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Garden-based Learning

You Can Teach Anything in a Garden

School gardens are a great place to observe the life cycle of a seed, or to grow fresh fruits and vegetables to eat. They are also great places for student-directed experiments and investigations about the needs of a plant; classification of organisms; pollination; interactions between plants, fungi and animals; soil composition and health; microorganisms; adaptations that contribute to a species' survival; trophic levels in a food pyramid; phenology; erosion; biogeochemical cycles; Native American practices; genetics and so much more! Check out some of the exciting ways that garden-based learning can add engagement and deeper understanding for your students. 

Kitchen Scrap Gardening

​No Money? No Seeds? No Problem!
In the typical home kitchen, seeds and sprouts for many plants are thrown away every day.  School cafeterias that serve fresh foods may also have  a potential garden in the trash can or composter. Investigate what can be grown from discarded items such as sprouted potatoes, seeds from vegetables and fruits, root bottoms from celery and green onions, and leafy tops from carrots and pineapples.  Learn more here. 

Soil Testing 

Student investigation of garden soils can determine whether what nutrients are available for plants, what texture the soil is,  which plants are suited to grow in it, and what soil amendments might be needed to improve plant growth. 

• Soil Donuts classification test
• Soil Shaker Jar texture test
• Soil Porosity test
• Soil Nutrients test to send to Georgia Extension Service for analysis
• Plants suited for each soil type

Garden Types and Considerations

Comparing the effectiveness of various gardening methods can be the subject of real-world student investigations. Some of the gardening techniques worth exploring include:

• Hugelkultur:  mounding soil (or overturned sod) over rotting logs 
• Lasagna Garden:  no-dig, no-till organic method of layering garden materials
• Raised Beds:  above-ground beds can be filled with rich soil and require no tilling
• African Keyhole Garden: self-fertilizing design includes compost and easy access
• In-ground gardening: planning and planting a garden in Georgia
• Container Gardening:  no space?  no lumber or labor? no worries! garden in a pot!
• Vertical gardenswww.instructables.com/Space-Saving-Vertical-Gardens/: a solution for limited space, such as this one from recycled bottles

Learn more video about the rationale for replacing lawns - or schoolyards - with habitat for native species. 

Pollinator Habitat Gardening

Creating pollinator habitat means selecting and growing native flowers that produce nectar for native adult insects, while also choosing plants with leaves that their caterpillars will eat. Many insects - including monarch butterflies - are specialists whose needs co-evolved with the plants on which they depend. Students learn so much from creating a pollinator habitat!

• Design a Pollinator Garden
• Plants that support Pollinators in Southeastern US
• Invertebrate Species in Need of Protection & Pollinator Conservation Resources
• Pollinator Habitat EcoEngineering Challenge
• Apply to have your Pollinator Garden certified by Monarchs Across Georgia

Plant Investigations in the Garden

There is no better way to learn about plants - their parts, structures and functions, survival needs, and life cycles - than to grow them from seed and observe them first-hand. 

• Easy Plant Growing Experiments from Project Learning Tree
• Project Learning Garden explorations from Captain Planet Foundation
• Whole Kids Foundation Garden Lessons for veggie gardens
• Plant Growth Experiments from Science Buddies
• Adopt a Tree (or Plant) observations and activities 
• Plant Experiments and Projects with Scientists Mentors from Planting Science

Citizen Science Projects in the Garden

Citizen science projects engage students in collecting and analyzing data that will contribute to authentic scientific research projects. 

• Project Budburst entails observing and reporting seasonal changes in plants
• The Great Sunflower Project engages kids in observing pollinators on Lemon Queens
• The Lost Ladybug Project asks observers to look for the elusive 9-spotted ladybug 
• Ozone Bio-Monitoring through observation and reporting of leaf damage on plants   and virtual version
• GO Trees!  measuring trees and calculating their role in the carbon cycle

Virtual Garden Activities

Apps, online drag-and-drop websites, and simulation games give students a chance to design and learn about gardens virtually. 

• Garden Planner Apps: Students can design garden layouts online
• City Farm Farming Simulation: Players learn about sustainable gardening practices by growing virtual crops, protecting them from unanticipated threats, and conserving resources with this free, interactive, online simulation from WGBH television. 
• Cornucopia Farming Simulation: Players learn about sustainable farming from this California Academy of Science project. 

Social Studies in the Garden

Gardens can provide 'fertile ground' for exploring history, culture and social studies.

• George Washington Carver and the Sweet Potato lesson
• ​Three Sisters Gardens: plant corn, beans and squash as some Native people did
• World War 1 Trench Gardens: P is for Poppies lesson goes with the book of same title
• ​World War 2: Lily's Victory Garden Teaching Guide goes with the book of same title
• ​Herbal Remedies: Myth or Medicine? explores cultural and scientific uses of plants 

Math in the Garden

Gardens can provide real-world connections for math, to make learning visible and relevant.

• Shape Shifters in the Math Garden: investigate garden shapes, perimeter and area
• Teaching Math in the Garden from New Jersey Agricultural Society
• Squaring a Raised Garden Bed with the Pythagorean Theorem (3/4/5 right angles)
• Flower Graph and Area & Perimeter of Leaves samples from Math in the Garden book photo credit: Due West Elementary Math Garden, Cobb County School District

Language Arts in the Garden

Gardens provide an inspiring setting for nature writing, observation and reflection, journaling, interpretation, descriptions, reading, vocabulary development and many other language art skills. 

• Language Arts in the Garden from New Jersey Agriculture Society
• Writing Prompts for the Garden from Big Green
• Reading Gardens from Kids Gardening
• How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals
• Journal Writing by BEETLES

STEM Projects in the Garden

• Hydroponic Systems to build, Hydroponic Bottle Gardens
• Aquaponic Gardens from EcoLife ($300 kits + free K-12 and high school curriculum)
  
• Design your Own Space-saving, Vertical and Wall Gardens 
• Inspiring Inventions and Innovations
  • GardenBot open source design for arduino-controlled garden sensors; and wiki
  • FarmBot robotic gardening kit with hardware
  • Robotic weeder (proprietary)
• Rain Gardens guide and app from University of Connecticut
• Ocean Friendly Gardens from Surfrider
• Water-Smart drought-tolerant gardens and xeriscaping
• Food Waste Warriors from World Wildlife Foundation and Food Audit from EcoRise
• Composting from NRDC  
• EEA's Worm Bin EcoEngineering Challenge and EPA Worm Bin Directions                      photo credits: Alexander II Magnet School garden in Bibb County, GA

Environmental Stewardship & Problem-Solving in the Garden

• Food Justice Project Ideas
• Schoolyard Habitats for Wildlife
• Create Community Gardens on School Grounds
• Restore Native Species
• Start a School Farmers Market
• Plant a Row for the Hungry 

Garden Curriculum Collections

• UGA Extension School Garden Lesson Collection
• Captain Planet Foundation garden explorations and vintage lessons
• Life Lab garden lessons and educator resources
• Edible Schoolyard garden lessons
• Big Green Garden Lesson Library
• Kids Gardening garden activities
• Learn, Garden and Reflect with Cornell University Garden-based Learning

Resources for Gardens

• Grants posted in deadline order on EEinGeorgia website
• Contests and Awards posted in deadline order on EEinGeorgia website
• Free seeds for pollinator gardens, edible gardens
• Gardening for Wildlife seed collections for sale from National Wildlife Federation
• Milkweed Seed for Monarchs