Garden ABCs
The Learning Garden Library
Download and review learning garden case studies, curricula, and samples of time lines, community hand-outs, self-guided tours, and other documents. Help build this share-site by submitting materials about your garden initiative! Your input will help make this library a valuable resource.
Share Your Knowledge
Tell us about your garden: How it works, how you've achieved community buy-in, funding, results, and more! Simply contact us! See submission guidelines for details.
Case Studies
Use these examples to help develop your garden project. Already have one? Tell us about it! Use this form as a guide or submit your own document.
After-School Garden Programs
City Blossoms Washington DC
Children & youth, entrepreneurship, hands-on learning, art, community, healthy living skills
Gary Comer Youth Center Rooftop Garden Chicago
Youth, community, rooftop, season-extending techniques, healthy eating
Butterfly Gardens
Woodland Primary Butterfly Garden Gages Lake, Ill.
Students, seeds, flowers, butterfly life cycle, integrated curricula, hands-on
Community Gardens
Common Ground Community Garden Univ. of
Lake County Health Department WIC Garden Waukegan, Ill.
Nutrition education, mothers and children, vegetables, farmers' market
Troostwood Garden Kansas City, Mo.
Youth, vegetables, healthy eating, market / entrepreneurship
Cultural Gardens
Organic School Project Multiple locations - Chicago
Culture and history-based gardens, healthy eating, food sources, multiple disciplines
Discovery Gardens
Wee Gardeners Nature Workshop & Legacy Demo Garden Greensboro, N.C., Early childhood, hands-on, sensory, exploration, multiple intelligences
Environmental Education / Green Gardens
Patuxet Elementary Upper Marlboro, Md.
Outdoor classrooms, schoolyard and habitat improvement, community-building
Mentoring Gardens
Gardening Together Habitat for Humanity Lake County, Ill.
Homeowners, landscaping, vegetables, community-building
Outdoor Classrooms
Gregory Elementary School Rainwater Garden Wilmington, N.C.
Students, stormwater run-off, pollution control, environmental education
School Ground Improvement
The Schoolyard Greening Project - Brent Elementary, Washington, D.C.
Safety, learning, health, environment, gardens, asphalt graphics, library development
Various Projects
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Projects
Vegetable Gardens
Borton Primary Magnet School Community Garden Tucson
Nutrition education, farmstand, chickens / eggs, tastings
The Dawes School Garden of Eatin' Evanston, Ill. Website
Slow Food in the School Project, healthy eating, preparing food
Dorset Cereals Edible Playgrounds Winner - 2008 RHS Chelsea Garden Show, Children, community, school yards, healthy eating, food production
Common Ground School Garden University of
Granny's Garden School Loveland, Ohio City Schools
Students, sustainability, enjoying nature, preparing own food
Learning Gate Community School Lutz, Fla.
Seed to Soup organic fruit and vegetable garden, raised beds, beneficial insect garden, compost yard, chickens, spiraling curriculum
Organic School Project Multiple locations - Chicago
Healthy eating, food sources, gardens based on culture and history, multiple disciplines
Urban Sprouts School Garden Programs Multiple locations, San Francisco
Middle and high schools students, under-served neighborhoods, nutrition and health, academic achievement, ecoliteracy
Woodland Elementary West Harvest Garden Gages Lake, Ill.
Students, vegetables, charitable giving / food bank
Urban Farms
Earthworks Urban Farm Detroit
Learning food's origin, social justice, helping others, farm markets, summer programs
Green Youth Farm Chicagoland Also visit this link
Vegetables, market / entrepreneurship, team-building
Use these examples to help develop your garden project. Already have one? Tell us about it! Use this form as a guide or submit your own document.
After-School Garden Programs
City Blossoms Washington DC
Children & youth, entrepreneurship, hands-on learning, art, community, healthy living skills
Gary Comer Youth Center Rooftop Garden Chicago
Youth, community, rooftop, season-extending techniques, healthy eating
Butterfly Gardens
Woodland Primary Butterfly Garden Gages Lake, Ill.
Students, seeds, flowers, butterfly life cycle, integrated curricula, hands-on
Community Gardens
Common Ground Community Garden Univ. of
Lake County Health Department WIC Garden Waukegan, Ill.
Nutrition education, mothers and children, vegetables, farmers' market
Troostwood Garden Kansas City, Mo.
