Curriculum Ideas

Mindfulness in the Garden

Mindfulness in the Garden

Can the garden be used as a site to practice mindfulness? Which activities would students be most receptive to?

Talking About Taste
Invertebrate Inquiry (The Mystery of the Sawfly)
Grains!: Growing, Grinding, Eating & Learning
‘Bucket chairs’ for the garden
Beeswax food wraps
Math in the Garden: Hyperboloids

Math in the Garden: Hyperboloids

How to teach important mathematics in and with a school garden? How to create real-world, useful and beautiful mathematical objects that have a function in the garden?

Leaf ID-Thinking Like a Scientist

Leaf ID-Thinking Like a Scientist

Can we observe the differences between plant species? How can we tell the difference between edible crops we have planted and plants we may want to remove or that may be even be poisonous?

“Volunteer” Plant Scavenger Hunt

“Volunteer” Plant Scavenger Hunt

What is a weed? How can a plant be a weed in one location and a lawn or a food/medicine in another? How can we understand the role of volunteer plants in our gardens? How can using our observation skills help us to identify common plants in the garden? What are the benefits and uses of weeds or volunteer plants? How can we make use of plants that we choose to remove from our garden?

Orienteering in the Forest & Garden

Orienteering in the Forest & Garden

What different ways can we use to understand our physical place (in relationship to cardinal directions, in relationship to the different ecosystems and their relationship to histories of place)? How can we deepen our connection to native ecosystems that support our garden? How do we build a sense of teamwork, exploration, and fun through exploring the forest and garden?