Garden Varieties
Garden Varieties
Offerings for the Outdoor Garden Classroom
Brought to you by the CIS
FirstSchool Garden Program
The topics presented stem from researched based curriculums such as Texas A&M University’s Junior Master Gardener Program, Columbia University’s Linking Food and the Environment: An Inquiry-Based Science and Nutrition Program, Cornell University’s “Garden Mosaics”, Alice Waters’ ‘The Edible Schoolyard’, Chicago Botanic Garden’s “School Garden Wizard”, and The Green Schools Initiative.
Teachers and Garden Team Leaders may choose from any of the following subjects, receive the curriculum materials to utilize or request a presentation from a speaker with the FirstSchool Garden Program.
1. Basic Gardening- K-5 Topics are accompanied by hands on activities and can be conducted in the classroom or out in the garden.
A. Plant Classification- The plants ability to produce true flowers
B. Celebrating Plant Parts- Review of the structure of plants and what’s edible
Roots Leaves Flower
Stems Seeds Fruit
C. The Producers- What do plants need to have a healthy garden?
Air Sunlight
Water Nutrients
Space Considerations: Small & Large Plants
D. Rules and Tools- Garden Safety, keeping our gardeners safe and healthy.
E. Garden Maintenance- Plant Safety, keeping our plants safe and healthy.
Weeding Watering Fertilizing
F. What’s In Soil? – Texture, types and properties.
Sand Silt Clay
G. Insects In the Garden- The good and the bad!
2. How Does Your Garden Grow? K-5 Hands on activities for select topics.
A. Types of Gardens- Raised beds, Containers, Square Foot
B. Types of Planting- Direct or Transfer, Plant Pals, Plant Families
C. Plant Diversity- Crop Rotation
D. Fall Planting- Cool Weather Veggies: Learn All About Them!
E. Spring Planting- Warm Weather Veggies: Learn All About Them!
3. Linking Food and the Environment- 3-5 Hands on activities for select topics.
A. Energy Transformers- What is Energy?
B. Getting Energy from the Sun- How do plants use sunlight?
C. Photosynthesis- How do plants make their food?
D. Plants are Producers- Learn about the Peanut Plant.
E. Linking Plants and Animals- Who eats what food.
4. Nature’s Decomposers- K-5 Hands on activities available.
A. Garden Composting- Learn all about composting in the garden.
B. Classroom Composting- Worms Eat Our Garbage: Classroom Activities for a
Better Environment, Mary Appelhof. Individual components include World of Worms, Worms at Work, Beyond the Bin.
5. Healthful Eating- K-5 Hands on activities as well as cooking in the classroom.
A. The Food Pyramid- Learn All About It.
B. Nutrients for Health and Nutrition- 5 A Day, Eat Your Colors
C. Reading Food Labels- Food for Thought (NC Dept. of Public Instruction)
D. Food Safety
E. Plants that Heal- History of Plants and Healing
6. Healthy Snacks – K-5 Preparing and cooking with food from the garden.
This segment will be based on the ‘Cooking With Kids’, An Integrated Curriculum
Guide that promotes Literacy, Math, Science, Wellness and Social Studies.
*Spanish Language materials available for this segment.
7. Environmental Education- The NC Office of Environmental Education recommends LEARN NC, a program of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Education, http://www.learnnc.org/
A. Conservation Tips for Kids
B. Reuse and Recycle at School and Home
C. Weather and Climate
D. Preserving Our Environment- What can you do?
Special Resources:
1. Math in the Garden- Hands On Activities that Bring Math to Life- For Adults with Children ages 5-13.
Chapter One- Number Operation & Algebra
Chapter Two- Measurement
Chapter Three- Geometry & Pattern
Chapter Four- Data Analysis
2. Gardening Wizardry for Kids- History & Folklore of Common fruits and Vegetables, Fun with Kitchen Fruits and Vegetables, Easy Plant Craft Projects, Herbs- History and Growing, etc.
3. I Am Mr. Ellie Pooh, the world’s only living paper mill. Thusitha Kanasinghe
4. Bluebirds in North Carolina- Helen Munro
These offerings will be updated and expanded monthly. Please feel free to contact me to schedule a session or garner curriculum materials for class use.
Copyright and Trademark restrictions prohibit me from publishing all materials on our site without explicit permission from the authors and publishers.
Thank you,
Kathy Byron
CIS FirstSchool Garden Healthy Lifestyles & Sustainability Program Director
910-285-1027 office 910-603-7680 cell
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