Youth, vegetables, healthy eating, market / entrepreneurship
Cultural Gardens
Organic School Project Multiple locations - Chicago
Culture and history-based gardens, healthy eating, food sources, multiple disciplines
Discovery Gardens
Wee Gardeners Nature Workshop & Legacy Demo Garden Greensboro, N.C., Early childhood, hands-on, sensory, exploration, multiple intelligences
Environmental Education / Green Gardens
Patuxet Elementary Upper Marlboro, Md.
Outdoor classrooms, schoolyard and habitat improvement, community-building
Mentoring Gardens
Gardening Together Habitat for Humanity Lake County, Ill.
Homeowners, landscaping, vegetables, community-building
Outdoor Classrooms
Atwood Elementary School Macomb, Mich.
Theme-based gardening, Wildlife Habitat, Michigan Junior Master Gardener Program, Feed the Hungry, Native Gardening and environmental sustainability, composting and vermicomposting.
Gregory Elementary School Rainwater Garden Wilmington, N.C.
Students, stormwater run-off, pollution control, environmental education
School Ground Improvement
The Schoolyard Greening Project - Brent Elementary, Washington, D.C.
Safety, learning, health, environment, gardens, asphalt graphics, library development
Various Projects
Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education (SARE) Projects
Vegetable Gardens
Borton Primary Magnet School Community Garden Tucson
Nutrition education, farmstand, chickens / eggs, tastings
The Dawes School Garden of Eatin' Evanston, Ill. Website
Slow Food in the School Project, healthy eating, preparing food
Dorset Cereals Edible Playgrounds Winner - 2008 RHS Chelsea Garden Show, Children, community, school yards, healthy eating, food production
Common Ground School Garden University of
Granny's Garden School Loveland, Ohio City Schools
Students, sustainability, enjoying nature, preparing own food
Learning Gate Community School Lutz, Fla.
Seed to Soup organic fruit and vegetable garden, raised beds, beneficial insect garden, compost yard, chickens, spiraling curriculum
Organic School Project Multiple locations - Chicago
Healthy eating, food sources, gardens based on culture and history, multiple disciplines
Urban Sprouts School Garden Programs Multiple locations, San Francisco
Middle and high schools students, under-served neighborhoods, nutrition and health, academic achievement, ecoliteracy
Woodland Elementary West Harvest Garden Gages Lake, Ill.
Students, vegetables, charitable giving / food bank
Urban Farms
Earthworks Urban Farm Detroit
Learning food's origin, social justice, helping others, farm markets, summer programs
Green Youth Farm Chicagoland Also visit this link
Vegetables, market / entrepreneurship, team-building
How-To Guides
2009-2010 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Resource Guide
$5 for teachers outside California; free online
Classroom Seed Planting Instructions
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Community Garden Start-Up Guide
University of California Coop. Extension, LA County
Garden Activity Timeline by Month
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Garden Learning Videos Life Lab Science Program
Web-based videos on school garden how-to and garden-based nutrition
Good Plant Choices for School / Youth Gardens
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Grant Application Advice: Native Plant Gardens for Schools and Urban Areas
Betsey Landis © 2009. Landis shares how to avoid basic pitfalls of the grant application process, especially grants with very specialized requirements for funding. Great advice for any garden project seeking funding.
Guide to Setting Up Your Own Edible Rooftop Garden
Alternatives and the Rooftop Gardens Project, Montreal
How To Start A School Garden: A Practical AND Philosophical Guide
by the Civic Knowledge Project, the community connections branch of the Humanities Division at the University of Chicago: Cecilia Donnelly, Coordinator
This report was commissioned to help Chicago Public Schools add school gardens to their curriculums. Humanities education is critical to human growth and development on a communal and personal level, and the humanities and the environment are inextricably connected. This guide is uniquely tailored to the needs of public schools in Chicago.
Low Maintenance Gardening Strategies
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Native Plant Gardens for Schools and Urban Areas: A Survival Guide
Betsey Landis © 2009. Describes native plant communities / habitat gardens, considerations before selection and purchasing native plants or seeds, the architectuture of common native plant habitats, and Southern California sources for plants and information. Terrific insights regardless of your location!
Three Seed-to-Table Gardens
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Tips for Working with Children in Gardens DC Schoolyard Greening
Attendees of the Get Out and Garden Teacher Training Workshop share collective wisdom for gardening with children.
