Winter is officially here and trips to your schoolyard garden probably won’t be happening until you plant again in March. Keep your students interested and talking about the garden with some easy garden-themed activities you could do in the classroom.
- Discuss what your students did and did not enjoy about the garden and have the students draw a picture of their favorite memory from the garden
- Talk about what the students would like to plant for next spring and draw out a garden plan on graph paper
- Discuss with students why we should still eat a diet full of vegetables and fruits even if they’re not growing vegetables from the garden
- Visit the Schoolyard Gardens page for more fun garden activities
Books are another great way to keep the garden conversation going. Use the extra indoor time you have to open up a book or two to read to your class. Below are some of my favorite garden books.
Rah Rah Radishes by April Pulley Sayre – identifies different kinds of vegetables with bright, colorful pictures. Great book for getting students to talk about what they might want to grow next season.
The Carrot Seed by Ruth Krauss – with simple illustrations, the author describes that water, sun, and a little bit of weeding are all necessary for a successful garden! In addition to learning what a seed needs to grow, it’s also a great moral lesson about patience and determination.
We Dig Worms by Kevin McCloskey -great for students that are squeamish around worms. The reader takes a tour underground and learns about the worm’s body parts, what it eats and why worms are so helpful to the garden.
Berenstain Bears Eat Too Much Junk Food by Stan and Jan Berenstain- Berenstain kids have had way too much junk food and now have upset tummies. Ma and Pa Berenstain explain the importance of a diet with lots of vegetables and fruits in order to feel good and stay healthy.
