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 […]
Summary: Thanks to springtime rain showers, we have been observing an abundance of earthworms in our gardens and backyards. Though puddle jumping is encouraged during this rainy season, we recommend students take a quick break from splashing, and look closely to find earthworms hard at work keeping the soil healthy. This week’s lesson, “Exceptional Earthworms” […]
In this time of physical distancing, we hope you’ve found ways to enjoy some fresh air outside. Maybe you’ve gone for a walk, done a spring scavenger hunt or even planted a garden. For those of you working hard to teach distance learning as well as those of you supporting your kids as they adapt […]
Summary: This week’s lesson,”The Garden Food Chain” teaches the importance of each living organism and non-living feature in an ecosystem. Using your schoolyard garden as a setting, discuss the roles of decomposers, producers, and consumers. Encourage students to explore their garden or reflect on a time spent in their garden and ask them to identify […]
Our schools have been on our minds a lot lately as everyone works to adapt and cope with the impact of COVID-19. We can only begin to imagine the tremendous impact that this pandemic is causing you as educators, parents, and community leaders and we are grateful for all you are doing right now. As […]