School Garden Start-Up Guide
University of California Coop. Extension, LA County
School Garden Wizard
Chicago Botanic Garden
Starting Your Own Community Garden in Chicago
Grand Crossing Community Garden Initiative
Successful Container Gardens website
University of Illinois Extension
Summer Garden Maintenance Tips
Life Lab
USDA: Gardening Together
Tips for parents and children
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
2009-2010 California Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom Teacher Resource Guide
$5 for teachers outside California; free online
Classroom Seed Planting Instructions
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Community Garden Start-Up Guide
University of California Coop. Extension, LA County
Garden Activity Timeline by Month
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Garden Learning Videos Life Lab Science Program
Web-based videos on school garden how-to and garden-based nutrition
Good Plant Choices for School / Youth Gardens
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Grant Application Advice: Native Plant Gardens for Schools and Urban Areas
Betsey Landis © 2009. Landis shares how to avoid basic pitfalls of the grant application process, especially grants with very specialized requirements for funding. Great advice for any garden project seeking funding.
Guide to Setting Up Your Own Edible Rooftop Garden
Alternatives and the Rooftop Gardens Project, Montreal
How To Start A School Garden: A Practical AND Philosophical Guide
by the Civic Knowledge Project, the community connections branch of the Humanities Division at the University of Chicago: Cecilia Donnelly, Coordinator
This report was commissioned to help Chicago Public Schools add school gardens to their curriculums. Humanities education is critical to human growth and development on a communal and personal level, and the humanities and the environment are inextricably connected. This guide is uniquely tailored to the needs of public schools in Chicago.
Low Maintenance Gardening Strategies
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Native Plant Gardens for Schools and Urban Areas: A Survival Guide
Betsey Landis © 2009. Describes native plant communities / habitat gardens, considerations before selection and purchasing native plants or seeds, the architectuture of common native plant habitats, and Southern California sources for plants and information. Terrific insights regardless of your location!
Three Seed-to-Table Gardens
Gary Comer Youth Center, Chicago
Tips for Working with Children in Gardens DC Schoolyard Greening
Attendees of the Get Out and Garden Teacher Training Workshop share collective wisdom for gardening with children.
School Garden Start-Up Guide
University of California Coop. Extension, LA County
School Garden Wizard
Chicago Botanic Garden
Starting Your Own Community Garden in Chicago
Grand Crossing Community Garden Initiative
Successful Container Gardens website
University of Illinois Extension
Summer Garden Maintenance Tips
Life Lab
USDA: Gardening Together
Tips for parents and children
Volunteer Job Descriptions
Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
School Garden History
Library of Congress Webcast and Transcript
Constance Carter, Head of the Science Reference Section
Library of Congress Webcast and Transcript
Constance Carter, Head of the Science Reference Section
Curricula & Educator Support
California School Garden Network
Getting to Know Your Garden: Basics - Bed & box Preparation, Tools & Equipment
Digging In: Soil, Weather, and Seasons
Seeds and Planting: Propagation, Germination, Transplanting
The Growing Plant: Botany, Reproduction, Pollination, and Life cycles
Garden Habitat: Critters, Beneficial Insects and Pest Control
Garden Stewardship: Watering, Weeding, Erosion, and Crop Maintenance
Harvest: Seed Saving, Food Storage and Processing
Composting: Recycling, Organic Gardening, and Soil Amendment
From Farm to Table: Food Systems at Work
Gifts From the Earth: Plant Based Crafts
Cooking and Eating for Healthy Living: Eat Well for Nutrition
Food Around the World: Origins, History, and Cultural Uses of Foods
CitySeed New Haven, Conn.
Three-part curriculum combines literacy, music, art, and hands-on activities for pre-schoolers to take home and share with parents and is complemented by the "Saturday at 2" program at the CT Children's Museum
Cornell Garden-Based Learning Cornell University
Activities, garden advice, citizen science projects and more.
Cultivating Community Portland, Maine
Arranged by season, the Earth Steward Gardener curriculum provides garden and food activities you can use-in every season and across every academic discipline-to help kids understand how we're all connected to the land, our communities, and each other.
Environmental Education Program
Grades 4-6 from Hewlett Packard and Scholastic
The Farmer Grows a Rainbow North Carolina Agriculture in the Classroom
These lessons introduce students to MyPyramid, the food guide developed by the United States Department of Agriculture. This kit educates students about making nutritious choices and the benefits of a healthy diet. The goal of "The Farmer Grows a Rainbow" is to enhance MyPyramid lessons, integrate them with traditional academic subjects and emphasize the vital role played by the farmer in food production.
