Kids Learn) - Here are the instructions on how to grow a carrot top at home. This is a fabulous introduction to growing for children as it provides them with a basic form of responsibility to look after and help it grow.

16. Planting and Observing Bulbs (Buggy and Buddy) - In this science experiment for kids, children will be forcing bulbs into bloom and observing the changes that take place over time. This science exploration allows students the opportunity to observe parts of the plant up close and monitor its growth on a free printable recording sheet.

17. Planting Seeds Outside (Learning and Exploring Through Play) - Your toddler will have fun planting seeds outside with this simple gardening activity. And can be brought indoors once done!

18. Planting a Garden with Preschoolers (Teaching Mama) - Get a seed starter kit, and have some fun starting an indoor garden (that can later be transferred outside) in this gardening activity for preschoolers.

19. Organic Gardening: Planting Spring Flowers (Rhythms of Play) - Gardening with kids is a great way to spend time connecting with your children teaching them the basics of plant care. Learn how to get children in the garden helping and teach them how to plant flowers with the easy step by step spring flower organic gardening tutorial!

20. Planting Wildflowers (Lemon Lime Adventures) - Explore the ABC's of nature and plant some wildflowers in this gardening activity for kids.

21. Growing Potatoes with Kids (Kids Activities Blog) - Learn how easy it is to grow potatoes with kids in this fun science gardening activity.

22. Planting with Preschoolers: Grass Haircuts (Creekside Learning) - Use some plastic cups, and quick to grow grass seed and watch your preschooler have fun giving a grass haircut.

23. Sprouting Sweet Potatoes - (Pre-K Pages)- Have fun growing your own sweet potatoes by using one you pick up at the store or farmer's market! This is simple gardening activity the kids will love!

Use books to supplement your learning-
Physical Science Books for Preschool
Earth Science Books for Preschool
Life Science Books for Preschool
More Science Ideas

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25 Planting And Gardening Activies For Preschoolers

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Planting and gardening with preschoolers is a great way to learn about the natural world is through hands-on activities and experiences. They learn about science by practicing science. You can help your children learn about spring, plants (and their life cycle), and growth by planting and caring for flowers and vegetables.

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I love these preschool garden theme activities.

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I love these preschool garden theme activities.

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Spring will be here before you know it and I have been planning my gardens in preparation. Since kids are always interested in doing what adults in their life are doing, now is a great time plan garden themed learning activities for your preschoolers! Check out some great free printable activities below!

Free Printables for a Gardening Preschool Theme

Here are 20+ gardening activities for preschoolers.

It won't be long before the bright colors and scents of Spring are in full bloom. I've been working on planting my gardens lately, so now is a great time to plan some fun garden-themed activities for your preschoolers!

Check out these free printable garden activities below that will give them an opportunity to have tons of springtime learning adventures while they're outside playing in their own backyard or local park. They are great for the classroom and learning at home!

FAQ About Teaching Gardening Theme in Preschool

Do you have little ones in your life who love to play outside? Do they ever ask questions about plants or gardening and want the answers immediately? Well, here are some frequently asked questions about how to teach preschoolers (ages 3-5) all sorts of things related to nature.

Grab all these free gardening printables for preschoolers!

Garden Themed Math Activities for Preschoolers

Teach your preschoolers counting to 20 and a little about the life cycle of a flower with this Ten Frame Gardening Printable. It's the perfect math activity for Spring!

Worms are abundant in the garden. Preschoolers will have so much fun counting worms in this sensory bin with free printable dice.

These vegetable puzzles are a great way for preschoolers to practice counting and number recognition. It's perfect for a garden themed math center.

Measure the height of your flower garden with this free flower measurement printable. Flower can be measured with beans, buttons or unifix cubes.

Preschoolers can practice patterning with garden fruits and veggies printable. These 6 activities are great for a garden or food and nutrition theme.

Count the carrots in the garden with this fun play dough printable math activity. This is a fantastic activity for a garden or Spring theme.

Young learners can practice number recognition and counting with this garden ten frame printable. This is a great activity for comparing numbers.

Teach about healthy food and color sorting with this fruit and veggie printable. It would be a great addition to a garden theme!

Garden Themed Alphabet Activities for Preschoolers

Mary, Mary, quite contrary how does your garden grow? With this Spring flowers letter identification activity I hope!

Young readers can practice with this garden themed ABC easy reader. It's a great way to practice fine motor skills and letter recognition as well.

Dig in the garden while practicing letter recognition with this peas and carrots garden sensory bin. Encourage your preschooler to find the letters in their name!

Preschoolers can practice letter and name recognition with this spring flower garden printable name activity. This is a great hands-on activity for a literacy center.

This fun Spring showers printable game is perfect for a garden theme. It teaches letter recognition as well as counting.

Teach your preschooler about vegetables and syllables with this vegetable syllable sorting activity. It's a great activity to add to garden themed lesson plans!

Preschoolers can practice beginning letter sounds with this garden themed printable matching activity. This versatile activity is great for a wide range of early learners.

Create a sight word garden to help your early reader learn to recognize sight words. The best thing about this printable activity is that it is editable to fit your needs.

Writing Activities for a Gardening Preschool Theme

Preschoolers can practice lowercase letter tracing with this garden flower printable. It's a great addition to a Springtime writing center.

These garden themed prewriting activities are perfect for strengthening fine motor skills used for handwriting.

For more advanced writers these garden alphabet cards are a great way to practice. If you laminate them, they can be reused with dry erase markers.

Here is a flower garden themed prewriting printable activity. It can be used with play dough, small objects like seeds, buttons or pompoms and can even be used with dry erase markers.

More Gardening Ideas for Preschool

There are so many great activities to do with your preschoolers in the garden. We all know how much children love playing and learning outside! If you're looking for more educational activities in the garden, here are some things that might be fun for them to learn about gardening.

https://stayathomeeducator.com/tracking-watermelon-growth-a-gardening-and-measuring-activity-for-the-kids/

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20+ Garden Themed Printables for Preschoolers - Stay At Home Educator

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Spring will be here before you know it and I have been planning my gardens in preparation. Since kids are always interested in doing what adults in their life are doing, now is a great time plan garden themed learning activities for your preschoolers! Check out some great free printable activities below!

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There are so many good resources on this padlet to search through. I don't know how I will find the time!
The book Roots, Shoots, Buckets, and Boots by Sharon Lovejoy has a lot of great ideas for children's gardens.

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My Favorite Free Garden based education Resource

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My Favorite Free Garden based education Resource

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UCSC's Life Lab has an amazing curriculum for children. I am so excited to be working in an environment where we expose the children to the beauty of the earth.

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The link goes directly to vermicomposting, but there are others linked at the bottom of the website including focus on bugs, bees, and soils. Even though it is a NC resource, these resources are very relevant nationwide.  - Wendi Holloway

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Targeted for 5th grade, kids will love diving into exploring the world of wiggling worms. Vermicomposting is a North Carolina 4-H curriculum developed by Rhonda Sherman, Extension Specialist for Solid Waste Management in the Department of Horticultural Science at NC State and provides ample oppor…

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Whole Kids Foundation Garden Lesson Plans

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Whole Kids Foundation Garden Lesson Plans

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https://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/assets/documents/school-garden-lesson-plans.pdf

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I use Life Lab's school garden classroom book, it's great!

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I use Life Lab's school garden classroom book, it's great!

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Life Lab cultivates children's love of learning, healthy food, and nature through garden-based education.

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RHS Campaign for school gardening from the UK has great resources.

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RHS Campaign for school gardening from the UK has great resources.

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home / RHS Campaign for School Gardening

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Inspiration and support from the RHS for schools, providing children with gardening opportunities to enhance their skills and boost their development.

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https://www.calacademy.org/educators/lesson-plans - specifically Flowers Seeking Pollinators - is amazing!

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Science lesson plans for elementary, middle, and high school classrooms teaching life, earth, and physical sciences: activities for kids and students!

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Find out when to plant what!

For Canadian locations, enter your postal code or city, province.

Vegetable Gardening Calendar

What Is a Planting Calendar?

Find the best dates for planting vegetables and fruit in your garden! Our free planting calendar calculates the best time to start seeds indoors and outdoors, as well as when to plant young plants outside.

Simply put, a planting calendar is a guide that tells you the best time to start planting your garden. Most planting calendars are based on frost dates, which dictate when you should start seeds and when it's safe to plant outdoors. Our planting calendar also shows dates for planting by the Moon (learn more about this technique below).

Lettuce seedlings. Photo by Surachet Khamsuk/Shutterstock.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Should You Start Seeds Indoors?

Starting seeds indoors gives your crops a head start on the growing season and the chance to grow in a stable, controlled environment. Outdoors, the unpredictability of rain, drought, low and high temperatures, sunlight, and pests and diseases can take a toll on young plants, especially when they're just getting started. Indoors, you can control these elements to maximize your plants' growth and give them the best shot at thriving when they are eventually transplanted outdoors. In regions with a short growing season, starting seeds indoors lets you get a jump on the season and have more time to grow, resulting in a greater harvest. Read more about starting seeds indoors.

Which Seeds Should You Start Indoors?

A lot of seeds can be started indoors, but some are better off being sown directly into the garden. Some crops, such as root vegetables, do not transplant well and should be started outdoors. Tomatoes and peppers, on the other hand, can tolerate being transplanted and are typically started indoors. Consult our table, below, to see where other crops are commonly started.

Whether you start seeds indoors or outdoors also depends on the length of your growing season, as well as your climate. In cool regions with shorter growing seasons, most seeds should be started indoors, as they need to get a head start on the growing season and should be protected from potentially-freezing spring temperatures. In warm regions with longer growing seasons, more seeds can be started outdoors, as they don't need as much of a head start on the season and are not in danger of being killed by a spring frost.

When Should You Start Seeds Indoors?

For most crops, you should start seeds indoors about 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost date. This gives the plants plenty of time to grow large and healthy enough to survive their eventual transplanting to the garden. Consult our Planting Calendar to see the best time to start seeds in your area.

