My goal is to continue to provide students with real-life, hands-on experiences by planting and caring for a vegetable garden. Utilizing a scientifically engineered container garden system, students will learn a variety of standards based Science concepts including the water cycle, life cycles, soil, nutrition, insects, and plants. Students will participate in the planning, creating, and maintaining of the garden area for school wide learning and enjoyment.

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"Veggin' Out"

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School:
Golden Terrace Elementary  
Subject:
Science 
Teacher:
Joyce Cordell 
Students Impacted:
180 
Grade:
Date:
August 4, 2016

Investor

Thank you to the following investor for funding this grant.

 

Perna-Rose Foundation for Hope - $355.00

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Impact to My Classroom

# of Students Impacted: 492

This is my ninth year gardening with students.  It is rewarding and challenging, but most of all, it is a learning experience for all!  My goal was to continue working with students planting and maintaining our vegetable garden and introduce them to some new unusual vegies. Along with tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, green beans, broccoli, spinach, romaine, and cabbage, students planted bok choy, mustard greens, kale, and kohlrabi. Students were thrilled to see the vegetables they planted and cared for, grow and ripen.  Their favorite part of gardening was harvesting and tasting what they grew!  It was amazing to see second graders devouring fresh vegetables!  They even liked the raw kohlrabi!  Gardening is a life skill and students learned that even in a small space they could grow healthy, delicious food. The gardeners also learned many science concepts such as life cycles and the parts of plants and their functions. They developed social skills, worked together, and recorded information and diagrams in their science notebooks. Although the gardeners are 2nd graders, all classes can visit the garden and benefit from that “teachable moment”. This year, the garden was visited and utilized by more teachers and students than ever before!

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Today's Harvest

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Planting Spinach

 

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Yum!

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Trying Romaine and Spinach

 

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Super Cabbage!

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Our GTE Garden

 

Original Grant Overview

Goal

My goal is to continue to provide students with real-life, hands-on experiences by planting and caring for a vegetable garden. Utilizing a scientifically engineered container garden system, students will learn a variety of standards based Science concepts including the water cycle, life cycles, soil, nutrition, insects, and plants. Students will participate in the planning, creating, and maintaining of the garden area for school wide learning and enjoyment. 

 

What will be done with my students

I will collaborate with the Science Coach and second grade teachers to guide students through the challenges and rewards of gardening. This year we will start by harvesting and enjoying the sweet potatoes that we planted in May. We will prepare our garden area, Earth-boxes, and various pots for planting tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers, green beans, broccoli, lettuce, and herbs. Ornamental plants and flowers will also be planted to attract pollinators and beautify the garden. Lessons will include the properties of water, light, and soil. Plants, insects, and nutrition will also be studied. The scientific method will be taught during student-driven experiments. We will plant and replant seeds and seedlings throughout the year. As students care for their garden, they will use a variety of inquiry skills such as making observations, recording and measuring data, predicting, and drawing conclusions. 

 

Benefits to my students

The benefits of gardening with students are many! Authentic learning occurs across the curriculum. Integrating subjects and concepts increases learning and helps students make connections. Although second graders are the gardeners, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students regularly visit the garden. It is a perfect spot for that "teachable moment" for all grade levels. Many science concepts are very abstract and difficult for students to truly understand and master. A school garden generates enthusiasm and excitement. Science concepts become more relevant and meaningful to students. Students will experience the water cycle and analyze soil. They will observe plant parts and learn their functions. They will evaluate growing conditions and make decisions based on their observations. They will experience the entire life cycle of a plant and hopefully enjoy the fruits of their labor. They will learn about healthy eating and growing vegetables without harmful chemicals. Students will actually be applying the skills that they learn and read about. These activities build teamwork and foster a sense of community and pride in our school.. 

 

Budget Narrative

7 Earth-boxes and most gardening tools have been purchased in previous years. The budget includes some needed replacement parts, and consumable items that will allow for two growing seasons and gardening throughout the school year. 

 

Items

# Item Cost
1 Fertilizer/dolomite $20.00
2 Vegetable/herb seedlings $75.00
3 Bags of potting mix $75.00
4 Eartbox covers $20.00
5 Ornamental plants $30.00
6 Replacement parts $20.00
7 garden accessories $65.00
8 4x4 posts $28.00
9 cinderblocks $22.00
  Total: $355.00

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