Transform classroom learning into hands-on discovery that improves academic outcomes while teaching real-world skills. Complete K-8 curriculum connects science, ecology, and systems thinking through practical gardening projects that engage even the most reluctant learners and meet educational standards.
Why Garden-Based Learning Works:
Students learn better when education is tangible and relevant. Garden curriculum integrates math, science, and environmental studies naturally while developing responsibility, patience, and problem-solving skills traditional classroom methods can't teach.
What You'll Implement:
- Season-by-season lesson plans integrating math, science, and environmental education
- Standards-aligned activities that meet curriculum requirements through hands-on learning
- Assessment tools measuring both academic progress and ecological literacy development
- Community partnership strategies connecting classroom learning to real-world applications
- Budget-friendly implementation for starting school gardens with minimal resources
Measurable Educational Impact:
Schools using garden-based curricula report 15-25% improvement in science test scores, increased student engagement, and enhanced environmental awareness lasting into adulthood.
Bring learning to life through nature. Essential for educators seeking to engage students while meeting academic standards through meaningful, memorable experiences.
Autorentext
Kaci Rae Christopher is the volunteer Farm and Garden Educator for Oregon's Redband Ranch. She was previously the School Garden Coordinator for the Springwater Environmental Sciences School and the Outdoor Educator for ERA. Her passion is fostering a healthy land ethic, personal empowerment, and environmental literacy in children of all ages through outdoor immersion and skill building. She lives in Bend, Oregon.
Klappentext
Sow the seeds of science and wonder and inspire the next generation of Earth stewards
The School Garden Curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship.
The world needs young people to grow into strong, scientifically literate environmental stewards. Learning gardens are great places to build this knowledge, yet until now there has been a lack of a multi-grade curriculum for school-wide teaching aimed at fostering a connection with the Earth.
The book offers:
- A complete K-8 school-wide framework
- Over 200 engaging, weekly lesson plans - ready to share
- Place-based activities, immersive learning, and hands-on activities
- Integration of science, critical thinking, permaculture, and life skills
- Links to Next Generation Science Standards
- Further resources and information sources.
A model and guide for all educators, The School Garden Curriculum is the complete package for any school wishing to use ecosystem perspectives, science, and permaculture to connect children to positive land ethics, personal responsibility, and wonder, while building vital lifelong skills.
Inhalt
Acknowledgments
Introduction: Where Permaculture and Science Meet
Kindergarten: An Introduction to Gardening
Fall: Getting to Know the Garden
Winter: Pollination and Seeds
Spring: Insects and Garden Species
First Grade - Grade One: Seeds
Fall: The Edible Parts of Plants
Winter: Traveling Seeds
Spring: Sprouting Seeds Experiment
Second Grade - Grade Two: Pollinators and Cycles
Fall: Seasons and Garden Changes
Winter: Beneficial Insects and Birds
Spring: Observing Pollinators
Third Grade - Grade Three: Becoming Soil Scientists
Fall: The Garden Ecosystem
Winter: Soil Vitality Experiment
Spring: Fostering Healthy Soils
Fourth Grade - Grade Four: Vermicomposting
Fall: Becoming a Worm Expert
Winter: Mini Worm Bin Project
Spring: Worms Help Grow a Healthier Garden
Fifth Grade - Grade Five: Composting
Fall: Composting Basics
Winter: Compost in a Jar Experiment
Spring: Healthy Soils and Garden Plants
Sixth Grade - Grade Six: Rain Gardens
Fall: The Way Water Moves
Winter: Rain Garden Design
Spring: Building a Rain Garden
Leadership and Stewardship
Seventh Grade - Grade Seven: Renewable Resources
Fall: Catching and Storing Energy
Winter: Valuing Renewable and Natural Resources
Spring: Using Small and Slow Solutions
Eighth Grade - Grade Eight: Leadership and Stewardship
Fall: Energy Cycles and Conservation
Winter: Designing Systems
Spring: Supporting Biodiversity
Endnotes
Appendix A: Next Generation Science Standards
Appendix B: Resources
Index
About the Author
About New Society Publishers