The California School Garden Network
is an example of a system of school gardens. The following curriculum is from their program.
*More information can be found at http://www.csgn.org/
- Getting to Know Your Garden: Garden Basics — Bed & box Preparation, Tools & Equipment
- Digging In: Soil, Weather, and Seasons
- Seeds and Planting: Propagation, Germination, Transplanting
- The Growing Plant: Botany, Reproduction, Pollination, and Life ycles
- Garden Habitat: Critters, Beneficial Insects and Pest Control
- Garden Stewardship: Watering, Weeding, Erosion, and Crop Maintenance
- Harvest: Seed Saving, Food Storage and Processing
- Composting: Recycling, Organic Gardening, and Soil Amendment
- From Farm to Table: Food Systems at Work
- Gifts From the Earth: Plant Based Crafts
- Cooking and Eating for Healthy Living: Eat Well for Nutrition
- Food Around the World: Origins, History, and Cultural Uses of Foods
This school garden curriculum is only one example of how school gardens can be incorporated into everyday education. The main idea is children need to be involved the entire time. Whether you create a square foot garden or a traditional garden children can begin to understand where the process starts. The children will realize through out the program how much work is involved in growing food and gain an appreciation for the time it takes to happen. They will also develop a sense of ownership in the garden; therefore, teaching environmental stewardship and social responsibility.
