CURRICULUM
Our interdisciplinary curriculum coordinates with each grade level to create inquiry-based lessons and projects that integrate student learning into the garden classroom. Students progress through the years, gaining knowledge and skills while developing character traits such as teamwork, resilience and while working on their school farm.
Over the years, we have put together a compilation of K-6 STEM lessons focused on WA State Standards for each grade level, funded through the Okanogan Conservation District by WSDA Farm to School and NACD grants. Teachers can use this guidebook to explore science in the garden at their own schools.
Seeds to Schools Curriculum Guide - Lessons for K-6th Grade Garden Education Programs
TRAININGS
We host Professional Teachers Trainings about once per year to empower teachers with instruction and materials for them to teach with their own classrooms throughout the year. The next upcoming Professional Teachers Training will be:
Fall 2024 - Art in the Garden
Inquiry with classroominbloom@gmail.com if you have any questions and are interested in upcoming teachers trainings.
DAY TO DAY LEARNING
The Learning Circle
Each class starts in the Garden Gazebo circle with an introduction to the weather, observations of the garden for the day, and a lesson to ground our time together. Students then complete a 20 min activity in the garden from our lesson plans, scaffolded to each grade level. The second half of their time in the garden each week is working in groups on garden projects. We end at circle each day to review reflect and eat tasty food together!
Work Groups
Students are involved with all aspects of the garden each week. They do the bulk of the work such as turning compost, spreading mulch, planting cover crops, turning soil, caring for seed starts, weeding!, harvesting and weighing produce. Our goal is for students to learn skills to take home to their families and plant their own gardens. School gardens truly are helping to build food sovereignty in every community!
Harvest Circle
The end of each class in the garden gives students a chance to taste the fruits of their labor and experience food and nutrition in an intimate way. Groups of students take turns selecting and preparing fresh produce for their classmates to snack on in circle at the end of the lesson. Or often times staff make a delicious sample meal for students to try a seasonal ingredient/veggie from the garden.
