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Gardening Helps Teachers Grow Classroom Nature Programs
Author: Amy Zink, Garden Educator and Horticultural Therapist, County of San Diego
Using school gardens to teach children about science, healthy eating and nature was the brainchild of five organizations dedicated to supporting teachers with professional development and strategies for engaging children in nature during the school day.
Thirty-five San Diego Unified School District teachers with students in kindergarten through 12th grades attended a March 7 “Intro to School Gardens" event at the Valencia Park Elementary School garden and classroom, where topics included:
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Gardening basics and school garden organization presented by the University of California Cooperative Master Gardeners School Garden Committee.
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Hands-on presentations in the school garden, seed-starting, irrigation basics, garden bed construction, warm weather crop-planting, native plant and pollinator gardens, and a microscope demonstration by the master gardeners.
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Garden Standards and Classroom Connections presented by the San Diego Office of Education Science Department.
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An introduction to nature journaling presented by San Diego Children and Nature Network.
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Harvest of the Month presented by San Diego Unified School District’s Farm to School program.
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CalFresh Healthy Living and Garden Nutrition Education presented by County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency.