Kansas School Gardens
GARDEN GATE
Considering incorporating a school garden into your classroom? Looking for ideas and resources to support an existing garden? You're in the right place!
A school garden is an outdoor classroom oasis, attracting countless organisms, each a rich opportunity to teach students about the complex and fascinating ecosystem that we are all a part of.
School gardens provide on-site "field trip" opportunities for students, even in the most resource-deficient schools.
School gardens may be as small as raised boxes on the asphalt play yard or planter boxes on a rooftop garden.
School gardens may be designed to help students learn about food and nutrition by planting edible crops, or lessons learned might focus on the local habitat by planting native plants.
BENEFITS OF SCHOOL GARDENS
01
Enhanced academic achievement
02
Promotion of healthy lifestyles
03
The development of a land ethic
04
Community & social development
05
Instills in students a sense of place​
Information from the above two sections is provided from the book How to Grow a School Garden, A Complete Guide for Parents and Teachers - Arden Bucklin-Sporer and Rachel Kathleen Pringle.
FAQ
What do School Gardens look like?
School gardens all look different! There are no two school gardens alike, as they are all unique creations.
The key to any school garden is that it needs to fit the school’s goals, ideas, and interests.
It’s also very important to remember that you don’t have to start big. You can start small and build from season to season or year to year.
Click here to view several different School Gardens from across Kansas and hear from their gardeners about how they got to where they are today!
Who can be involved in a School Garden?
There are several different people who can be involved in a school garden: Everyone from teachers, students, principals, superintendents, parents, local businesses, interested community members, etc. may show interest in helping with a school garden.
Involving students in all aspects of garden work is a wonderful way to enrich their cross-curricular learning and to help sustain the life of the garden.
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What resources are available?
The Kansas School Gardens Initiative and Garden Gate are part of the Kansas Green Schools Program. If your school is not registered on the Kansas Green Schools Network, click here to sign up. It's free, takes 5 minutes, and you'll receive information about grant opportunities, workshops, conferences, and resources to help your school garden and other "green" projects. As you register, please tell us about your efforts!
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For more information about the Kansas School Gardens Initiative, contact Ashlyn Kite-Hartwich. For more information about the Kansas Green Schools Program, contact Rachel Wahle.