School gardens are an excellent way to teach children
about the food they eat. Children have the opportunity
to grow fruits and vegetables, and they learn firsthand
about different foods. Many programs also let children
prepare and eat the food they grow.
This is an effective way to educate children, and their
parents, about the nutritious advantages of fresh, locally
grown food while helping children get balanced meals.
Gardening programs are also an excellent way to teach
about sustainable agriculture and the plight of small
farms around the country.
One of the most successful programs is the Edible
Schoolyard Project in Berkeley, California. Founded
by celebrated chef Alice Waters and former school principal
Neil Smith, the program teaches children about ecology,
the origins of food, and respect for living systems.
Students plant fruits, vegetables, grains and flowers
and tend to them until harvest. Classes continue in
the school's kitchen where students prepare and eat
delicious meals from the food they've collected. The
Edible Schoolyard Project is an excellent model for
all schools.
Today, there are many garden projects at schools all
around the country. If you would like to see what other
schools are doing, visit the National Gardening Association's
School
Garden Registry.
Following are tips and suggestions on what you can
do to start a school gardening project in your community.
- How
to Start a School Garden
A checklist for educators and parents interested in
starting a school garden. (From the Marin Food Systems
Project, a program from the Environmental Education
Council of Marin, California)
- National
Gardening Association's Kids Gardening Program
Has information on school gardening for teachers,
parents and students, including resources, activities,
a parent's primer, and much more.
- Steps
to a Bountiful Kids' Garden
All you need to know to launch and sustain a school
or community kids' gardening program. Topics include
rallying support, recruiting volunteers, developing
the garden site, starting seeds indoors, transplanting,
making curricular connections, and more. ($12.95,
National Gardening Association, 56 pages)
|
