Joe Brown

......I must have 2 lessons plans prepared each class. One for good weather and one for bad. Here are an example of things I did in bad weather. I introduced vermaculture during the winter months. The kids love the worms. So we composted all winter in our worm hut. We learned about the soils web of life. I invented games assigning each one a character to become in that web. Example one was organic composting material while others were bacteria, mold, fungus, mold mite, earthworm ect. They each held a piece of yarn of the corresponding food providing character. forming the web of life as they all stood in their inter connecting positions. If their food source died they then had to fall dead too. This really helped the kids understand how the food web worked.........

Organic Gardens in Grade Schools

Debra that's awesome!!! It really makes me proud to see that there are people out there that truly take something like this to heart AND pass these skills down to the younger generation. Not only is it teaching kids how to grow their own food properly BUT it also shows them that the "trash" that we see on the daily can be reused and re-purposed for something else, like using the 2-liter plastic bottles to sow seeds. Another thing you can also add into the "Garden Curriculum" is to find all the discarded food and add that to the vermicompost for the worms to break it down, and then teach the kids how the process can be useful to make rich soil for other plants.

Then you can actually test them on the "How Garbage Food" can be useful ( For example: how is the food broken down by the worms and what essential chemicals are made as a byproduct that the plants can use, etc.). This could be a spring/summer event. Not only would this give kids a green thumb but it'll also introduce the to Organic Chemistry.

With all these Green technologies being created now a days, its always a good idea to teach kids how to look at the world and certain things in it with a different perspective, trash isn't just simply trash to be thrown away and left by the wayside making the community look nasty as well as perpetuating a wasteful thought process. EVERYTHING can be re-purposed in some beneficial way or another, we just need think of ways to make that happen. You never know you might be teaching the next scientist that changes the face of the world.



Organic Gardens in Grade Schools

This is why I see the garden as part of a larger curriculum of, I guess you could call it "life skills" and knowledge - including soil and water science, ecology, botany, biology, growing, harvesting, preparing, preserving, and serving. History of all these aspects could be included as well - "heritage skills" etc.

I completely agree with this statement, having a garden in schools that the students take care of added to the curriculum will not only teach kids all of those crucial life skills but it will also give them a sense of pride in themselves, their school and community. I'm sure any of you have been to a big major city (NY, L.A., etc.) and I'm sure you see how much trash is floating around in the city which is pretty nasty, because there is not enough pride in the city (I'm not saying that's the only reason, but just for arguments sake lol). Having a generation of kids growing up in the environment of "take care of your garden" will rub off in other aspects of their life, "take care of your body", take care of your house", etc.

Its the same concept the military uses, have pride in what you do, where you live and your loved ones. Even when a delinquent kid goes into the military he/she doesn't out the same because they have been broken down and built back up to not only be a model member of society but becomes a person filled with PRIDE. Go to a persons house that is fresh out of the military, take a look at the inside of their car, see how they carry themselves.

I'm not trying to push a "Join the military" agenda hahaha but I am just using that as an example to show what having PRIDE can affect how a person lives, treats their loved ones and the community they live in. Instead of eating a big mac and just throwing the wrapper to the ground.

Organic Gardens in Grade Schools

In 2016 there has been a significant rise in communities with organic gardens, like inner city NY, L.A., Miami and more. All of these gardens help the community in many ways by building pride in the people that live there which rubs off to many other aspects in life (people actually throw away trash, builds companionship in the community, free healthy organic food, etc.), Think about all the good this simple concept can bring to a grade school atmosphere.

Organic Gardens in Grade Schools

School gardens are also a wonderful way to use the schoolyard as a classroom, reconnect students with the natural world and the true source of their food, and teach them valuable gardening and agriculture concepts. They will also learn skills that integrate with several subjects like science, art, health and physical education, as well as empower kids with goals, including personal and social responsibility.

Take a look at this webpage and tell me what you think of bringing this concept to schools, because i think its a great idea.. They also have a FREE eBook so you can spread the gardening knowledge in your neighborhood and spread the love too

Organic Gardens in Grade Schools