Lesson Summary: We share our backyards and gardens with birds who eat many different types of food including insects, berries, seeds, and nuts. Birds are excellent at foraging for their own food but feeders help to supplement their natural food sources. Today’s lesson, Do It Yourself: Pinecone Bird Feeder, is a fun and easy craft […]
What a crazy time to start up a schoolyard garden! Everyone has been adapting and making lifestyle changes during the coronavirus outbreak. Right before all of this, one of our schools, Grant Elementary, had just started up their schoolyard garden after a two year hiatus due to school construction and transition. In early March the […]
Sweet potatoes are one of the most popular summer crops planted in our school gardens and for good reason! They’re easy to maintain, making them ideal for schools who break for summer and even though you’ll plant them sometime between mid-May to early June, they won’t be ready for harvest until October or November, when […]
Lesson Summary: Today’s lesson, Seed Germination in a Paper Towel, is a fun experiment that encourages students of all ages to practice their observation skills. It’s easy to conduct at home for those who are participating in distance learning and requires minimal materials, most of which students already have at home. If you’re working with […]
Today’s garden lessons come from our partner, Life Lab. Life Lab has been a leader in garden-based learning programming, curriculum, and professional development since 1979. Life Lab trains tens of thousands of educators in their beautiful Life Lab Garden Classroom located in Santa Cruz, California on the UCSC Center for Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems […]
Summary: Today’s lesson, Researching Vegetables to Grow, is a great way to get students excited about the next upcoming gardening season. It’s also a good opportunity for those students who are learning from home to stay connected to their schoolyard garden and if you as a teacher are trying to decide what to order for […]
Summary: Today’s lesson, An Ant’s Perspective is appropriate for students of any age. Younger children will enjoy pretending to be an ant and exploring the garden, while older students will be able to think more critically about the complexity of taking on a different creature’s perspective. This activity encourages movement and is accessible for students […]
Summary: In honor of Earth Day yesterday, we’d like to take a look at a part of Earth that is invaluable to the garden – Soil! Today’s lesson, Layer’s of Soil, encourages students to examine a sample of soil to assess its makeup. It is easily adaptable for teachers and students who are currently participating […]
Summary: Today’s lesson, “Root View in a Plastic Cup” is a great distance learning garden alternative for any student or teacher who miss being in their schoolyard garden. Materials are minimal and with the exception of seeds, are most likely all items that students already have at home. This is a fun experiment that allows […]
This spring, supporting our Schoolyard Garden members looks a lot different. SYG coordinators want to remind you that although we are not physically checking in with our schools, we are still here for you! We will continue to support our teachers by posting garden related lesson plans twice a week on our SYG Blog, answering […]