When Should You Transplant Seedlings?

When seedlings have grown too large for their seed trays or starter pots, it's time to transplant. If it's not yet warm enough to plant outdoors, transplant the seedlings to larger plastic or peat pots indoors and continue care. If outdoor conditions allow, start hardening off your seedlings approximately one week before your last frost date, then transplant them into the garden. Get more tips for transplanting seedlings here.

What Is Planting by the Moon?

Planting by the Moon (also called Gardening by the Moon) is a traditional way to help plan your above- and below-ground crops. Here's how it works:

Plant annual flowers and vegetables that bear crops above ground during the light, or waxing, of the Moon. In other words, plant from the day the Moon is new until the day it is full.

Plant flowering bulbs, biennial and perennial flowers, and vegetables that bear crops below ground during the dark, or waning, of the Moon. In other words, plant from the day after the Moon is full until the day before it is new again.

Old-time farmers swear that this practice results in a larger, tastier harvest, so we've included planting by the Moon dates in our planting calendar, too. Learn more about Planting and Gardening by the Moon.
Browse Planting Calendars by State or Province

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Planting Calendar: When to Plant Vegetables

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Find the best dates for planting and transplanting vegetables and fruit! Our free planting guide calculates the best dates for sowing seeds indoors and outdoors, and for transplanting seedlings into the garden-all customized to your location. Based on frost dates and planting zones.

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I appreciate this website because it has information on how to start up a school garden and a school garden planting guide. It also has links to garden based curriculum, lesson plans, and other resources. And I love it because it is from my home state, North Carolina!!

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en Español

El inglés es el idioma de control de esta página. En la medida en que haya algún conflicto entre la traducción al inglés y la traducción, el inglés prevalece.

Al hacer clic en el enlace de traducción se activa un servicio de traducción gratuito para convertir la página al español. Al igual que con cualquier traducción por Internet, la conversión no es sensible al contexto y puede que no traduzca el texto en su significado original. NC State Extension no garantiza la exactitud del texto traducido. Por favor, tenga en cuenta que algunas aplicaciones y/o servicios pueden no funcionar como se espera cuando se traducen.

English is the controlling language of this page. To the extent there is any conflict between the English text and the translation, English controls.

Clicking on the translation link activates a free translation service to convert the page to Spanish. As with any Internet translation, the conversion is not context-sensitive and may not translate the text to its original meaning. NC State Extension does not guarantee the accuracy of the translated text. Please note that some applications and/or services may not function as expected when translated.

Estoy de Acuerdo / I agree

School Gardens can be rich, vibrant spaces for young people to deepen their understanding of local foods. Browse below for resources, ideas and materials that can support a school garden program.
Growing Your Garden

Starting Your School Garden - Download this guide to getting started on developing a plan to build and sustain a school garden. From crafting a school garden team to managing volunteers, learn best practices to set your school up for success.

School Garden Planting Guide - When do you plant carrots in Western North Carolina? How deep do you tuck the chard seeds into the soil? Download these fun and engaging planting guides for Eastern and Western North Carolina.

Strawberries in Schools - an NCCES publication on growing schoolyard strawberry gardens to provide rich spaces for students and teachers to explore concepts relevant to their curricula in a hands-on, experiential way.

Garden-Based Curriculum

North Carolina 4-H Garden-based Curriculum - Browse this list of curriculum that is available through your local county 4-H Cooperative Extension agent. Find out who your 4-H agent is here.

Other Garden/Farming Curriculum - visit this list of other garden-based curricular resources from community-based organizations

Junior Master Gardener - A 4-H program from Texas A&M University have been delivering garden and nutrition lessons that are fun, easy to use and is sure to inspire a new crop of young gardeners.

NC Ag in the Classroom - Through the NC Farm Bureau, Ag in the Classroom provides lesson plans that teachers can use to connect their kids to the farm and garden through science, math, literacy and social studies.

Food, Land and People - a program through the NC Division of Soil and Water, this comprehensive curriculum is available to educators for free after attending one of their trainings.

The Edible Schoolyard - a database of lessons developed from garden educators across the country.

Life Lab - a non-profit organization from Santa Cruz, California that has been delivering high quality and innovative garden based education for years.

Garden Mosaics - Cornell University science curriculum for youth, including action projects and community food assessments.

Garden-Based Lesson Plans and Resources

Garden Toolkit - Are you just getting started with a school garden? Think about gathering these tools to make gardening a little easier and a lot of fun.

Planting Methods - Should you broadcast seeds or transplant? What does this mean? Hone your horticultural skills with this quick guide on ways to plant your garden.

Growing a Garden - This map will give kids an idea on how to get started gardening and how to care for their plants.

Square-Foot Seeds - One student wants to plant radish, another would like to grow potatoes. Use this activity from our Plants for Human Health Institute to use math to figure out proper plant spacing.

Garden Maintenance Timeline - For first-time gardeners it can be a challenge to keep up with the tasks needed to care for the garden. Use this timeline to help keep your garden growing!

Garden Harvest - Your garden has grown! This lesson focuses on how to harvest, process, and store your bountiful produce.

Basil Seed Germination Necklace - Understand the process of germination through this activity from 4-H's Soil Solutions.

Upcycled Plant Labels - Keep track of which plants you planted and where with this fun and easy activity for plant labels. Watch the video here.

Recycled Rain Gauge - Knowing how much rain has fallen helps young gardeners understand the relationship between weather and garden growth. Watch the video here.

Afterschool Garden Club - have you ever considered tapping into teenagers to teach an afterschool garden club? Read about this successful model with Brunswick County 4-H.

Pumpkin Lesson - Do pumpkins sink or float? How many seeds do they have? Use this grab and go activity to bring together math and literacy around pumpkins in the garden.

Garden Poetry - Be inspired by a sensory experience with herbs to write poetry in the garden.

Peer Relationships in the Garden - The garden is a special place that can teach us to care about ourselves and others.

Primary Contact:
Liz Driscoll
4-H Youth Specialist
Departments of Crop and Soil Sciences, Entomology and Plant Pathology and Horticulture Science
NC State University
liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu

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School gardens provide an integrated context for learning about food, nutrition, science, math and more! School Gardens can be rich, vibrant spaces for young people to deepen their understanding of local foods. Browse below for resources, ideas and materials that can support a school garden program.

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an invaluable resource with freebies for MN educators

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an invaluable resource with freebies for MN educators

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Visit Minnesota ag in the classroom for a curriculum matrix and free printable for Mn teachers.  Staff are amazing and have been most responsive helping set up field trips as well!

https://minnesota.agclassroom.org/

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Understanding Organic: Connections to Action in the Garden Classroom is a garden and classroom based curriculum for middle to high school students that explores the concepts and meanings of organic agriculture. The curriculum consists of a short preparatory unit, a sequence of ten core lessons, and twelve optional extension inquiries that can also be taught as stand alone lessons.

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I have attended various virtual and in person PD's. Big Green created this curriculum with teachers in mind. They also offer training before teachers implement this curriculum in the classroom. Our students love this curriculum and enjoy tasting our garden.

-Melissa Cisneros

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Big Green offers Learning Garden curriculum options that focus on Food Literacy and Real Food Education.

Ready, Set, Grow! (RSG!) is a curriculum designed by Big Green to support the integration of Learning Gardens and food literacy programming. RSG! links garden-based learning lessons to classroom-based learning extensions that target Next Generation Science, National Health Education, and Common Core English/Language arts standards and targets. The activities are hands-on, engaging, and involve learning outcomes that encourage students to think deeply about food, health, and acting to support wellness for themselves, their families, schools and the larger community.

Real Food Lab
High School Curriculum

Real Food Lab is a curriculum and practicum program designed to bring participants into the world of socially responsible entrepreneurship through the lens of food. Through a variety of learning experiences, participants will come to understand many components of how entrepreneurial ventures form and sustain in ways that are both financially viable and socially responsible. Throughout the program, participants will also learn to identify and build their own assets in preparation for becoming college and career ready. This includes both knowledge and skills that are critical for success in post-secondary educational pathways and the world of work. In the Real Food Lab experience, Big Green brings students, families, schools, and communities together to learn and work toward a better food future.

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Big Green offers Learning Garden curriculum options that focus on Food Literacy and Real Food Education. Ready, Set, Grow! (RSG!) is a curriculum designed by Big Green to support the integration of Learning Gardens and food literacy programming. RSG!

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I liked all the links but the ones geared to younger children are the ones I gathered notes on. Tinkergarten was interesting in providing developmental items.

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Materials:

Internet access

Chart paper or dry erase board and markers

Background Information

Soil plays an important role in the carbon cycle. Carbon is found throughout the Earth and is a vital component of all living organisms. The amount of carbon on our planet never changes, but it cycles through different locations, from being stored in living and nonliving matter to being released into the atmosphere.

Plants take in carbon to use during photosynthesis. They then store that carbon as carbohydrates within the plant and also shuttle some of it down into the soil through their roots. The carbon given off by the roots is used as food for underground organisms. Carbon then returns to the atmosphere when plants and other living organisms respire, and also as decomposition occurs. Carbon can also be released from the soil into the atmosphere when the soil is disturbed through digging and tilling.

Additionally, carbon is stored in rocks and fossil fuels. When we burn fossil fuels carbon is released back into the atmosphere. The amount of carbon in the atmosphere impacts the overall climate on our planet. More carbon in the atmosphere leads to warmer temperatures on Earth.

Atmospheric carbon combines with oxygen to become carbon dioxide, which is a greenhouse gas. Greenhouse gases absorb and then re-emit energy back to the Earth. Therefore, the more carbon dioxide in the air, the warmer the temperatures both on land and in the oceans. The warmer temperatures also increase the amount of water vapor present in the atmosphere, increasing temperatures even more. If we want to maintain the planet in its current state, we need to balance the use of carbon so that it is getting stored at the same rate that it is getting released.

