Using the Garden
Be Resourceful
Use lessons designed for gardens from:
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Master Gardeners
California School Garden Network (www.csgn.org)
Garden of Learning (curriculum sets)
(www.gardenoflearningk6.com)
Junior Master Gardener (curriculum sets and books)
(www.jmgkids.us)
TWIGS (15 garden and cooking lessons)
Harvest of the Month (nutrition lessons with links to State
Standards ( www.harvestofthemonth.com)
AIMS activities
 Primarily Plants (Gr. K-3)
 The Budding Botanist (Gr. 3-6)
Other Books
Internet (Google, e.g. Lessons on plant germination)
Prepared Lessons
Be Creative
Adapt your regular classroom lessons to be taught
in the garden. Go through your curriculum and
find where you might use the garden to:
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Add interest
Make lesson more relevant
Add enjoyment by being outside
Provide hands-on learning experience
Associate lesson with the garden for retention of new
concept
Language Arts Lessons
Parts of Speech
Verbs: I like to ________in the garden.
Adjectives: the ____________cucumber
the ___________,________ tomato
Bonus Spelling Words, plant parts, vegetables, etc.
Reading in the Garden
Plays or Readers’ Theater
in the Garden
Writing in the Garden
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Daily Journals
Letters
Poetry
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Five Senses
Haikus
Cinquains
Instructions
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How to…
Five Senses Garden
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I
I
I
I
I
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I know…
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see…
smell…
hear…
feel…
taste…
Math in the Garden
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Counting
Measuring
Calculating
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Perimeters and Areas
Water
Soil Amendments
Plant Food
A Square Foot Garden
Problem Solving
Fractions
Percentage
Economics
Science
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Use of Scientific Method for Investigation and
Experimentation (I.and E.) standards, all grade levels
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Use as a class Science Fair Project
Use as a lab for designing individual or group investigations (Our
Science Lab)
Hands on experience for content instruction
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Life Sciences
Earth Sciences
Nutrition
Environmental Education
Bean Germination Window
Science Laboratory
Social Studies, History, and
Geography
Other Uses of the Garden
Cooperative Learning
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Among Classmates
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Within Grade Level
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Rules for the garden
Working together
Sharing and caring for tools
Designating garden areas
for grade and class
Grade level theme or
project
School Wide Theme, Project, or Newsletter
Community Project
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Farmers’ Market
Donation of produce to charity
Character Education
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Appreciating Diversity
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Grow unusual
vegetables
Ethnic foods
Health and Nutrition
Environmental
Education
Red Ribbon Garden
Behavior Management Reward
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Entire class reward
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Minutes in the garden
Individual privileges
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Special hat, apron,
garden gloves, etc
Gardener for the day
or week
Tutorial Site
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Cross-age tutoring
Buddy Reading
Learning English
Small group with
volunteer or aide
Counseling in the Garden
Special Ed Classes