Benefits of the School Garden – Plant a Seed, Watch it Grow (2024)

FAQs

Benefits of the School Garden – Plant a Seed, Watch it Grow? ›

Gardening supports academic achievement, helps students develop a healthy lifestyle, makes them more aware of their environment and helps them develop a sense of community.

By their nature, schools gardens encourage teamwork, individual responsibility and a commitment to success. In much the same way team sports foster pride in student athletes, school gardens strengthen bonds between school gardeners, schools and communities.

If you want to grow a lot of plants, buying packs of seeds is usually cheaper than buying individual transplants from the nursery. As well, the selection of plants at local nurseries can be limited, so planting from seed affords a much wider choice of plant varieties.

Mission. Garden School Foundation provides in-depth garden-based education to youth at Title I schools in Los Angeles, strengthening connections between food justice, environmental stewardship, and community health.

Why does gardening seem to be so beneficial to health? It combines physical activity with social interaction and exposure to nature and sunlight. Sunlight lowers blood pressure as well as increasing vitamin D levels in the summer,⁴² and the fruit and vegetables that are produced have a positive impact on the diet.

Studies show that when parents involve children in the process of growing and preparing food, positive increases occur in diet and nutrition. While working in the garden, preschoolers develop fine motor control and also work larger muscles: gardening uses practically every muscle in the body.

Vegetables give children energy. Eating vegetables can also protect children against chronic diseases. Children under 8 years should have 2-4½ serves of vegetables each day. Encourage children to eat plenty of vegetables by setting a good example.

Earth-friendly Gardening benefits the environment.

These practices are kind to the Earth as they: Minimize pollutants in air, water, and soil. Protect our irreplaceable and threatened biodiversity. Support pollinators and natural enemies.

What is the history of school gardens? ›

The first American school garden was established in 1891 at the George Putnam School in Roxbury, Massachusetts. The peak of the school garden movement was reached in the years immediately following World War I when War Gardens turned into Victory Gardens and the urgency for surplus food production began to wane.

Despite nearly 5,000 school gardens across the United States reported by the USDA, including over 600 confirmed school gardens in just Oregon alone (Rick Sherman, OR Department of Education), we still hear many questions like “Why have a school garden?” We hope to build a solid case for parents, teachers and ...

First promoted during World War I, war gardening, or victory gardens, provided American citizens an opportunity to assist with the war effort. Americans were encouraged to produce their own food, planting vegetable gardens in their backyards, churchyards, city parks, and playgrounds.

Community gardens can enrich academic learning, nurture relationships, and create a positive neighborhood environment that enhances students' lives outside of school. Jump to: WHAT IS A COMMUNITY GARDEN?

They also provide an opportunity for people to connect and network. That's why universities that encourage sustainable gardening co-ops have seen improvements in student participation, grades, and mental and physical health. There's no denying that college can take a toll on the well-being of young people.

Provides Hands-On Learning Experience

They can observe the plants as they grow, measure their growth, and identify any problems that arise. This hands-on learning experience can help students develop important skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and teamwork.

However, there are those who want the produce for themselves and will stoop to stealing your perfect tomatoes or big, bountiful peonies in the night. Theft of tools is also common as is vandalism. Community gardens often attract 'art projects' from malicious taggers and vandals.