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Community Garden Project

Basics

  • Project TitleCommunity Garden Project
  • ThemeTo develop a pre-K through high school collaboration with at risk students while introducing them to growing sustainable, local produce.
  • Submitted ByLeanne Yinger
  • OrganizationDrury High School/Community Transition Program
  • Brief DescriptionPre-K students from Head Start and middle and high school students in the alternative education programs design and build 6 raised garden beds to grow organic produce that will be donated to the local food project for the daily lunches they provide to those in our community experiencing food insecurity.
  • Materials / ResourcesMaterials used to design and build and maintain 6 raised garden beds measuring 6
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    View/Download File: /project232_0228/materials list community garden.docx

  • Team membersStudent groups in the three programs were led by 2 teachers from Head Start, 4 teachers from The Steeples Program, 4 Teachers from The Community Transition Program
  • Pre-requisite knowledgePre-K - Information about starting/planting seeds indoors to transplant into beds.
    Middle & high school - Information about food insecurity
    Information about sustainable, local organic produce
    Information about designing and building raised garden beds.
  • Technical support neededAssistance of our green house and wood shop teachers for the planting and design of gardens

Key Questions

  • Key Questions1. How can students help to alleviate food insecurity in their community? 2. What skills are needed to design and build raised garden beds? 3. What skills do students need to grow healthy organic produce? 4. How do we create a sustainable garden including composting?
  • Connections: How or why was this topic identified? Why is it meaningful?Students started with researching the level of need in the community and who benefits from the free lunches. They began to research sustainable gardening practices during their earth science classes and they asked if we could start our own gardens to help to provide vegetables to the kitchen. There is a well established community garden service learning program in the schools town so our students joined with several staff and two other school programs to design, build and plant 6 raised garden beds.

  •  

    View/Download File: /project232_0228/connections SL community garden.docx

  • Background Research: What resources were used to find background information for this project?In addition to researching local food insecurity students utilized the following websites:
    http://www.wwlp.com/dpp/news/local/hampden/food-insecurity-in-western-massachusetts
    www.foodbankwma.org/learn/local-hunger-facts
    http://www.howtocompost.org/
    www.popularmechanics.com/home/how-to-plans/lawn-garden
    http://organicgardening.about.com/od/startinganorganicgarden/a/raisedbed.htm
    http://sarep.ucdavis.edu/concept.htm
  • Outcomes: What was the outcome? How was it shared or applied in the community?See attached photo garden in progress. Students wrote press releases describing what they had done. The project will be ongoing from year to year but this group of students have decided to focus on and participate in adding other gardens that include community members in the fall 2011.
  •  /project232_0228/kristen 002.JPG

Units / Activities

  • Gardening Project Math LessonStudents determine the amount of landscape mesh and soil needed to cover and fill garden beds.Paper, pencils, yardstick, calculator
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    View/Download File: /project232_0228/Gardening Project Math Lesson Plan.doc

  • Designing layout of garden bedsStudents researched companion planting to assure the best combinations of plantings for the best yield.
  • Gardening Project Science LessonStudents will find information needed to grow a viable vegetable garden. Once the research and ground work is complete the students will then plant all the vegetables in the garden boxes on C.T.P grounds.Seeds, potting soil, pots
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    View/Download File: /project232_0228/Gardening Project science.doc

Instructional Techniques

  • Self reflectionStudents utilized the brainstorm clouds handout to begin organizing their thoughts.
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    View/Download File: /project232_0228/brainstorm clouds[1].doc

  • Student writingStudents kept weekly journals at the middle and high school levels and wrote final reflection papers.
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    View/Download File: /project232_0228/Jack Simpson garden reflections.doc

  • Group reflectionRepresentatives from all three programs both students and staff meet to outline how to continue the garden collaboration next year.

Assessment Techniques

  • Pre-writing1)Students in all programs developed a "dream" list of potential outcomes of this project.
    2) Students in middle and high school developed a list of at least 2 facts per pupil they would be responsible to research in relation to any aspect of the project.
  • JournalsMiddle and high school students kept weekly journals to document progress and challenges of starting this project.
Tags = gardening | community-garden | Subject = ELA, Mathematics, Science, Technology, Physical_Education, CVTE, Service_Learning | Grade Level = Elem, MS, HS | Time Period = School Year | Program/Funding = 355 |
Direct website link to this project: http://ContextualLearningPortal.org/contextual.asp?projectnumber=232.0228