thrive when planted in conditions that mimic their natural habitat, and can usually be planted directly in the soil. Playscapes and rain gardens require some preparation to the site before planting and some additional research.
Common challenges & creative solutions: 1. An urban site with no green space: there are several crops and native plants that have shallow root sys- tems and can grow in pots or raised beds placed on pavement. Another option is to research the structural integrity of the roof and build a rooftop garden.
2. Very constricted space: consider vertical gardening by adding trel- lises. If you are concerned about a lack of sunlight you can add wheels to your containers and move them throughout the day.
3. No water access: add a rain barrel to collect water from a downspout, shed roof or other water catchment surface.
4: Dig In! Once you’ve chosen your site, determined your theme based
on your team’s goals and have a design drawn, it’s time to plan for construction. Set a date and begin to order materials and shop for seeds and plants. If you are writing a grant to fund the garden set the build date after the funds would be disbursed. Be sure to have everything you need, ask several team members to help make a list so nothing is forgotten. Make your planting day public. Invite journalists, tele-
vision reporters, community members, business owners, family members, students, faculty and administrators to vol- unteer their time and resources to help establish the garden. Put up posters and signs at the school. Plan a few activi- ties for the children and provide refreshments. Find a local gardening organization such as a garden club, landscape company or beautification committee to mentor the school garden. Having a few experts on hand to answer questions, identify weeds, provide organic solutions to pest problems and offer training will be a huge asset to your program. While this article won’t cover the myriad of topics on gar-
dening, we will take a moment to state that healthy soil is the key to healthy plants. Plants depend upon the composition of the soil to provide minerals and nutrients for growth. A soil test is an easy way to determine the composition of the soil while providing suggestions on ways the soil can be amended to enhance plant growth. Ensure the continued success of your garden by adding compost and quality soil each season.
Common challenges & creative solutions: 1. Lack of funding: search for grants, both nationally and locally, to fund your garden. Ask local community groups for ideas. Approach the parent community for support. If you aren’t able to fund the full project divide the construction into phases.
2. Confusion on how to build a garden: attend a workshop and ask a local landscape expert to help. Post specific
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jobs with clear directions so people are engaged and participating in the work. Hold a planning meeting with the team and designate each member to lead an activity.
5: Implement Curriculum The garden provides a unique oppor-
tunity to integrate many different subjects. Science, math, language arts, social studies, physical education, art, music and foreign languages all have connections to botanical themes that can be explored in the garden. Creativ- ity and collaboration between teach- ers, students and environmental edu- cation organizations can help expand your lessons to include all of these subjects. Incorporating standards and academic assessments will add to the validity of your garden initiative.
Recording observations, taking pre and post tests, engaging in research are all important aspects of school gardens. To avoid maintenance issues, arising from neglect, plan to gar- den with your students on a weekly basis. There are wonder- ful published works and websites with garden based lessons. Extend student learning in the garden by sending home
plants, seeds, produce, recipes and photos. Think of how proud they will be to reveal the radish they grew and enjoy it at the dinner table! Gardening can be a very powerful and therapeutic activity for over scheduled youth and their families. Encouraging the students to connect their school experience with their home life can spark conversations and support from unexpected places. Evaluating garden learning can be challenging. Pre and
post assessments can show learning over time, as well as journal entries, and long term projects. Consider inviting younger students and community members for tours or les- sons so you can observe how the students pass on the knowl- edge they have learned. For example, when kindergartener Susie wants to plant peas with third grader Alex and Alex directs her to plant them close to the fence so they can have a place to climb, that indicates a significant amount of learn- ing: peas are vines that need support to grow. Does Alex show her how deep to plant the seeds? Do they water the seeds together? Put together a rubric and use it through the year to assess student development.
Common challenges & creative solutions: 1. Managing student behavior outdoors: often students are not used to structured activities in the school yard and instinctively behave as they would at recess. A few strategies include giving students directions before head- ing outdoors and familiarizing them with any tools and tasks. Repeat the instructions after heading outside and enlist the help of volunteers to keep the students focused. Establish clear boundaries and consequences for behav- ioral issues. The students should understand that going outside is a privilege and they need to work together and listen during the experience. Over time, this routine will help the students complete outdoor lessons.
GREEN TEACHER 109
Sam Dunlap
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