Unfortunately, human activities have led to a change in the balance between the amount of carbon stored on Earth and the amount of carbon present (as carbon dioxide) in the atmosphere. These activities include:

decreasing the amount of plant matter taking in carbon as we have paved over and built upon previously plant-covered land.

increasing the disturbance of soil through land clearing and tilling.

burning increasing amounts of fossil fuels.

The oceans also play an important role in storing carbon, but for this lesson we are focusing just on soil.

For a more extensive discussion of soil's role in the carbon cycle, check out " This Carbon Cycle " from NASA's Earth Observatory.

Laying the Groundwork

As a class, watch the video "The Soil Story" from Kiss the Ground. Use this video to launch a discussion of the carbon cycle. A worksheet to help guide the discussion is available when you download the full Digging into Soils Guide.

The core message of this video is that the amount of carbon on our planet does not change, but it can be stored in different locations, including the atmosphere, oceans, biosphere, soil, and fossils. As we have released more carbon into the atmosphere we have changed the balance in the storage location of carbon, negatively impacting our environment. Kiss the Ground presents the solution of moving carbon back into the soil as a way to solve the problem of climate change.

Ask students to consider the message presented. Does this solution seem pretty simple? Is it really that simple? Try to brainstorm some real life changes we could make to decrease the release of carbon into the atmosphere and increase the sequestering of carbon into the soil. What are some of the challenges you might face making these changes?

Exploration

Share the Global Carbon Cycle Components diagram from the U.S. Department of Energy that provides estimates on the amount of carbon cycling through the Earth each year.

Ask students to create a chart or graph that organizes this information into a different format but still provides data on how much carbon is leaving the atmosphere versus how much is entering the atmosphere each year. An example chart is available when you download the full Digging into Soils Guide.

Next, check out NASA's Global Climate Change Website, which provides data about the amount of carbon measured in the atmosphere since 2005. Chart the changes in CO2 levels in the last decade recorded at the Mauna Loa Observatory. In 1958, scientists began measuring atmospheric carbon dioxide levels at the top of Mauna Loa Mountain in Hawaii, providing a consistent location for data collection. This location was chosen because of its height, as well as the lack of vegetation around the testing point that helps prevent the skewing of data due to the interaction of nearby plants releasing/consuming CO2 for respiration/photosynthesis.

Compare the changes in the carbon dioxide levels with the information presented in the Carbon Cycling diagram. Make sure to point out to students that the diagram is measuring gigatons of carbon (GtC) in the atmosphere, and the NASA site is recording the monthly CO2 levels in parts per million (ppm). So to compare the two, they must convert their ppm to GtC . They can use the following conversion formula:

1 ppm by volume of atmosphere CO2 = 2.13 GtC
Source: The Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center from the U.S. Department of Energy Berkeley Lab
You can use the sample worksheet at the end of this lesson to direct their data collection and comparison.

To bring the discussion about carbon back to the soil, show students the PBS video " SOS: Save Our Soil. "

This video highlights the importance of carbon in the soil and spotlights three different efforts by researchers and farmers to add more carbon back into the soil.

Conclude the Exploration by thinking about the future. Have students read the article " How the World Passed a Carbon Threshold and Why It Matters," by Nicola Jones published in YaleEnvironment360:

You can use the worksheet at the end of the lesson to guide their reading and your class discussion.
* Special Note: This lesson accepts the connection between carbon levels in the atmosphere and climate change. If you would like to dig further into the evidence behind this correlation, you can use additional data sets available on the NASA Global Climate Change. In addition to the charts showing increasing carbon levels in the atmosphere, you can also find data displaying changes in global temperatures, sea levels, and sea and land ice amounts. Click on Facts on the menu bar at the top of the page and select Vital Signs to view all data sets.
Making Connections

Cornell Cooperative Extension's publication, The Carbon Cycle and Soil Organic Carbon suggests five different land management practices to increase soil organic carbon content:

conservation tillage practices (no-till or reduced tilling)

crop residue management

cover crops

manure and compost amendments

crop selection

Have students read through this publication and then evaluate all of these possible solutions in relationship to your school garden.

Divide the class into groups and have each group research the logistics behind implementing one of the practices. In their analysis make sure they include information about potential costs and time requirements, along with other benefits and challenges they think they will face. Will the implementation change how the garden looks? Will it change how they can use the garden? Will implementation have enough of an environmental impact to justify the costs? Have each group compile their findings and present them to the class. They can use the Land Management Practices to Increase Soil Carbon Worksheet available when you download the full Digging into Soils Guide. After thorough consideration, as a class decide if you will incorporate any of these practices into your garden program.

Branching Out
Checking Your Facts
Ask students to find a recent news article on the carbon cycle and storing carbon in soil. Then have them write a synopsis of what they learned in their article about the following topics:

Does the article support the idea that the soil is key for helping regulate carbon in the atmosphere? Does the author suggest that soil can help regulate climate change?

Does to the article quantify the impact soil can have in some way? If so, what is stated?

Where did the author get his/her data? Did he/she provide information about the source (or sources)? Is the source reliable?

They can use the Article Evaluation Worksheet available when you download the full Digging into Soils Guide. Have students discuss their findings in class. Keep a tally of the articles that support the concept of storing more carbon in the soil, and those that do not support it. Then discuss the implications.

Here are a couple of example articles to share to get them started:

"Soil as a Carbon Storehouse: New Weapon in Climate Fight" by Judith Schwartz, Yale Environment 360, 4 March 2014. https://e360.yale.edu/features/soil_as_carbon_storehouse_new_weapon_in_climate_fight

"Soil Carbon Storage Not the Climate Change Fix it was Thought, Research Finds" by Oliver Milman, The Guardian, 22 Sept 2016. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/sep/22/soil-carbon-storage-not-the-climate-change-fix-it-was-thought-research-finds

What have they learned from these articles? Why is it important to locate multiple reliable sources on any issue? How can evidence be manipulated to support specific claims? What can you do as reader to evaluate the claims presented in an article?
Connecting Climate Change to Food Systems
Another great resource to explore as an extension on this lesson is the digital guide Understanding Food and Climate Change from The Center for Ecoliteracy.

Understanding Food and Climate Change uses video, photography, text, and interactive experiences to show how food and climate systems interact and how personal choices can make a difference. Ideal for grades 6-12 (and adults too), the guide provides connections to Next Generation Science Standards and the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies themes. It also offers activities for student research and resources for further investigation.

Links to Next Generation Science Standards Performance Expectations

HS-ESS2-2: Analyze geoscience data to make the claim that one change to Earth's surface can create feedbacks that cause changes to other Earth systems.

HS- ESS2-6: Develop a quantitative model to describe the cycling of carbon among the hydrosphere, atmosphere, geosphere, and biosphere.

HS-ESS3-5: Analyze geoscience data and the results from global climate models to make an evidence-based forecast of the current rate of global or regional climate change and associated future impacts to Earth's systems.

HS-ESS3-6: Use a computational representation to illustrate the relationships among Earth systems and how those relationships are being modified due to human activity.

HS-ETS1-3: Evaluate a solution to a complex real-world problem based on prioritized criteria and trade-offs that account for a range of constraints, including costs, safety, reliability and aesthetics, as well as possible social, cultural and environmental impacts.

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The Soil-Air Connection: A Carbon Cycle Lesson

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Internet access Chart paper or dry erase board and markers Soil plays an important role in the carbon cycle. Carbon is found throughout the Earth and is a vital component of all living organisms. The amount of carbon on our planet never changes, but it cycles through different locations, from being stored in living and nonliving matter to being released into the atmosphere.

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This is not precisely garden-based ed, but as a parent I have found it very useful for understanding the importance of nature based education for children more broadly. They are also good at explaining children's developmental stages and what activities complement and support these stages. It is accessible, digestible info with lots of good activity suggestions. They also have a strong focus on equity and inclusion.

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Tinkergarten | Outdoor learning activities for kids

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Tinkergarten’s outdoor educational program helps families raise healthy, confident, and capable kids. Our classes for kids and DIY activities nurture important skills through play.

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You can search for lessons here by grade, topic, etc.

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In this sixth grade science class, students will begin to understand the process of decomposition and learn about the organisms responsible for breaking down matter. Students will also begin to make the connection with finished compost as food for plants in the garden.

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University of CA Lawrence Hall of Science

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University of CA Lawrence Hall of Science

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We have modeled our own curriculum off this project.

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Science and Teaching for Field Instructors

Student-Centered ♦ Nature-Centered

For a slightly longer introduction to BEETLES, watch the 7-minute video.

BEETLES: Infusing outdoor science programs with research-based approaches and tools to improve science teaching and learning.

Our professional learning resources are designed for program leaders to use with field instructors. They provide experiences and rationale about outdoor science instruction designed to inspire instructors to improve their teaching. Our student activities inspire students' wonder and curiosity about the natural world, support their innate tendencies for exploration and guide them to make explanations based on evidence.

All BEETLES resources embody our five research-based design principles.

People learn Outdoor Science best when they:

ENGAGE DIRECTLY WITH NATURE

Experience Instruction based on how people learn

PARTICIPATE IN CULTURALLY RELEVANT LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS

LEARN THROUGH DISCUSSIONS

One Centennial Drive
Berkeley, CA 94720-5200
Contact Us

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Science and Teaching for Field Instructors Student-Centered ♦ Nature-Centered For a slightly longer introduction to BEETLES, watch the 7-minute video. Our professional learning resources are designed for program leaders to use with field instructors. They provide experiences and rationale about outdoor science instruction designed to inspire instructors to improve their teaching.

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Shelbourne Farms is the coordinating organization for the Farm Based Educators Network. They have a book Cultivating Joy and Wonder available to download for free. Arranged by seasons it has lots of wonderful activities to introduce kids to nature, life on the farm, wildlife, trees and growing plants.

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School Gardens - Master Gardener Association of San Diego County

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Welcome!! The Master Gardener Association of San Diego County School Garden Committee encourages and assists teachers in starting and maintaining gardens at their respective schools. Today, our membership has over 60 Master Gardeners who will act as school consultants in their geographic residential areas.

