Garden Based Learning

What is Garden Based Learning? Read more by clicking here.

Garden Based Learning is Also Garden Based Health

"The school-based sustainable garden developed by Collective Roots is one of the community’s greatest assets. One step into the garden and you are transported to a magical place, full of lush greenery, fluttering birds, and a collection of produce lovingly grown by children from this community. We recognize that the garden not only symbolizes a sustainable healthy food source in this community, but it also represents a peaceful place where children can connect with nature and find a tranquil respite from the challenges and chaos that plague the lives of many of the children in EPA. From the pediatrician’s perspective, working in this positive environment has an immeasurable impact on the mental health and wellbeing of these children—a health and social benefit that these children will carry with them for years to come."

-Lisa Chamberlain, MD, MPH and Janine Bishop, MPH, Pediatric Advocacy Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

Collective Roots is part of the soul of the school. When you walk through the garden, you are surrounded by beauty, life and miracles. The programs Collective Roots offers have brought meaningful science instruction into our classrooms and increased our students' value of nutrition.

-Allison Leslie, EPACS Principal

Our extensive school garden is a critical part of what makes EPACS such a successful school for both teaching and learning. Teachers have the opportunity to work with the knowledgeable, friendly, and talented CRGP staff to involve students in hands-on learning, and the students reap the benefits of seeing and experiencing first-hand work in the garden. Whether it be a grade-level garden job, a multi-grade service learning project taking place in the garden, or just going out to enjoy the garden to use it for a learning center, everyone who comes into the garden feels lucky that it is on our campus.

-Angela Devencenzi, First Grade Teacher

Collective Roots Garden Project provides my students the opportunity to connect their academic skills to real-world situations. Using grade-level math and science standards, students had the opportunity to design, plan, and work to create a garden that produced enough food to serve salad to the entire school

-Nick Romagnolo, Middle School Teacher

For my even my most troubled students, the garden was a sanctuary.

-John Rethans, Fifth Grade Teacher

Garden Based Learning Sites and Partnerships

• Year round classes are provided at East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS) for grades Kindergarten through 8^th grade.
• Classes for 1^st and 4^th graders at Willow Oaks Elementary School in East Palo Alto started in September of 2007
• Possible expansion in 2007 to include garden based learning in a high school and and/ or other community based settings
• Outreach in 2007 to establish garden based learning partnerships with community based organizations and government agencies in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties.

Expansion and Dissemination of Collective Roots Curriculum

• K-5 Curricula available to go online beginning October of 2007.
• Garden Club (after school) curricula to go online beginning October of 2007
• Middle School Elective (6^th – 8^th grades) curricula in development
• High School (9^th -12^th) grade curricula in development

After School Programs & Summer Day Camp in Development

• Garden Club Programs (after school gardening) occur weekly at East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS) and has expanded to include volunteer and community involvement (every Friday afternoon).
• Community partners have expressed interest in developing a summer science day camp that uses the EPACS garden as a base, and explores the adjacent Baylands through environmental science and habitat restoration activities.

Field Trips

• Seasonal Field Trips: These fun-filled day events occur at least 4 times per year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall). Field trips might include visiting a local farm, natural habitat, demonstration garden, or university. Donors and volunteers are needed to support these events.

PROGRAMS NEEDING DEVELOPMENT AND SUPPORT:
Volunteers and finacial support are needed to develop the following program elements:

Garden Theater Program Development

• Garden Puppet Theater (volunteers needed).
• Music in the garden: Tapping into the magic of gardens and music, this program will build music themes and opportunities to grow and make instruments, tap into natures rhythms, and connect to with the music of life.

Arts and Science Programs & Projects

• Garden Painters program provides young painters opportunities to paint garden landscapes and nature themes in garden settings.
• Sculpture in the garden: Young artists learn the basics of sculpture and en situ art installation. Projects for development include: This Giant Egg, Spiraling Mound, and other art installations in the tradition of Andrew Goldsworthy, Patrick Dougherty, Armin Schubert and more.
• Art made from the earth: Ceramics, tiles, Raku firing, and other clay projects. Volunteer ceramicists needed.
• Solar & wind powered art projects: Over 600 watts of power is being installed in the EPACS garden in Fall of 2007. Technical assistance, donors, and volunteer support is needed to develop other garden based power projects including wind power.

Teacher Training

• Collective Roots is developing an annual conference for training teachers. This effort will be developed in collaboration with other regional partners in the garden based learning world. This training will cover all aspects of developing programs, sites, and resource development. Our goal is to partner with local universities so that this training might CEU credits that fulfill professional training requirements.
• Collective Roots is placing its entire garden based learning curriculum online for teachers and students to access. This will be accomplished through use of a content management system that will allow teachers to contribute and collaborate on curriculum development.
• Site development services: Collective Roots will be providing an online forum for teachers regarding school garden curriculum and site development.

International Exchange

• Collective Roots is seeking support for bringing visiting Artists and Scientists into garden based learning environments: Painters, Ceramicists, Muralists, Physicists, Engineers, Researchers, Performers, Musicians, Indigenous Leaders, etc.
• Backstrap Weaving series: Indigenous Guatamalan / Mam women will teach the ancient art of backstrap weaving in the Giant Green Dome at East Palo Alto Charter School. (Partnership with Xela Aid).
• Develop plan for High School students to travel to Guatemala to implement development projects. Seek partner schools in other communities, including Guatemala, offering opportunities for international student exchange.