I teach a 2nd grade class at a school in North Carolina which serves a diverse community of 380 K through 5th grade students from five urban neighborhoods. Eighty-six percent of our students receive a free or reduced lunch. We are a school with a population of students with high needs but our funds are very limited.
Last year I began a school garden with the students in my class. I pooled together a few funds from various places and we set up a 25’ by 30’ garden. With families' help on a Saturday we launched a garden that produced snow peas, potatoes and lettuce. The students were thrilled and the families continued to be involved. The garden became an integral part of our curriculum, incorporating math, literacy, science and even social studies goals. We borrowed wheelbarrows and tools from neighbors and families.
This year I will loop with my same students and we hope to plant even more healthy foods and continue to learn about good choices in nutrition and health.
I want the families to continue to be an integral part of this project to support the students.
“School gardening has been shown to increase self-esteem, help students develop a sense of ownership and responsibility, help foster relationships with family members, and increase parental involvement.” Alexander & Hendren(1998)
Students learn more when they are actively involved. With tools that are made for children they will feel more able to make real contributions to the upkeep of their garden. They will learn how to be an integral part of the labor and truly reap the benefits of their sweat. With the greenhouse they will be able to start plants in early spring so they will have more to harvest before the summer break. This next step in our gardening project will give them a sense of accomplishment as they become green thumbs and learn the many healthy aspects of proper nutrition.
Your contribution to this growing project will be a spark in building a whole child. Students will be learning about the many fascinating parts of gardening while being engaged in all parts of the curriculum. What an ideal way to be involved in meaningful education while producing healthy foods. Your gift will motivate and inspire students in many aspects of their life.
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Ms. Goodhand and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.