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Gardening and Cooking Program- Berkeley Unified School District

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Gardening and Cooking Program- Berkeley Unified School District

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A really good resource full of lessons for earlier garden and cooking education.

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1005 Parker St, Berkeley, CA 94710
Phone: 510-486-9350

Benjamin Goff, Program Supervisor
benjamingoff@berkeley.net

The Berkeley Public School Gardening and Cooking Program is woven into student life District-wide to ensure the academic, physical, emotional, and social development of all students from preschool through high school. We engage all learners with hands-on instruction as they cultivate positive relationships with the world around them and their peers.

Our goal is to enable and inspire our diverse student body to achieve academic excellence and make positive contributions to our world!

Program Curriculum

We've developed a Garden-Based Learning Curriculum, © Berkeley Unified School District, that directly supports BUSD learning and teaching goals. Each lesson is designed to be an interactive teaching tool, co-taught with classroom teachers and garden instructors as leads. These hands-on lessons 1) connect academics to real-world experiences; 2) include all learners; 3) invite curiosity; and 4) provide opportunities for reflection.

"Garden is a magical place, great that kids get to see it develop over the year, do so many tastings, and activities in the packets are great. Instructor clearly loves her work and showing what she knows to kids."
- BUSD Classroom Teacher

"We have 4 Garden Specialists who teach in 8 gardens from TK-8th grade. We use the Berkeley curriculum daily in our lessons. We have enjoyed many of the hands on activities and the "workbooks" which we have turned into garden journals. Some of our favorite activities are the water cycle, composition of soil, beneficial and non-beneficial insects (always a hit with the students) and FBI."
- Garden Coordinator, Ukiah Unified School District.

"I can't tell you enough how the curriculum has been a help and an inspiration to us. I love to garden, but I don't have teacher training, so having rubric-based plans and ideas is SO helpful. Keep up the great work."
- Seeds of Hope, Wilson, NC

"I learned how to check if there are added sugars or natural sugars in your beverage by looking at the ingredients on the bottle."
- Middle School Student

Career Technical Education in Public Health

Students at Berkeley High School and Berkeley Technology Academy are offered courses in Career Technical Education (CTE) in Public Health; and students at Willard and Longfellow Middle School are offered CTE in gardening and cooking and Growing Leaders electives This year-long course focuses on career and learning opportunities for better understanding diet-related disease and local policy intended to curtail health inequities. Students practice communication and collaboration skills, while building confidence as problem-solvers.

"Facilitating the food pantries has overall given me a great working experience. I really get to use my communication, collaboration, and problem-solving skills. I also get the opportunity to learn about others' living situations, lifestyles, and preferences when they choose to share about it and it fills my heart with even more compassion for the people that are able to benefit from it in the Bay Area. In sum, I have a lot of pride to be a part of the food pantries at Berkeley High. I've gotten to strengthen and build my relationships with my peers and mentors while also gaining valuable work experience. I'm really grateful to be working with such a great organization and great people!"
- BUSD High School Student

Food Pantries are Available Free to the Public

Program staff and students studying Public and Community Health manage the high school food pantries in partnership with Berkeley Food Network and Growing Leaders. Together, we are able to provide fresh produce, ready made meals, and pantry items for free to our school and City community. Students get real-world experience working with the community on healthy food access and are paid hourly as part of their Career Technical Education internship.

The Berkeley Technology Academy food pantry is in service every 2nd and 4th Tuesday of the month from 2:30 - 4:00 pm at 2701 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The Berkeley High School food pantry is in service on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday of the month from 3:00-4:00 pm on MLK between Bancroft and Allston Way.

Funding

These projects are funded through a Healthy Berkeley grant with matching dollars from BUSD General Fund, Extended Learning Opportunities from California Department of Education (CDE), Strong Workforce Development Grants from The California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO), in partnership with the CDE, and California Department of Food and Agriculture Farm to School Incubator Grant Program. Supporting projects are funded through generous grants from our community and with donations from our community.

Donate Now

Your financial gift will support our work in serving BUSD students in the gardens and kitchen classrooms. We rely on generous donations to provide additional support for innovative projects that uplift students' learning. You can send your check payable to: Attn: Jezra Thompson, Gardening & Cooking Program, 1005 Parker St Berkeley, CA 94710. In the memo section of the check, please add "Gardening & Cooking Program."

Volunteer With Us

Volunteers are an important part of our work. Whether it is garden maintenance, instructional support, or event assistance, please consider volunteering your time by visiting the Berkeley Public Schools Fund to fill out the form for volunteering and specify that you'd like to volunteer with us.

Reports and Special Committees

Social Media

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Gardening and Cooking Program | Berkeley Unified School District

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1005 Parker St, Berkeley, CA 94710 Phone: 510-486-9350 Benjamin Goff, Program Supervisor benjamingoff@berkeley.net The Berkeley Public School Gardening and Cooking Program is woven into student life District-wide to ensure the academic, physical, emotional, and social development of all students from preschool through high school.

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MAMGA has free classes you can sit in on and is always looking for volunteers in Madison

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MAMGA has free classes you can sit in on and is always looking for volunteers in Madison

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How do I become a Certified Master Gardener?
Thank you for your interest in becoming a Wisconsin Master Gardener Volunteer! Becoming a Master Gardener is a great way to give back to your community through supporting Extension, while learning about horticulture and meeting like-minded gardeners at the same time. For more information about the Wisconsin Master Gardener Program, visit: https://mastergardener.extension.wisc.edu/ .
Master Gardener training is a two step process consisting of online classes (Foundations in Gardening) accompanied by readings and an online 'onboarding' training.
Foundations in Gardening:
Step 1: The online UW-Madison Division of Extension's Foundations in Gardening Canvas platform course is available September-December 2023. The deadline to register will be at a date TBD in August 2023. Classes for 2023 start in September t o qualify for onboarding in January-March 2024. There are 7 self-paced, pre-recorded modules online through the Canvas platform via UW-Madison. The cost for Foundations in Gardening training is $299. Information on partial scholarships is available at the Foundations website. Learn more about Foundations in Gardening here. A PDF version of the Foundations in Gardening Manual is included in the course or you can request a printed version for $35.

Onboarding:
Step 2: Master Gardener online 'Onboarding' is offered through the UW-Madison Division of Extension's Master Gardener State Program Office annually, January-March. This is the portion of Master Gardener training where you gain your Master Gardener certification. The cost is $100. During onboarding you will learn about volunteering with UW-Madison Extension, set up an account in the Online Reporting System (ORS) for reporting hours, sign various forms and agreements, and take and pass the online Master Gardener exam with 70%. After passing the exam, you will receive a Master Gardener badge to wear when volunteering. You must go through Foundations in Gardening classes first to qualify for onboarding. There are limited exceptions for Master Gardeners currently certified in states in the Midwest who are transferring to Wisconsin or professional horticulturists and botanists. They may be able to onboard without classes. Click here for more information about onboarding.

Maintaining Master Gardener Certification
Each year, to remain certified, Master Gardeners must perform 24 hours of approved volunteer service and obtain 10 hours of continuing education credits. More info on volunteering opportunities is below.

Volunteer Service Activities in Dane County for Master Gardeners:
At the successful conclusion of onboarding, you will be ready to volunteer as a certified Master Gardener! Note that you cannot volunteer as a Master Gardener until onboarding is completed.

A detailed list of volunteer opportunities and locations is in the Online Reporting System (ORS), which you will get access to during Master Gardener onboarding. We also strongly encourage you to attend an open house session with Lisa Johnson, Horticulture Educator for Dane County Extension to meet some current Master Gardeners, learn more about various fellowship opportunities and be introduced to a number of volunteer activities in Dane County. If you're interested please reach out to Lisa Johnson at Johnson.Lisa@countyofdane.com.

Some core volunteer activities with the Dane County Extension office include the following. Since these activities are overseen by Extension, a background check and Mandated Reporter Training will be needed. Contact Lisa Johnson for information on obtaining the needed background check and MRT training.

The Dane County Extension Teaching Garden as part of a team in one of the 12 garden areas (you can choose your garden area), help start seeds in the new greenhouse and help during the Plant Sale. For more information on the Teaching Garden, Click Here.

Plant Health Advisor (PHA) work: This entails an extra layer of training to learn how to diagnose plant problems. It includes learning how to work with clients to answer their questions by phone, email or occasionally walk-in traffic, diagnosing insect, disease, nutritional, environmental, and human-caused issues. It is one of the best ways to learn! You will be paired with an experienced PHA to learn the ropes until you are comfortable on your own. PHAs work at the County Extension office (in-person for beginners or remotely for experienced PHAs, if desired), at Farmers Markets (we have Master Gardener booths at several markets), and at community events such as the Garden Expo (https://wigardenexpo.com/ ).

Dane County Extension Master Gardener Speakers Bureau: We have over a dozen scripted PowerPoints that Master Gardener Speakers present to various community groups every year. If you enjoy teaching and public speaking, this would be a great activity for you! If you want to observe one of the presentations being given before deciding, that can be arranged. If you prefer to work with a co-presenter, that can also be accommodated.

Dane County Fair: Work with other Master Gardeners at the Dane County Fair booth in the Alliant Energy Center to provide/oversee fun, educational activities with children.

Greenhouse (and non-greenhouse) Plant Propagation Classes: Newly developing classes with the public to give hands-on experience propagating houseplants. Help is needed to support the class activities and work with the public.

