School Resource Guidebook

In 2008, The Garden Project started a school garden resource guide to provide area schools with tips and guidelines to starting a school garden, lesson plans, sample budgets, theme gardens and other helpful hints for school garden coordinators and teachers.  The resource guide, also identifies ways to incorporate existing curriculum standards into the garden.  A teacher/ garden coordinator was held in the spring of 2010 to release the guidebook as well as connect schools in the county with other food and garden resources. 


Here are a few excerpts from the School Garden Resource Guidebook:

Chapter One:

Starting a School Garden

Chapter Two:

Benefits of a School Garden: incorporating a garden to nutrition, art, physical education, curriculum and more

Chapter III Theme Gardens:

Theme Gardens Outline

    *Colorado History Garden

    *Fort Lewis Mesa Theme Gardens

    *Wildflower Sensory Theme Garden

    *Bird and Butterfly Garden

    *Traditional Sensory Garden

    *Tea and Lemonade Garden

Chapter IV: Lesson Plans and Activities

   Indoor Projects, Lesson Plans and Activities

1.Edible Plant Parts: What’s for Lunch? (1st Grade and Beyond)

2.Seed Balls (Preschool and Beyond)

3.Making Garden Labels  (1st Grade and Up)

4.Homemade Garden Paper (1st Grade and Up)

5.Make your own Potting Soil (Preschool and Up)

6.Beyond Seed: Plant Propagation (1st Grade and Beyond)

7.The Local Food Pyramid (5th Grade and Beyond)       

    Other Indoor Projects: Soil Milkshakes, Indoor Seed Starts, Origami Newspaper Pots,


   Outdoor Lesson Plans and Activities:

1.Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources Part I (4th Grade & Beyond)

2.Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources Part II (4th Grade & Beyond)

3.Living vs. Non-Living (Kinder and Beyond)

4.Soil Part I (1st Grade & Beyond)

5.Soil Part II (4th Grade &  Beyond)

6.Soil Lasagna: Sheet Composting the Fall Garden (Kinder and Beyond)

7.Habitats:  Habitats and Hula Hoops (2nd Grade &Beyond)

8.Ladybug Release: Pests and Guests (Kindergarten and Beyond)

  1. 9.  Building Your Own Compost bin  (4th Grade and Beyond)


  Upcoming Lesson Plans: *Biodiversity in the Garden (5th Grade and Beyond), *Weather/ Rain Systems (3rd Grade and Beyond), *Sensory Activities (Kindergarten), *Seed Bingo (1st Grade and Beyond)


Appendix:

*Sample Calendar 2006

*Local Food Systems Diagram

*Map of La Plata County School Gardens and Greenhouses


Additional Resources:

*Profile of 19 School Garden Greenhouses in La Plata County


School Garden Training May 8, 2010 Handouts: Starting a School Garden


School Garden Training May 8, 2010 Handouts: Integrating Curriculum


*Minutes from 12/09/2009 School Garden Coordinator Meeting


*Local and National School Garden Resource List