Garden Activity Worksheets Children's Garden Network, University of Rhode Island, In-the-classroom ideas and worksheets to help teachers meet Life Science Grade Span Expectations.
Garden Mosaics Cornell University
Garden science, intergenerational learning, action learning, multicultural education
Gardens for Learning
Must-have resource for enhancing learning through gardens
How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals by Devon Hamner
Science field journals have been in use for many, many years. In fact, Lewis and Clark were asked to keep a field journal by President Thomas Jefferson. Their journals included detailed observations of the land, plants, and animals they saw. This lesson plan invites students to observe and explore their environment in much the same way. Students work together to plant a garden and study its growth using the inquiry process of questioning and exploring. As they research and study, students record their observations in a field journal, to be shared with others—just like Lewis and Clark!
Junior Master Gardener: Level One: Grades 3-5; Level 2: Grades 6-8
Paper Towel Gardening easy seed template
Let It Grow: An Inquiry-Based Organic Gardening Research Project by Loraine Woodward
Struggling readers at the middle school level often become frustrated with research projects because of their low literacy skills. However, they are often very creative, kinesthetic learners and when a research project is scaffolded properly, are able to work independently, think critically, and accomplish a finished product they can feel proud of. This project motivates students to learn about organic gardening by developing their own research questions, conducting research, and gardening at their school. They then create signs about their plants and present their research to the class so that other students can learn about each plant.
Lettuce Begin - Growing Your Own Food Children's Garden Network
Easy-to-grow, tasty lettuce can inspire students to grow and eat something else.
Life Lab Science Programs
Science and environmental education curricula and programs
Linking State Standards to Your School Garden California
Macomb County School Garden Initiative Michigan
Networking group for parents, teachers, principals, administrators and others interested in school & youth garden programs in the Macomb County, Mich, area.
Monarch Sister Schools Program
An initiative to involve school children across North America in the protection and restoration of the habitat of the Monarch butterfly - Resource guide, workshops, eco-tours, online resources
Nature's Partners: Pollinators, Plants & You
Pollinator Curriculum - Grades 3-6; North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
Plant Life Cycles
by Educator Diana Maculan, for Grade 3
Project Learning Tree
Award-winning environmental education program for educators, parents and community leaders working with youth from preschool through 12th grade.
School Garden Curriculum Resources
Univ. of California Coop. Extension, LA County
Schoolyards as Classrooms Project: Alice Ferguson Foundation
Training and curriculum mapping support
Tampa Bay School Gardening Network
Network for educators and parents to help increase awareness of how organic vegetable gardening can facilitate learning in local schools and the greater Tampa Bay community
What's Growin' On? Your Link to California Agriculture
Aligned to content standards for grades 3-8
My Own Food Chain: Grades K-2 Liberty Prairie Conservancy Grayslake, Ill.
California School Garden Network
Getting to Know Your Garden: Basics - Bed & box Preparation, Tools & Equipment
Digging In: Soil, Weather, and Seasons
Seeds and Planting: Propagation, Germination, Transplanting
The Growing Plant: Botany, Reproduction, Pollination, and Life cycles
Garden Habitat: Critters, Beneficial Insects and Pest Control
Garden Stewardship: Watering, Weeding, Erosion, and Crop Maintenance
Harvest: Seed Saving, Food Storage and Processing
Composting: Recycling, Organic Gardening, and Soil Amendment
From Farm to Table: Food Systems at Work
Gifts From the Earth: Plant Based Crafts
Cooking and Eating for Healthy Living: Eat Well for Nutrition
Food Around the World: Origins, History, and Cultural Uses of Foods
CitySeed New Haven, Conn.
Three-part curriculum combines literacy, music, art, and hands-on activities for pre-schoolers to take home and share with parents and is complemented by the "Saturday at 2" program at the CT Children's Museum
Cornell Garden-Based Learning Cornell University
Activities, garden advice, citizen science projects and more.
Cultivating Community Portland, Maine
Arranged by season, the Earth Steward Gardener curriculum provides garden and food activities you can use-in every season and across every academic discipline-to help kids understand how we're all connected to the land, our communities, and each other.