Continuing Education to Maintain Certification:
Master Gardener Continuing Education: To maintain certification, Master Gardeners must accrue 10 hours of continuing education annually. Volunteer calendars end each year on December 31st and restart January 1st of the following year. If you are not able to do 10 hours any particular year, you may remain in the program as an 'active' status though uncertified, member. Many things qualify for continuing education. See the state policy for events that qualify under the 'Learn' tab on the state Master Gardener website: Click here. Note that Dane County Extension Green Thumb Gardening classes are one way to fulfill that requirement, along with educational events from MAMGA, Garden Expo events, Landscaping and Grounds Maintenance Short Course classes, Larry Meiller's Garden Talk program on Wisconsin Public Radio and much more.
Fellowship and Continuing Education Opportunities with MAMGA:
Madison Area Master Gardener Association (MAMGA): MAMGA is the local Master Gardener association that supports Dane County Master Gardeners with monthly social events and monthly educational events. MAMGA provides other benefits to its members as well. Some of these include discounts at area nurseries and retailers, free admission to MAMGA-sponsored programs, events and educational programs, garden tours, service and community education opportunities. Annual dues are $25. After you complete onboarding, you are eligible for membership. For more information about MAMGA, click here.

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How do I become a Certified Master Gardener? Thank you for your interest in becoming a Wisconsin Master Gardener Volunteer! Becoming a Master Gardener is a great way to give back to your community through supporting Extension, while learning about horticulture and meeting like-minded gardeners at the same time.

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The Jr. Master Gardener Program has proven to be quite useful & helpful for hands-on gardening - I've especially enjoyed the Wildlife Gardening projects and activities.

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The Junior Master Gardener program engages children in novel, "hands-on" group and individual learning experiences that promote a love of gardening, develop an appreciation for the environment, and cultivate the mind. JMG encourages youths to be of service to others through service learning and leadership development projects and rewards them with certification.

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As an employee of Penn State Extension and Master Gardener, I find the PSU Extension site chock full of great resources for all types of gardening. Containing many free publications and handouts as well as upcoming and free Webinars and courses; there is a wealth of knowledge to be found using the search tool.

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Penn State Extension delivers education you can trust.

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I like Cornell University's Dig Art resource for cultivating art in the garden. https://gardening.cals.cornell.edu/lessons/dig-art-cultivating-creativity-in-the-garden/

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Love Kids Gardening and trying to incorporate more mindfulness into our lessons. Taylor, Mountain Roots Education

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Materials

None!

Keen Observation

This practice sets time for kids to slow down, take in their surroundings, and observe changes in the garden. It can be done as a one-time activity, but it is most effective when it is conducted as a regular opening practice whenever kids arrive at the garden.

Circle up and explain that everyone will be doing an observation activity. Let them know they will silently observe the surrounding environment for a designated time. This time will depend on what is appropriate for your group of students; 1-3 minutes is usually a good starting place. Tell kids that while you, as the activity leader, will be speaking, and they, as the keen observers, should remain silent during this activity. However, they will have an opportunity to share afterwards.

Allow kids to choose an area in their garden as their "observation station." If you plan on integrating this activity into your welcome routine, tell kids that they will be returning to this spot over the next semester, season, or year. Be sure to designate the parameters of the area they will be observing from so that they stay in your line of sight, are close enough to hear you, and don't wander off.

Once kids are settled in, begin guiding them through their keen observation. Ask questions that are relevant to your environment such as:

What do you feel on your skin?
What sounds do you hear?
What do you smell?
What is the closest thing you can see?
Look as far as the eye can see - what is there?
What colors stand out to you?

You can also give prompts such as:

Observe your favorite plant. Zoom in and look as closely as you can.

Observe a plant or creature that you aren't familiar with. Observe its shapes, colors, and how it grows or moves.

Observe the conditions in the sky. Look at the shape of the clouds, where the sun is in the sky, and what the weather looks like in the distance.

Note: You can switch some of these questions or prompts up each time, but it is good to ask at least a few of the same ones so that kids can notice changes over time.

Give students some time to silently observe on their own and let them know how much time is left.

After time is up, call them back and circle up. Give kids an opportunity to share what they have observed, first with a partner and then together as a group. Prompt them to think about:

What stood out from their observation practice?

How did they feel before, during, and/or after?

What changes in the garden did they notice in comparison to the previous observation?

This activity was inspired by and adapted from the 'E kilo 'oe activity from Mālaʻai garden.

Mindful Movement

Get kids moving their bodies in a playful way that allows them to channel the energy of the garden.

Instruct your youth group to form a circle (rather than a traditional formation with students facing the teacher at the front).

Start by having students sit down. Guide kids to silently think about how they are feeling in their bodies today. Let them know that any feeling is okay to feel. Set the tone by telling them they are going to have fun moving their bodies while embodying different aspects of the garden and things that live there.

Before you get moving, help bring kids into the present moment by taking a few breaths together. Guide youth close their eyes and take a slow, deep inhale and exhale. Repeat three times. Play with instructing kids to take a "lion's breath" on the exhales, where they stick their tongue out while making their exhales audible. After beginning with breath, you can guide your group through any of the following mindful movement activities.

Free movement.

Begin mindful movement practice by giving kids 1 minute to move their bodies however they want! Whether it be a dance, stretch, or kung-fu move, they can use this opportunity to get any extra energy out. Remind them that they should try to move by themselves and avoid physical contact with each other.

Journey of a plant flow.

In this movement practice, kids will act out the life cycle of the plant.

Seed: Curl up in a small ball and use your hands to "bury" yourself deep into the ground. Close your eyes and wait for rain to feed you. Take a few breaths. The rain comes and you slowly begin to grow in size.

Seedling: Your hands become the first leaves of the plant as it pops out from under the ground. You're still close to the ground, not fully grown yet. You inhale as you take in the air and nourishment from the sun. You exhale and release oxygen for all the people in the garden to breathe.

Plant: You begin to grow upwards, and you extend your legs and arms fully to reach up to the sky. With your hands pointing up to capture the sun, you sway side to side in the wind.

Flower: Finally, you are ready to become a flower. Your arms and legs spread wide and you have a huge smile, just like a flower opens up itself to the world. Everyone smiles at you in return, admiring your beauty. The flowers and bees can't help themselves and all come to visit you.

Seed: You've come full cycle. You were a seed that grew into a seedling, then a mature plant, and finally made flowers that have now transformed into seeds again. You are now on the ground. Slowly start to shrink back into the seed ball and tuck yourself back into the ground.

Repeat the cycle if you wish.

Garden shape-shifting.

Allow students to take turns leading the group. One at a time, they will demonstrate to the group their pose of choice. Encourage them to get creative! They can invent and name their own poses or think of garden-related things to mimic with their bodies such as:

Become a bug.

Explore different body shapes by prompting kids to take on the form of and move like any of the following creatures:

Closing.

End your mindful movement practice with a big group inhalation and exhalation before moving on to other activities.

Aromatherapy Exploration

Kids will become mindful of their breath while connecting to the scent of various garden plants and how their aromas make them feel.

Choose any aromatic plants you may have in your garden such as:

As an opener, ask students what their favorite smell is and how it makes them feel.

1. Explain to your youth group that they will be exploring different plant smells and how their bodies respond to them.

2. Work with kids to harvest the fragrant parts from the plants or have them ready to go. Alternatively, if your garden space allows for it, you can take a "scent exploration tour" and move with your kid group from plant to plant.

3. If kids are harvesting from the plant, give them a quick demonstration on how to harvest leaves or flowers without damaging the plant - they'll only need a few.

4. When each kid has a sample of the aromatic plants in hand, instruct them to close their eyes, take a deep inhale, and exhale.

5. Tell the kids to massage the leaves in their hand to release the aromatic oils, and then bring the plant close to their nose, and do a deep inhalation. Repeat the deep inhales and exhales at least 3 times with their eyes closed.

6. Let kids have a few moments in silence before prompting them to open their eyes.

7. As a group, offer each kid an opportunity to share how they are feeling. You can have them share out loud to the group, or, alternatively, have them write down how they are feeling so that they are encouraged to tune into their own bodies and are not influenced by what their peers may have felt.

Aromatic plants, especially their essential oils, are often associated with the following feelings:

Lavender - relaxing; calming

Rosemary - attentive; energetic

Peppermint - soothing; alert

Thyme - uplifting; energizing

Sage - well-being; soothing

Basil - stimulating; energizing

Citrus leaves - cheerful; positive

Rose - calming; balancing

Although simply taking time to just breathe can help anyone feel calm and relaxed, inhaling fragrances can enhance and even alter their feelings. Have kids experiment with the aromatic effects of a few different plants and see if your youth group is able to discern any variance in how they feel after smelling them.

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Mindfulness in the Garden - KidsGardening

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Materials None! This practice sets time for kids to slow down, take in their surroundings, and observe changes in the garden. It can be done as a one-time activity, but it is most effective when it is conducted as a regular opening practice whenever kids arrive at the garden.

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Here are a few of my go-to books for garden projects with kids:

Gardening Lab for Kids, Author: Renata Fossen Brown

Let's Get Gardening: 30 easy gardening projects for children, DK

Gardening Projects for Kids, Jenny Hendy

Smithsonian: Maker Lab Outdoors, Jack Challoner

And of course:
Got Dirt? and Got Veggies?

Also a fun book to read in the garden:
"Monarch! Come Play with Me" by Ba Rea

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The local library has tons of books at all age levels. I can search a topic and put them on hold, so the books are ready for me to pick up. This works great for kids that might not want to participate with the whole class they can get information from a book.

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The local library has tons of books at all age levels. I can search a topic and put them on hold, so the books are ready for me to pick up. This works great for kids that might not want to participate with the whole class they can get information from a book.

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WI School Garden Network and Roots in the Ground ECE

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WI School Garden Network and Roots in the Ground ECE

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Also for ECE, the newly launched Roots in the Ground curriculum: https://www.rootedwi.org/rootsintheground/

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The Wisconsin School Garden Network resource library is a compilation of some of the best free garden-based education resources available online. Explore...

Wisconsin School Garden Network is proud to produce free garden-based education resources, including books, informational pamphlets, and training videos. Several are available in Spanish as well as the original English. To learn more and order "

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The Wisconsin School Garden Network resource library is a compilation of some of the best free garden-based education resources available online. Explore... Wisconsin School Garden Network is proud to produce free garden-based education resources, including books, informational pamphlets, and training videos. Several are available in Spanish as well as the original English.

