The Learning Garden: A Platform for Hands-On Education
Introduction
Learning gardens are transforming educational landscapes, offering students a dynamic environment to connect with nature and apply classroom concepts in real-world scenarios. These gardens serve as outdoor classrooms, fostering a deeper understanding of science, math, language arts, and even history. The Learning Garden initiative exemplifies this educational approach, providing schools with the resources and support needed to cultivate thriving gardens that enhance student learning and promote healthy eating habits.
The Genesis of the Learning Garden
The Learning Garden project, exemplified by initiatives such as the Captain Planet Foundation’s Project Learning Garden, aims to build and support fruit and vegetable gardens in schools. Similar initiatives, such as the Learning Garden at Steve Cox Memorial Park, provide opportunities for teens to learn how to grow and maintain different kinds of plants. These gardens are more than just aesthetic additions to school grounds; they are carefully planned educational spaces designed to integrate seamlessly with the school curriculum.
The idea of school gardens is not entirely new. The Edible Schoolyard, for example, was launched 20 years ago. What sets the foundation’s “learning garden” concept apart is the breadth of the program’s goals.
Integrating the Garden into the Curriculum
The strength of the Learning Garden lies in its ability to integrate into various subjects. As Leesa Carter, the executive director of the Captain Planet Foundation, explains, schools use the gardens as an on-site learning lab, across the board: language arts, math, science, history, health. Where the garden best plugs into the curriculum changes with each grade level.
For instance, second-graders learning simple division and graphing might each be assigned one square foot in their school’s garden. They are then asked to choose the plant they want to grow and work out how many plants will be appropriate for that space: 16 kale plants, perhaps, but only one cabbage. This hands-on experience brings textbook concepts to life. The lessons are tied to Common Core and state performance standards, and the national Framework for K-12 Science Education.
Read also: Understanding PLCs
Planning and Planting
Creating a successful learning garden requires careful planning and consideration of several factors. When selecting plants, it is essential to align with the school calendar, choosing species that will be blooming and showy when students can observe and learn from them. Given that schools typically operate from late August to mid-to-late May, plants with spring, fall, and winter interest are ideal.
Cold-hardy crops, such as lettuce, spinach, radishes, turnips, broccoli, cabbage, peas, and potatoes, are excellent choices for school gardens, as they allow students to witness the entire life cycle of a plant from planting to harvesting. While these may not be as appealing as tomatoes or sweet corn, the experience of eating what they have grown is invaluable for children.
Perennial crops like rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus can also be valuable additions, provided they are harvestable before the school year ends. Fruit trees, such as pear and apple varieties that mature in September, can be incorporated to coincide with school curriculums that often include apple-related activities.
Considerations for Plant Selection
- School Calendar Alignment: Plant species should be selected to coincide with the school calendar, ensuring they are visually appealing and educational during the academic year.
- Cold-Hardy Crops: These crops allow students to observe the entire plant life cycle, from planting to harvesting, even in cooler months.
- Perennial Crops: Rhubarb, strawberries, and asparagus can be valuable additions if they are harvestable before the school year ends.
- Fruit Trees: Pear and apple trees that mature in September can be integrated into school curriculums that often include apple-related activities.
- Safety: Choose plant species that are not thorny, prickly, or poisonous to ensure the safety of students.
- Maintenance: Select plant species that do not require excessive care and water, and consider native species that are adapted to the local climate and soil.
Safety and Maintenance
Safety is paramount in a learning garden. Plant species should be carefully selected to avoid thorny, prickly, or poisonous varieties. Regular checks for invasive plants like poison ivy are necessary. While encouraging students to taste the vegetables they grow, it is crucial to teach them not to eat anything unless approved by a teacher, as many ornamental plants can be harmful if ingested.
Maintenance is another critical aspect. Selecting plant species that do not require excessive care and water is essential for sustainability. Native plants are particularly well-suited for learning gardens, as they have adapted to the local environment and are generally more resistant to pests and diseases.
Read also: Learning Resources Near You
Wildlife and Ecosystem Education
Learning gardens naturally attract mammals, birds, and insects, providing opportunities for students to observe, identify, study, and appreciate wildlife. These interactions can transform a child’s education, as demonstrated by the second-grade boy who could identify every insect in the school garden. Local County Extension offices can provide lists of plants that attract wildlife, further enhancing the educational value of the garden.
