Garden Explorations!

Connection to IslandWood

At IslandWood students learn about ecosystems and watersheds through exploration of the forest, harbor and garden.  They learn how the LAWS (light, air, water and soil) influence these systems and how the plants and animals adapt to these variables.  The garden is used as our primary bridge into the student’s daily lives back at home.  While the concepts of forest ecology may not immediately transfer to their home life, the garden offers an example of how they actually do influence our very existence- through the production of food.  While most students may not have a forest or harbor nearby to explore, many have access to a community or school garden, a potted plant on a porch or a house plant.

Within this module, you will find a series of lessons that are designed to be done primarily in the garden, or outside on school grounds, rather than in the classroom.   They explore varying aspects of a garden through the lens of science, music, art and creative writing.  We have also included a Resource Guide which will lead you to many more garden based references, curriculum and organizations.  Our hope is that your garden will be a place for deep, contextual learning in which students feel empowered and energized by the natural world and the growing of food.

Lessons Decoded

At the top of the first page of each lesson you will find the lesson title and summary with the list of understandings, knowledge, and skills that IslandWood has developed which are most relevant to that particular lesson (see Essential Understandings, Knowledge and Skills: Using Stewardship as an Integrating Theme in IslandWood's School Programs packet). On the right side of the page you will find suggested age range, venue, materials included in the kit and materials you will have to provide, and the approximate time it will take to complete the lesson.  The next part you will see is the preparation segment followed by an introduction to the lesson (including short activities and/or questions that get your students thinking about the activity they are about to participate in). 

The core lesson flow follows, set up as a step-by-step progression of activities.  Questions that you may embed into the lesson are also included.  After the core lesson is completed, the formative assessment and conclusion section further students’ knowledge and appreciation for the topic at hand, while providing an assessment of how well your students have grasped the lesson.

 If you find you have time to do extensions to the core lesson, some options are provided.  Materials for these possible extensions are not specifically provided, though some of the materials that are in the kit might come in handy. The final section offers background information which may include some facts and figures that give a larger context to the lesson.  You can find additional references at the end.

Lessons

 Lesson: What is a Seed?

Lesson Summary: Students will explore the world of a seed: where to find them on a plant, how they work and how to nurture them successfully into a healthy plant

Students will learn the 6 plant parts and their functions first through singing and second by identifying each part on a plant and drawing it.

Students will learn what ecological factors influence the health and growth of a garden. They will then design their own garden while taking into consideration these factors.

The goal is for students to understand, through exploration and investigation, soil composition and what makes soils healthy for the growth of plants.