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UW Horticulture Extension has tons of information on all aspects of gardening.  Our local county Master Gardeners Association provides a monthly garden guide.  It gives suggestions as to what to do and/or planting in the garden for that month.
~Laura S.

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Smart Shopping: Dodging Disease When Purchasing Plants
May is a prime time to visit your local greenhouse, nursery or garden center to buy annuals, perennials and vegetables for your home garden. Unfortunately, these plants can be carriers of plant disease-causing organisms. Here are some pointers on what to look for when buying plants.
Tips for Buying and Caring for Easter Lilies
By: Ann Wied, Horticulture Educator, Waukesha County The Easter lily is a favorite Easter-time/Spring treat. It's a welcome gift following a long winter. It is often thought of as a symbol of hope and life. Whether you are buying one for yourself or as a gift, the following tips will help you be successful in [...]
Timely tips for seedling care
Here's some timely tips when caring for your baby plants. For example, if you are growing seedlings under grow-lights, the tops of the seedlings should be about 1" from the fluorescent tubes. Don't allow the seedlings to grow into the lights as the leaves may burn. Seedlings don't need to be as close to the lights if you are using LED lights. Lights should be on for about 16 hours a day for most crops.

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Smart Shopping: Dodging Disease When Purchasing Plants May is a prime time to visit your local greenhouse, nursery or garden center to buy annuals, perennials and vegetables for your home garden. Unfortunately, these plants can be carriers of plant disease-causing organisms. Here are some pointers on what to look for when buying plants.

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Great ideas for home and school gardens.

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Great ideas for home and school gardens.

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Fave free garden based learning resource 

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Fave free garden based learning resource 

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-Mileea W :)

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FRESHFARM FoodPrints integrates gardening, cooking, and nutrition education into the curriculum through a model of partnerships, standards-based curriculum, cafeteria connections and food access. Our expert educators teach hands-on lessons that get students excited about growing, preparing and enjoying fresh, local whole foods - and bring science, math and social studies to life - with the goal of improving health outcomes of children and families.

FoodPrints Reach

FoodPrints engages students PK through 5th grade in, hands-on, FoodPrints classes in school gardens and classrooms throughout the school year

FoodPrints partners with DC Public elementary schools across the city, and helps maintain flourishing school gardens

63 standards-based lessons

Lessons in the FoodPrints curriculum are all aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, Common Core as well as DC standards and national food education standards

FoodPrints programming is grounded in tackling the global 'syndemic' of obesity, climate change, and hunger across Washington, DC:

45% of the U.S. population suffers from at least one chronic disease, and 80% of chronic disease is diet - and lifestyle - related. (The Partnership to Fight Chronic Disease)

46% of the District of Columbia's population is either diagnosed with or at high risk for diabetes and diet-related diseases.

Few grocery stores and farm markets contrasted with high prevalence of processed fast foods in high-need areas of DC exemplify the 'food deserts' where many families make food choices.

Given these health realities, a model like FoodPrints - which equips youngsters with familiarity with, skills to prepare, and desire to eat nutritious foods - is critical.
Read about the FoodPrints Model

We harvest, cook, plant, and write in your journal. We learn about the environment, nutrition, food, and recycling. And the best part - COOKING and EATING!

My three kids come home begging me to cook the same things they made in FoodPrints!

It's critical that this kind of program gets into schools, across the city, regardless of the economic status of the neighborhood, and that it is sustained.

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FRESHFARM FoodPrints integrates gardening, cooking, and nutrition education into the curriculum through a model of partnerships, standards-based curriculum, cafeteria connections and food access. Our expert educators teach hands-on lessons that get students excited about growing, preparing and enjoying fresh, local whole foods - and bring science, math and social studies to life - with the goal of improving health outcomes of children and families.

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Favorite free garden-based education resource

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Favorite free garden-based education resource

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Website of the PA Horticultural Society!
-Carolyn Popovic

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PHS hosts seedling distributions four times throughout the early spring and late summer months for gardeners participating in City Harvest. Planting seedlings -- instead of seeds -- encourages plants to fully flourish in a community garden. Seedlings give gardeners a head-start on growing new plants, plus they are usually more resistant to harmful insects and other bugs.

There are still 2 remaining seedling distributions for 2022:

June 4 - Midsummer seedlings including 23 varieties of summer squash, melons, cucumbers, okra, lettuce heads, and basil

August 6 - Fall seedlings including 22 varieties of fennel, cabbage, cauliflower, bok choy, mustard greens, kale, and more.

Volunteers are needed to help with the upcoming seedling distributions. Sign up today!

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Resources to Get Growing in Your Community Garden

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PHS hosts seedling distributions four times throughout the early spring and late summer months for gardeners participating in City Harvest. Planting seedlings -- instead of seeds -- encourages plants to fully flourish in a community garden. Seedlings give gardeners a head-start on growing new plants, plus they are usually more resistant to harmful insects and other bugs.

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This organization provides resources and other information to help engage children with nature in many different venues. I have adapted some of their activities and resources for use in the garden setting. Enjoy, Kirsten.

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Regular time outdoors helps children thrive.

But over the past few generations, childhood has moved indoors. On average, today's kids spend up to 44 hours per week in front of a screen, and less than 10 minutes a day playing outdoors. And for too many kids, regular and safe access to nature is determined by race, income, identity, ability and postal code.

We support a global movement of leaders working to turn the trend of an indoor childhood back out to the benefits of nature - and to make sure that all children have equitable access to outdoor spaces where they can learn, play and grow.

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Children and Nature Network is committed to the belief that nature makes kids healthier, happier and smarter. Join us!

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Hello I have used a state Website for Early Childhood Farm to table Wisconsin. It has lots of resources. Here is the link: https://dpi.wi.gov/community-nutrition/cacfp/farm-2-preschool/wis-resources

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Strategies for keeping school garden programs up and running over time.

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Strategies for keeping school garden programs up and running over time.

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School gardens do not maintain themselves and keeping programs running and evolving can be very challenging. For some schools, a bad experience or a "failure" attempting a school garden can mean it is never tried again. Strategies for sustaining the program needs to be part of the planning and implementation.  - Sara Tedeschi

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This webinar features a special National Farm to School Network Partner Open Space presented in partnership with the School Garden Support Organization Network. The Open Space webinar features district-run school garden program directors from a small, medium and large school district sharing their experience and expertise in launching and maintaining district run garden programs. This webinar was recorded on December 12, 2020.

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This webinar features a special National Farm to School Network Partner Open Space presented in partnership with the School Garden Support Organization Network. The Open Space webinar features district-run school garden program directors from a small, medium and large school district sharing their experience and expertise in launching and maintaining district run garden programs. This webinar was recorded on December 12, 2020.

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Here you can find ways to help your children to adapt to the gardening life. They can see what may work when they create they garden and what usually do not work for gardens. The children can see what needs the sun and what needs the shade.

https://insteading.com/blog/gardening-resources-for-kids/

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One of the best parts about gardening is building community. There's something special about sharing the experience of planting and nurturing seeds, and watching them grow - especially when it's with kids. Their innate curiosity and ability to see things with a set of fresh eyes makes gardening a wonderful physical, mental, and educational activity.

We've put together this resource to provide you with everything you need to get started gardening with kids. This guide will cover five important elements of gardening with kids.

Menu:

1. How to Create a Kid-Friendly Garden

2. Gardening Safety Tips for Kids

3. Benefits of Gardening

4. Kid-Friendly Gardening Tools

5. Kids Gardening Activities and Lesson Plans

Read on to discover some gardening resources for kids to get started this weekend!

How To Build A Kid-Friendly Garden

Whether you have a few acres of land, just enough space for two or three garden beds, or you're making do with your side yard, gardening can be customized to fit the space. That said, if you intend on gardening with your kids, there are a few things to keep in mind when planning a kid-friendly garden.

1 - Build Accessible Garden Beds

Remember when you were a kid and you had to reach super far to get the cereal from the top shelf of the pantry? The last thing you want is for your kids to have the same experience out in the garden. Instead of installing tall raised beds or hanging planters that they'll need a step stool to access, consider going with a shorter raised bed that's either low to the ground or at their hip level.
Editor's Tip: Our kids love gardening inside of our galvanized water troughs and they're the perfect height.

Kane Jamison / Insteading

Alternatively, you could scrap the raised beds altogether, and sow seeds and starts directly into the ground. The only issue with this, however, is a raised bed allows you to start out with soil that's already ideal for growing. If your soil is rocky and dry, super wet, or highly acidic, it may take quite a while to fix it (potentially disappointing your kids in the meantime).

2 - Plant Quick-Growing Seeds

Though you're free to try whatever seeds catch your kid's eyes, you may want to consider starting off with some easy-to-grow plants that have a quick germination rate, so your kids can start seeing the magic of gardening within a few weeks. Here are a few quick-growing easy plants to start.

3 - Utilize Plant Markers

If you're planning on growing a variety of different seeds in one garden bed, consider using plant markers to distinguish the plants from one another. If you're sowing seeds with young children, they probably won't end up in perfect rows, and getting different crops mixed up may be inevitable.

Photo courtesy of Crafting a Green World

Additionally, plant markers will give you the opportunity to talk to your kids about how different vegetables grow in different ways. So not only are plant markers DIY easy and super functional, they allow for teachable moments, too.

4 - Be Mindful of Thorns and Pokey Plants

Even if you aren't growing landscape plants with your kids, make sure to be mindful of any thorny or pokey plants that could pose a risk for the little ones. Either avoid adding those types of plants to your garden, or transplant your current ones to another area of the garden where the kids won't be active.

Gardening Safety Tips For Kids

As with any activity for kids, there are some important safety precautions to take before you start gardening.

Avoid Using Chemical Fertilizers And Insecticides

At Insteading, we like to promote organic gardening, and that includes avoiding the use of chemical fertilizers and insecticides in the yard and garden. These chemicals are harmful to soil development and our planet as a whole, and they are definitely something you don't want your kids exposed to.

