Our Top 5 Guide to Getting Started with Cornell Garden-Based Learning Web Resources:
1. Evaluation Toolkit
Surprised that we begin with evaluation? Sustaining a school garden means sharing successes and planning for program improvement. Incorporating evaluation along the way—even from the very beginning stages—makes measuring desired outcomes and effectively planning for the future of your program possible. Our evaluation toolkit offers up some quick and easy ways to reflect on the impacts of your work. We suggest taking your time to click through the links; knowing the tools that are available will make it easier when you need them.
2. Meeting the Needs of Children and Youth through Garden-Based Learning Experiences
We are growing much more than plants in our school gardens. See our resources for incorporating principals of youth development into all aspects of your program—from planning, designing, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and beyond! Set yourself apart: many programs neglect children and youth voices. Your program will be more sustainable if you include their perspectives from the beginning.
3. Grow Your Program: Benefits of Garden-Based Learning
Need to make the case for your garden? Find research that supports your work. In this same section, you’ll find a powerpoint ready to show to your administrators and colleagues, to help convince them of the value of the garden in bringing the curriculum (and the children and educators) alive.
4. Grow Your Program: Planning and Organizing
Here we have resources for building an inclusive vision and broad interest base. Cultivating a community-based sense of stewardship for the garden means collaboration between diverse partners—youth, school staff, volunteers, parents, teachers, local businesses and agencies, to name just a few.
5. Projects: Units and in-depth projects
After you have taken the time to prepare, educate your colleagues, and lay a solid foundation, then the activities can begin. Find projects that are inspiring and adaptable to a variety of garden settings and age groups only after you have established the above components. We urge you to take time to walk through the myriad projects and activities, all based on sound, positive youth development principles.
For more, please visit: http://blogs.cornell.edu/garden/
Tags: communitygardens, schoolgardens
We are in the process of implementing a school garden program at Congdon Park Elementary in Duluth, MN. Your Why Grow presentation is phenomenal!!! Would it be possible to use the presentation. It would be extremely beneficial for increasing buy-in amongst the staff. We’d also like to loop during an upcoming Plant Sale that will raise funds for the garden project. We’ll attribute the Cornell Garden-Based Learning Program & could keep the NY references, or with your permission change the title to Why Garden in Schools?
Glad to hear our Why Garden In NY Schools presentation is useful and the great work you have going in MN.
Permission to use our resources for other educational purposes is considered on an individual basis via email garden@cornell.edu
Include in your email your intended education use, any changes you will make and your commitment to credit Cornell Garden-Based Learning Program as the original sources.
Our best.