The Problem
The “Pre” lesson focuses on the standards, vocabulary word suggestions, materials needed, and helpful background information. This part is tailored to teaching students the concepts prior to going into the garden.
The “Garden Investigation” aspect is the bulk of the lesson, as it is designed to engage students with the outdoor classroom through worksheets and self-guided exploration activities.
The “Post” component of our lesson plans offer reflection question ideas, writing prompts and project ideas. Further research information is also provided through useful websites, children’s book recommendations, and related videos.
Our Plan
Seed To Table Program: Our core educational program is a year-round K-5th grade curriculum of outdoor garden-based learning. 120 experiential lessons encompass everything a student can learn from planting, tending, harvesting, studying, cooking, and eating plants. Tailored to the Southern California growing season and aligned with both Common Core and California State standards, each grade focuses on a unique science theme, in addition to units in literacy and math. The school’s classroom teachers do the “getting ready” portion of each lesson, and we provide a Garden Coordinator to teach the hands-on outdoor portion. Follow-up activities foster deeper reinforcement and learning. Students harvest and prepare seasonal recipes using tools like solar ovens and bicycle blenders. We use the process of cooking not only to develop healthy eating habits but primarily as an engaging platform for scientific inquiry and experimentation. At the end of the 6-year program, students emerge with a multidisciplinary understanding of environmental processes and tools for the real-world engagement in their surrounding communities.