Wren Everett / Insteading

So instead of reaching for a spray bottle full of chemicals, fertilize your garden in a more sustainable way, and go with an organic fertilizer option.

Sun Protection

While this article is focused on gardening tips for kids, this is an important safety tip that can benefit all of us. Every time you head out to spend time in the garden, make sure you're properly protected. The sun is not only harmful to your skin, if you aren't properly prepared, but heat exhaustion can also happen.

Make sure you and your little ones are ready to spend a few hours in the sun by wearing sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat, and some UV-resistant outdoor wear. Additionally, to avoid heat exhaustion, make sure to stay hydrated, eat healthy snacks, and take breaks as you need.

Wear Closed Toe Shoes

While kid's sandals are easy to slip on and go, you'll want to go with closed toes for gardening. A pair of good sneakers will prevent bee stings on tiny toes and make using metal tools (like shovels) a lot safer. A shoe with a heavy-duty sole will also keep their feet safe on rough gravel and other uneven surfaces.

Benefits Of Gardening For Kids

Aside from growing your own food and beautifying your yard, gardening has many educational, physical, and mental health benefits to offer you and your little ones.

Educational Benefits Of Gardening

Whether you're an educator planning on starting a class garden with your students or a parent or caregiver starting a garden in your own backyard, one of the greatest benefits of gardening with kids is the educational lessons they can learn.
Sensory Experience
Gardening is the perfect opportunity to do some hands-on sensory learning with your kids. They see, smell, and touch vegetables and fruits as they're growing, and after your harvest, they can taste the vegetable and hear what noises it makes as they're eating it.

CHERYL MAGYAR / INSTEADING

They'll be able to learn about every plant in the garden from a variety of different perspectives, and it will be the best hands-on experience they can get with the food system. Here's a great resource for how to start a sensory learning garden.
Hands-on Experience With the Food System
For many kids growing up, the closest experience they get with their food system is picking out fruits and vegetables at the grocery store, or the pumpkin patch on an autumn day trip. Many kids who don't grow up on a farm or in the country don't have the opportunity to experience what the food system really looks like.

By planting a backyard garden, you're providing your kids with the opportunity to experience their food from the ground up. By showing them the entire process, they will get a better grasp on how long it takes for just one vegetable to get to the grocery store, and why it's important to not waste food.

Life Skills From Gardening

Along with providing your kids with a hands-on educational experience, gardening can give you the opportunity to teach your kids important life skills.
Gardening Teaches Responsibility
Growing a garden isn't as simple as throwing seeds in the ground and waiting for something to happen. When you're growing multiple plants at a time, you become responsible to make sure they're well watered, weeded, and protected against bugs, deer, and maybe even the neighbor's dog.

Christian Hermann / Unsplash

Putting your kids in charge of their own section in the garden is a great way to teach them responsibility, and what happens when they neglect it.
Gardening Teaches the Importance of Being Organized
If you're already an avid gardener, you know how important it is to keep a schedule of when you need to plant seeds, water, and harvest. Being organized in the garden is key, especially when growing a variety of different plants that all have different needs.

Related Post: Garden Planners

Take this opportunity to teach your kids about the importance of staying organized both in the garden and real life. If one of your plants is sick or has died, take your kids aside and talk to them about what went wrong. Was there something that could have been organized better, or was it due to another circumstance?

Physical Benefits Of Gardening

Gardening is a great activity for going outside, getting a little dirty, and breaking a sweat. Gardening gets your kids moving, and exercising muscles that they may not usually use. Gardening renews dexterity and strength and works well as an aerobic exercise, especially when it comes to weeding, raking, and digging.

Mental Health Benefits Of Gardening

Along with educational and physical benefits, gardening also provides your kids with some important mental health benefits. Gardening can be highly therapeutic and can calm us if we're stressed or anxious.

K-State Research and Extension / Flickr (Creative Commons)

Gardening also makes us feel more connected to our surroundings. Activities like weeding, digging, or raking can help us release frustration or mental tension that we might be experiencing.

Kid-Friendly Gardening Tools

There are lots of different kid-friendly gardening tools available online, but many of them are plastic and aren't actually functional. Depending on how old your kids are, you can find kid-size tools that get the job done.

Plus, older kids will definitely appreciate the fact they can use a shovel that actually works compared to the plastic stuff they've used in the past.

Kids Gardening Hand Tools

Find it at Toysmith

Featuring an easy to grip wood handle and metal top, these hand tools are the perfect size for smaller hands while still being effective. This is a good set of basic tools that will allow your kids to do a variety of gardening chores.

Kids Gardening Tall Tools

For chores like raking, weeding, and general yard clean-up, consider this tall tool set for kids.

Gardening Gloves

Find it at Amazon

Make sure to protect those hands from blisters or cuts with a pair of kids gardening gloves. This 3-pack of gloves is made of cotton and features a knit wrist to keep dirt out.

Gorilla Dump Cart

Find it at Gorilla Carts

A gorilla dump cart is one of our favorite garden staples because it's so versatile. Use it to collect yard waste. Haul your heavy bags of soil in it. Use it as a supply cart for your seeds, tools, and water.

Kids Gardening Activities And Lesson Plans

Whether you're growing a backyard garden with your kids or grandkids, or a teacher looking to set up a class garden, here are a few of our favorite gardening lessons plans to round out your activity.

10 Best Resources For School Garden Lesson Plans

Here is a round-up of some of our favorite school garden lesson plans. They're broken down by age, allowing you the find an appropriate lesson for every kid in your family.

Grow An Herb Garden

If you have a small yard, or live in an apartment without access to an outdoor space, growing a patio or balcony herb garden might be your best option. You'll still be able to teach your kids the same lessons, just on a smaller scale.

Math Game For Preschoolers

This lesson plan idea is fairly simple, but it's a great counting game for preschoolers that also gets them outside and in the garden.

Soil Is Alive! Lesson Plan

Here's a lesson plan that will teach kids about soil and all the microbes, insects, and small animals that inhabit it. This lesson can be adapted for middle grade and high school students.

Seed Germination Lesson Plan

Teach your kids about seed germination with this lesson plan for second to fifth grades. This project could be done in the garden, in a greenhouse, or even on the windowsill.

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Gardening Resources For Kids * Insteading

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One of the best parts about gardening is building community. There's something special about sharing the experience of planting and nurturing seeds, and watching them grow - especially when it's with kids. Their innate curiosity and ability to see things with a set of fresh eyes makes gardening a wonderful physical, mental, and educational activity.

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Free resources for Infants/Toddlers  PreK

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Free resources for Infants/Toddlers  PreK

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I like to utlize the information provided through the National Association for the Education of Young Children such as:  Grow a Salad! Preschoolers Plan and Prepare Their Food https://www.naeyc.org/resources/pubs/tyc/apr2013/grow-a-salad

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Grow a Salad! Preschoolers Plant and Prepare Their Food

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Here's how a gardening project helped a preschool class discover where fresh food comes from and how to grow them. This article includes observations and lessons learned during the project.

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I love this page. This was how I found this program. I love their recipes also

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I love this page. This was how I found this program. I love their recipes also

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I use this site often. It has wonderful curriculum and a community of gardening professionals that can answer questions about other resources, grants, and a sharing of information to help everyone no matter what stage your garden is at.

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Get the best gardening ideas for kids right in your inbox.

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A wonderful opportunity for adults/young to volunteer at the school Garden and children to take field trips to the garden.

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As this funky Michigan warm weather draws nearer, I am finding myself spending more and more time outdoors preparing for the approaching growing season. Switching gears from desktops full of spreadsheets, old notes from the previous years, and bed maps for planting to...

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Growing Hope | Everyone deserves a chance to grow.

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As this funky Michigan warm weather draws nearer, I am finding myself spending more and more time outdoors preparing for the approaching growing season. Switching gears from desktops full of spreadsheets, old notes from the previous years, and bed maps for planting to...

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This is my absolute GO TO!

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AFBFA - American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture

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American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture - Homepage

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The mission of the American Farm Bureau Foundation for Agriculture is to build awareness, understanding and a positive public perception of Agriculture through education.

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I have two favorite free garden resources that I use. For information i go to our local extension office, they have alot of free information on different topics. I also use my county master gardeners facebook page. There is also alot of information there including some free classes and other webinars that you can take. That is how i learned about the TNC class.

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Free PDF versions of native plants in different regions of Virginia

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A growing number of regional native plant guides are available that highlight the beautiful variety of Virginia's native plants!

Each of these full-color guides shown below highlight 100 or so species of flowering perennials, ferns, vines, grasses, shrubs and trees with a photo, description, symbols for light and moisture requirements and wildlife value (butterfly, caterpillar, bird), and interesting facts. Indices list hundreds of additional species. The guides include sections on conservation landscaping; right plants for right places such as natives for dry or wet shade; native plant demonstration gardens; invasive non-natives of particular concern in the region and native alternatives; and, additional resources about native plants and landscaping with native plants.

The guides in Virginia's coastal regions were published by the Virginia Coastal Zone Management Program with grants from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)*, as part of regional native plant marketing campaigns to build demand and supply of Virginia's natives. These multi-partner public campaigns focus on increasing the use of regional natives in all landscapes for their many environmental, aesthetic and economic benefits. The campaigns are partnering with local providers on point of sale marketing, such as signage and plant tags, to make it easier for consumers to identify plants as native to the region.

The Virginia Native Plant Society is a partner in all the campaigns, and is committed to helping keep these guides in print and in the hands of homeowners.

Learn more at PlantVirginiaNatives.org.

* VNPS and other partners in some of the coastal region campaigns have received permission from the Virginia CZM Program and NOAA to begin selling their regional guides to help fund reprints. A separately funded effort produced the guide for the Northern Piedmont (Charlottesville) region since it was outside Virginia's coastal region and not eligible for the NOAA funding.

