As spring quickly moves closer to Kansas City, it’s time to start thinking about what will be planted in Schoolyard Gardens!

Involving students in choosing what to plant not only gives them ownership of their Schoolyard Garden, but it also provides an opportunity for students to research and share about vegetables they want to grow.

Allowing students to share the knowledge they have about vegetables they have tasted or eaten at home with their families creates a space for students to learn from one another.

The following Lesson is a great way to conduct vegetable research.

RESEARCHING VEGETABLES TO GROW

This exercise asks students to use each other as well as online resources to research vegetables that are not familiar. Again, this provides students a space to learn from one another as well as to use tools to obtain more information.

At the end of the lesson the class will tally the number of students that have eaten each vegetable on the list. Spring orders should be chosen based on the four vegetables the most number students have tasted and the two vegetables the least number of students have tasted. This way students will have the opportunity to grow food that is familiar and that like, as well as challenge them to try new vegetables.

For more ideas of lessons and activities check out our website.