Environmental Education Program
Grades 4-6 from Hewlett Packard and Scholastic
The Farmer Grows a Rainbow North Carolina Agriculture in the Classroom
These lessons introduce students to MyPyramid, the food guide developed by the United States Department of Agriculture. This kit educates students about making nutritious choices and the benefits of a healthy diet. The goal of "The Farmer Grows a Rainbow" is to enhance MyPyramid lessons, integrate them with traditional academic subjects and emphasize the vital role played by the farmer in food production.
Garden Activity Worksheets Children's Garden Network, University of Rhode Island, In-the-classroom ideas and worksheets to help teachers meet Life Science Grade Span Expectations.
Garden Mosaics Cornell University
Garden science, intergenerational learning, action learning, multicultural education
Gardens for Learning
Must-have resource for enhancing learning through gardens
How Does My Garden Grow? Writing in Science Field Journals by Devon Hamner
Science field journals have been in use for many, many years. In fact, Lewis and Clark were asked to keep a field journal by President Thomas Jefferson. Their journals included detailed observations of the land, plants, and animals they saw. This lesson plan invites students to observe and explore their environment in much the same way. Students work together to plant a garden and study its growth using the inquiry process of questioning and exploring. As they research and study, students record their observations in a field journal, to be shared with others—just like Lewis and Clark!
Junior Master Gardener: Level One: Grades 3-5; Level 2: Grades 6-8
Paper Towel Gardening easy seed template
Let It Grow: An Inquiry-Based Organic Gardening Research Project by Loraine Woodward
Struggling readers at the middle school level often become frustrated with research projects because of their low literacy skills. However, they are often very creative, kinesthetic learners and when a research project is scaffolded properly, are able to work independently, think critically, and accomplish a finished product they can feel proud of. This project motivates students to learn about organic gardening by developing their own research questions, conducting research, and gardening at their school. They then create signs about their plants and present their research to the class so that other students can learn about each plant.
Lettuce Begin - Growing Your Own Food Children's Garden Network
Easy-to-grow, tasty lettuce can inspire students to grow and eat something else.
Life Lab Science Programs
Science and environmental education curricula and programs
Linking State Standards to Your School Garden California
Macomb County School Garden Initiative Michigan
Networking group for parents, teachers, principals, administrators and others interested in school & youth garden programs in the Macomb County, Mich, area.
Monarch Sister Schools Program
An initiative to involve school children across North America in the protection and restoration of the habitat of the Monarch butterfly - Resource guide, workshops, eco-tours, online resources
Nature's Partners: Pollinators, Plants & You
Pollinator Curriculum - Grades 3-6; North American Pollinator Protection Campaign
Plant Life Cycles
by Educator Diana Maculan, for Grade 3
Project Learning Tree
Award-winning environmental education program for educators, parents and community leaders working with youth from preschool through 12th grade.
School Garden Curriculum Resources
Univ. of California Coop. Extension, LA County
Schoolyards as Classrooms Project: Alice Ferguson Foundation
Training and curriculum mapping support
Tampa Bay School Gardening Network
Network for educators and parents to help increase awareness of how organic vegetable gardening can facilitate learning in local schools and the greater Tampa Bay community
What's Growin' On? Your Link to California Agriculture
Aligned to content standards for grades 3-8
My Own Food Chain: Grades K-2 Liberty Prairie Conservancy Grayslake, Ill.
The Edible Garden: Grades 6-8 Liberty Prairie Conservancy Grayslake, Ill.Summer Sustenance
Harvesting the Garden
Alternative Marketing
Project Pumpkin: Grades 3-5 Liberty Prairie Conservancy Grayslake, Ill.
Nutrient Management, Part 1Soil Conservation - Compost and
Worms Water Quality and Wetlands
Supplemental Materials: Compostia and Farmopoly
Harvest and Evaluate the Garden
Soil Conservation: Nutrient Management
Knowing Nutrition for Meal Planning
Shopping for the Meal (Supplement: Cheeto Creation flow chart)
Community Education
Learning by Doing Community Hand Out Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Ten Things to Do Now to Help the Environment & Save You Money McSeed, Mathews, Va.
Learning by Doing Community Hand Out Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Ten Things to Do Now to Help the Environment & Save You Money McSeed, Mathews, Va.
Sample News Releases
Classroom Seed Planting Announcement Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Planting Day Announcement Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Classroom Seed Planting Announcement Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
Planting Day Announcement Woodland Elem. West, Gages Lake, Ill.
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Email us your ideas!
Growing vegetables in winter at the Gary Comer Youth Center rooftop garden.