Native Plants of Accomack and Northampton

Campaign: Plant ES Natives
Region: Accomack and Northampton counties
First Published: December, 2009
Current Edition: August, 2013; 41 pages
PDF Version: Free

Native Plants for Central Rappahannock Virginia

Native Plants of the Northern Neck

Native Plants for Northern Virginia

Native Plants for Virginia's Capital Region

Native Plants for Southeast Virginia

Piedmont Native Plants: A Guide for Landscapes and Gardens

Plant Ridge & Valley Natives

Campaign: Plant Ridge & Valley Natives
Region: Counties of Augusta, Alleghany, Bath, Clarke, Frederick, Highland, Page, Rockingham, Rockbridge, Shenandoah, and Warren.
First Published: Expected May 1, 2023
For bulk orders, please contact shenandoahchapter@gmail.com.
Pre-Order Print version: $15.00

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Virginia Native Plant Guides - Virginia Native Plant Society

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A growing number of regional native plant guides are available that highlight the beautiful variety of Virginia's native plants! Each of these full-color guides shown below highlight 100 or so species of flowering perennials, ferns, vines, grasses, shrubs and trees with a photo, description, symbols for light and moisture requirements and wildlife value (butterfly, caterpillar, bird), and interesting facts.

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I use our state's cooperative extension service. Multitudes of free gardening information. At a library I once worked at the cooperative extension service provided us with an incubator and chicken eggs so we could hatch the eggs -yes in the library!

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Local Master Gardeners Program resources

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Local Master Gardeners Program resources

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The month-by-month planting guide provided by our county agricultural extension office takes the stress out of kids and adults feeling overwhelmed about not knowing what to plant and when.

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Master Your Garden Month-By-Month - Santa Barbara County

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The resources that will be most helpful to me in my current volunteer role are:  Kids Gardening.org and Food Corps.

They appear to be multi faceted and allow you to key in to the grade you need.

The California resources were wonderful but we are located in NC.

I will use teaching expertise.com to purchase some books for my granddaughter.

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School Garden Ideas - California Native Plant Society

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School Garden Ideas - California Native Plant Society

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In 1995, the California Department of Education launched "A Garden in Every School" initiative to promote education in fields as varied as nutrition, health, science, math, reading, and environmental studies. All these disciplines can be integrated in a school garden setting to teach students new skills and to enhance their ability to observe and think. A school garden helps students gain an understanding of natural systems through firsthand experience. School gardens foster community spirit by bringing students, school staff, families, local businesses, and organizations together.

The California Native Plant Society promotes the inclusion of native plants in every school garden.

Native plants help students learn the vital connection between plants and higher forms of life. Plants are at the bottom of the food chain, and native plants are a primary component of healthy ecosystems. Just as edible plants are important for human health and survival, native plants are equally necessary to other forms of life. Native plants help pollinator populations survive and thrive, which in turn help pollinate edible crops.

Some ideas for incorporating native plants in school gardens:

Pollinator Garden

Butterfly Garden

Bird-friendly Garden

Hummingbird Garden

Ethnobotanical Garden

Habitat Garden

In addition, native plants can be a part of the following types of gardens:

Alphabet Garden

Cut Flower Garden

Multicultural Garden

Year-round Flowering Garden

Resources

Before starting a school native plant garden, it is important to analyze site characteristics (soil, exposure, grade, existing hardscape, precipitation, etc.) and choose appropriate locally native plants. This will maximize chances for success while minimizing the inputs and efforts required. The resources below offer information for a variety of native plant projects.

Grant Programs

Many CNPS Chapters have their own school garden grant programs, and award funding to local schools yearly. Visit the CNPS Chapter map webpage to find a local CNPS chapter. In addition, there are many programs and organizations throughout the state offering grants and funding opportunities for school gardens. A few include:

Author: Arvind Kumar, Santa Clara Valley Chapter

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School Garden Ideas - California Native Plant Society

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In 1995, the California Department of Education launched "A Garden in Every School" initiative to promote education in fields as varied as nutrition, health, science, math, reading, and environmental studies. All these disciplines can be integrated in a school garden setting to teach students new skills and to enhance their ability to observe and think.

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This website is full of free resources, grant applications, and direct access to your local ODNR rep. I contact ODNR annually for outdoor education supplies that they mail to me for free- resources such as field guides and nature journals. This site is exceptionally useful as well, since we are focusing a lot on native Ohio plants and eradicating invasive plants.

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Butterfly Pavilion is a great place for students to go on field trips, learn about local pollinators and flowers that are local to Colorado.

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Each service is designed to balance the needs of humanity with the species upon which we depend for survival. In the end, both thrive.

From pollinator-promoting commercial and industrial landscape design and build, to Pollinator District certifications, bragworthy backyard gardens, and productive honeybee hive rentals, these programs increase value, aesthetics, and create more balance between us and these tiny giants.

We invite you to explore which program may be right for you, your company, property, or curiosity.
Welcome to Butterfly Pavilion Pollinator Services.

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Each service is designed to balance the needs of humanity with the species upon which we depend for survival. In the end, both thrive. From pollinator-promoting commercial and industrial landscape design and build, to Pollinator District certifications, bragworthy backyard gardens, and productive honeybee hive rentals, these programs increase value, aesthetics, and create more balance between us and these tiny giants.

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These are our awesome partners! - Sheila Chastain

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School Gardens - Arkansas Department of Agriculture

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School gardens are living laboratories that create teaching opportunities for nutrition, agriculture, and experiential education across all disciplines. School gardens can be an indoor herb garden in a windowsill of a classroom, outdoor raised beds, in-ground farms, or even a greenhouse. These garde…

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Fruit and Vegetable Posters/Lessons - Learn About Ag

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Fruit and Vegetable Posters/Lessons - Learn About Ag

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Look under the teaching resources tab for Ag Bite Posters, Lessons and mini books.

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ca foundation for agriculture in the classroom

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Judy Culbertson, Administrator and Yasuko Mitsuoka Grow, Designer

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Agriculture in the Classroom website provides a network and resources for educators that seek to engage K-12 audiences and improve agricultural literacy.

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https://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/uhmg/

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University of Hawaii - Master Gardener Program

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Master Gardeners on Kaua'i learn through trips to local nurseries. Oahu MGs offer public events at the Pearl City Garden Center. Maui MGs support an extensive school gardening program. Based in Hilo, East Hawaii MGs show how to grow veggies. On the Kona side, West Hawaii MGs answer questions.

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https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/gardening-books-for-kids/

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April showers, bring May flowers, blossom your seedlings this spring with your kiddos. We've come up with 18 of our favorite picture books filled with fun gardening activities to help you do just that!

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18 of Our Favorite Gardening Books for Kids - Teaching Expertise

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April showers, bring May flowers, blossom your seedlings this spring with your kiddos. We've come up with 18 of our favorite picture books filled with fun gardening activities to help you do just that!

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Connect your students' learning to the natural world through gardening.

Garden-related learning experiences offer practical connections to a wide range of teaching objectives and curricular standards. Many gardening activities can be done in your classroom or school green space if a dedicated garden space is not available. Our experienced garden educators have created engaging lessons on a wide range of subjects for students of all ages.

Whether you are new to gardening or an experienced green thumb, we are here to support you! Each lesson and growing season offers opportunities to try new things, and be surprised by what nature may throw your way.

Starting a Youth Garden

Gather a team and design your garden to fit your needs and space available. Over and over, the advice we hear from educators and garden leaders is to start small! You can always grow your garden program, but starting with reasonable goals and expectations will ensure success and help you avoid burnout.

Teach Through the Garden

The garden is ripe for discovery, for students of all ages and in a wide range of subjects. Beyond obvious connections to science, from art to math, and history to literature, the garden is a great place to offer hands-on exploration of your subject matter. If you are new to bringing your class outside, we have tips to help the experience go smoothly.

Get Inspired

Youth garden programs across the country are engaging kids in creative and innovative ways! Read about a few of these programs to spark your own ideas of how to engage the kids in your community.

Gardening lessons, activities, grants and more, right in your inbox.

Our FREE monthly newsletters help kids play, learn, and grow through gardening.

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Garden-related learning experiences offer practical connections to a wide range of teaching objectives and curricular standards. Many gardening activities can be done in your classroom or school green space if a dedicated garden space is not available. Our experienced garden educators have created engaging lessons on a wide range of subjects for students of all ages.

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The FoodCorps Lessons, for children in grades K-5, include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food.
-Erica, erica@rootedwi.org

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The FoodCorps Lessons include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food. This suite of 96 lessons are for grades K-5, and are organized through this learning progression by grade, season and theme. The lessons are tied to national academic standards and were developed following Culturally Responsive Teaching, Place Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning best practices and frameworks. Each lesson was developed with input from FoodCorps service members, community partners and resource specialists, and have been evaluated and updated to reflect recommendations from our community of food educators. This suite of lessons is intended to guide food and garden educators to spark inquiry and love for healthy food and should be adapted to reflect the needs, identity and culture of the community in which they are taught.

The lessons are evidence based and have been developed guided by the FoodCorps Healthy School Progress Report Practices found in the Healthy School Toolkit.

FoodCorps Lesson Progression

This FoodCorps Lesson Progression poster is a roadmap to illuminate the theory behind the sequencing of the ninety-six FoodCorps lessons. It shows how these lessons relate to and build upon one another to support students in developing increasingly sophisticated knowledge of and skills in the six themes listed below.

The lessons are organized by the following 6 themes to provide a framework to identify the central topic for each lesson.

Conceptual Themes to build student knowledge:

Skills-focused themes to develop student skills in gardening, cooking, and accessing healthy foods:

View the FoodCorps Lesson Progression Poster here.

Videos of FoodCorps Lessons

Service members have recorded over 100 video lessons to support students with remote learning about healthy food and gardening. Many of these lessons include activities from FoodCorps Lessons. You can view them here!

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The FoodCorps Lessons include hands-on experiential activities to engage kids in learning about healthy food. This suite of 96 lessons are for grades K-5, and are organized through this learning progression by grade, season and theme. The lessons are tied to national academic standards and were developed following Culturally Responsive Teaching, Place Based Learning and Social and Emotional Learning best practices and frameworks.