Taking Root, Bearing Fruit: Curriculum & Pedagogy

in the School Garden

Djamila Moore, Earth Art Ag

Sarah Skinker, FoodCorps with Food Roots

Today: • Intros- who’s in the room? • Curriculum tools worth knowing about • Seed Packet Activity: Creating & adapting

lesson plans • Outdoor Pedagogy • Q&A throughout! • Work samples

Place-based education…

Place-based Education can be understood as using nearby, familiar places as the context for learning (curriculum and pedagogy). - David Sobel • Urban/Rural? • Pre-K/Elementary/Middle/High? • Total beginner? Less than 2 yrs experience? More than 2 yrs experience? • Existing garden? New project? • Focus: Food security? Academics? Community Building?...

Favorite Regional Curriculum

Photo by Chef Worm

• LifeLab: lifelab.org • Eat Think Grow: eatthinkgrow.org • A Handful of Seeds: oaec.org/school-garden/handful-of-seeds Project goals, mission and vision? Align garden education with standards Nature connection, stewardship, service learning, community building Supplement cafeteria food, CSA or classroom snacks

Seed Packet Activity: Creating/Adapting Lesson Plans

(Example) Learning Objectives: Students will learn how to find and interpret information on a seed packet and be able to describe the particular planting depth, spacing, and timing for those seeds.

Example: Reading Seed Packets: 4th - 6th Grade NAMES: Work with a partner-Please read over the whole seed packet before beginning!

1.What type of plant will your seeds grow into?

2.What is the variety of the plant? (this is usually written just below the plant name)

3.Is it best to plant these seeds in cool or warm weather?

4.What does 2” mean?

5.What does 2’ mean?

6.How deep should your seeds be planted?

7.How far apart should your seeds be spaced?

8.How many days should it take for your seed to germinate (emerge/sprout)?

9.If you planted your seed today, on what date should it germinate?

10.How many days should it take before you can harvest and eat this plant?

11.If you planted the seed today, on what date should you be able to harvest it?

12. Carefully open your seed packet and take out one seed. Sketch the seed here:

Create your own seed packet activity!

Outdoor Pedagogy How you teach is even more important than what you teach…

Riddle

by Laurel Anderson

I appear dead before I am alive

Although often quite small, inside my skin a tree can live

I can survive hundreds of years without food or water

I can be as small as dust or as large as a football

Humans and animals eat me

I can fly, swim and hitch a ride

I can survive freezing, fires, and intense droughts

What am I?

‘Reclaiming the Heart in Nature Education’- Sobel Encouraging a sense of curiosity, wonder, and appreciation…

Photo by Lime

Tips for Outdoor Pedagogy

• Set clear, realistic expectations right at the beginning

• Demonstrate activity as a group before dispersing

• Provide a variety of activities

• Engage the senses

• Be flexible (and well-prepared) with lesson plan

• Ask lots of open-ended questions

• Be consistent with what to do when finished

• Be consistent with ways of getting student attention

• Don’t face students toward the sun

• Get as much support as possible

• Have fun!

Example Garden Rules

• Be Kind to All Living Things

• Be Safe: No running. No

Climbing. Ask before picking

plants!

• Listen Respectfully

• Be Responsible

• “Don’t Yuck My Yum!”

• Be Brave and Have Fun!

Photo by Hummingbird

Photography Art Poetry Nutrition Geography History Math Teamwork Science…

Why this work is important…

Planting seeds, literally and figuratively…

Questions? Comments?

Thank you!

Djamila Moore: djamilakai@gmail.com; radiclelearning.wordpress.com

Sarah Skinker: sarah.skinker@foodcorps.org