The Impact on Students
The impact of learning gardens on students is profound. They develop a palate for fruits and vegetables at an early age and gain a deeper understanding of where their food comes from. As Carter notes, when children have planted, tended, and watched their food grow, they are more likely to eat it, often barely knocking the dirt off before enjoying it.
Moreover, these gardens teach students about more than just food. They learn about the environment, sustainability, and the interconnectedness of living things. They develop problem-solving skills, teamwork abilities, and a sense of responsibility.
Experiential Learning
The hands-on nature of learning gardens allows students to engage with the material in a way that is not possible in a traditional classroom setting. By planting, watering, and harvesting crops, students gain a deeper understanding of the concepts they are learning.
Health and Nutrition
Learning gardens promote healthy eating habits by encouraging students to try new fruits and vegetables. When children are involved in growing their own food, they are more likely to make healthy choices.
Read also: Learning Civil Procedure
Environmental Stewardship
Learning gardens teach students about the importance of protecting the environment. They learn about sustainable practices, such as composting and water conservation, and develop a sense of responsibility for the planet.
Overcoming Challenges
Maintaining a learning garden can be challenging, especially during the summer months when school is not in session. To address this, some schools partner with organizations like FoodCorps, a division of AmeriCorps, to maintain the gardens over the summer. This ensures that any produce that ripens during the summer can be donated to food banks, and the gardens are clean and ready for students when they return in the fall.
Another challenge is ensuring that teachers have the training and resources they need to effectively integrate the garden into their curriculum. The Captain Planet Foundation addresses this by providing teachers with professional development days, teaching supplies, and mobile cooking carts.
The Learning Garden at Steve Cox Memorial Park
The Learning Garden at Steve Cox Memorial Park exemplifies the community-based approach to learning gardens. Created to give teens the opportunity to learn how to grow and maintain different kinds of plants, the garden has become a vital resource for the White Center Teen Program. Teen volunteers and staff prep the garden, plant starts donated by the King County Greenhouse program, and care for the garden throughout the growing season. The fruits and vegetables produced are then incorporated into weekly dinners at the Cabin through Burnt Toast cooking classes.
The garden's history is a testament to the power of community collaboration. In 2013, when King County planned to tear down the picnic shelter at the SE corner of Steve Cox Memorial Park, a visionary idea emerged to convert the space into the WCTP Learning Garden. Through the years, numerous King County Crews, Local Businesses, and Teen Volunteers have worked hard to keep the Cabin well stocked in fresh produce. The garden shed, a repurposed cargo container, was added in 2014 through the efforts of King County Operations Manager, Don Harig.
During the pandemic, the garden provided fresh produce to local teens and families through the doorstep delivery program. It also became a hub for group meetings and volunteer events, offering a covered space to hold larger group meetings outside while being able to see the progress in the garden and the artwork around the shed. In 2021, the garden hosted the inaugural class of the King County Park Volunteer Program’s Youth Conservation Corp.
Regulatory Compliance and Safety
Operating a learning garden within a school or community setting requires adherence to specific regulatory guidelines and safety protocols. These measures ensure the well-being of children and the integrity of the learning environment.
Health and Safety Training
Each applicant for, or individual in the position of director, teacher, or volunteer must complete Office-approved training that complies with federal minimum health and safety pre-service or three-month orientation period requirements. This training equips staff with the knowledge and skills necessary to maintain a safe and healthy environment for children.
Storage of Hazardous Materials
All matches, lighters, medicines, drugs, cleaning materials, detergents, aerosol cans, and other poisonous or toxic materials must be stored in their original containers. These materials must be used in such a way that they will not contaminate play surfaces, food or food preparation areas, or constitute a hazard to children.
Supervision and Health Care Plans
Children cannot be left without competent supervision at any time. Competent supervision includes awareness of and responsibility for the ongoing activity of each child. It requires that all children are within a teacher's range of vision and that the teacher be near enough to respond when redirection or intervention strategies are needed. The licensee must prepare a health care plan on forms furnished by the Office. Such a plan must protect and promote the health of children, be on-site, followed by all staff, and available upon demand by a parent or the Office.
Inspection and Compliance
Regular inspections are conducted to ensure compliance with regulatory requirements. While inspection checklists provide a guide, any regulatory requirement can be assessed and cited during an inspection, even if it is not explicitly listed on the checklist.
tags: #the #learning #garden #west #history
