Why garden in schools: a visual look at the research

8/9/2019 Why garden in schools: a visual look at the research

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Why Garden in

New York State Schools?

Why Garden inWhy Garden in

New York State Schools?New York State Schools?

Cornell Garden-Based Learning ProgramDepartment of Horticulture

Cornell University

www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl/

Cornell GardenCornell Garden--Based Learning ProgramBased Learning ProgramDepartment of HorticultureDepartment of Horticulture

Cornell UniversityCornell University

www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl/www.hort.cornell.edu/gbl/


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School gardens offer numerous

benefits to children

School gardens offer numerousSchool gardens offer numerous

benefits to childrenbenefits to children

Lets take a look at the research


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School gardening has been shown to increase self-esteem, help students develop a sense of ownership andresponsibility, help foster relationships with familymembers, and increase parental involvement.

Alexander & Hendren (1998)

School gardening enhances

students lives

School gardening enhancesSchool gardening enhances

studentsstudents liveslives


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School gardening promotesSchool gardening promotes

higher quality learninghigher quality learning

Students tend to learn more and better when they areactively involved in the learning process.

McCormick et al. (1989)


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School gardening promotesSchool gardening promotes

higher quality learninghigher quality learning

In a project that involved integrating nutrition and gardeningamong children in grades one through four, the outcomeswent well beyond an understanding of good nutrition and the

origin of fresh food, to include enhancing the quality andmeaningfulness of learning. Canaris, Irene. (1995).


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School gardening enhancesSchool gardening enhances

learning for all studentslearning for all studentsChildren with learningdisabilities, whoparticipated in gardeningactivities, had enhancednonverbal communication

skills, developedawareness of theadvantages of order,

learned how to participatein a cooperative effort,and formed relationships

with adults.Sarver (1985)


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School gardening fostersSchool gardening fosters

parental involvementparental involvementParents who are highly involved atschool are more likely to be involvedin educational activities with theirchildren at home.

-National Center for Educational Statistics (1997)


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School gardening can meet

NYS Learning Standards

School gardening can meetSchool gardening can meet

NYS Learning StandardsNYS Learning Standards


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Mathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & Technology

Classrooms using GrowLab indoor gardens andGrowLabcurriculum scored significantly higher thancontrol classrooms in students' understanding of key

life science concepts and science inquiry skills.National Gardening Association (1992)


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Mathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & Technology

Third, fourth, and fifthgrade students whoparticipated in schoolgardening activitiesscored significantlyhigher on science

achievement testscompared to studentsthat did not experience

any garden-basedlearning activities.

Klemmer et al. (2005)


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Elementary school and

junior high schoolstudents gained morepositive attitudes about

environmental issuesafter participating in aschool garden program.

Waliczek & Zajicek (1999)

Mathematics, Science & Technology(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)

Mathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & Technology(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)


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After gardening,

students have shownincreased knowledgeabout nutrition, plant

ecology, andgardening.Pothukuchi (2004)

Mathematics, Science & Technology(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)

Mathematics, Science & TechnologyMathematics, Science & Technology(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)(Health, Physical Education, Family & Consumer Sciences)


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After gardening, children have shown more positiveattitudes toward fruit and vegetable snacks.

Lineberger (1999).

Health, Physical Education, Family

& Consumer Sciences

Health, Physical Education, FamilyHealth, Physical Education, Family

& Consumer Sciences& Consumer Sciences


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Consumption of fruits and

vegetables, as a habit inchildhood, is an importantpredictor of higher fruit

and vegetableconsumption as adultsand can help to prevent or

delay chronic diseaseconditions.

Heimendinger & Van Duyn (1995)


& Consumer Sciences




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& Consumer Sciences



After gardening, kids possess an appreciation forworking with neighborhood adults, and have an

increased interested for improvement of neighborhoodappearance. Pothukuchi (2004).


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Career Development and

Occupational Studies

Career Development andCareer Development and

Occupational StudiesOccupational Studies

Gardening programming positively influenced two constructs:"working with groups" and "self-understanding."

Robinson, & Zajicek (2005).


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English Language ArtsEnglish Language ArtsEnglish Language Arts

In a summer school project that used a whole languageapproach with gardening as the central theme, themost significant student gains were in self-esteem andachievement in reading, reading comprehension,spelling, and written expression. Sheffield (1992)


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Social StudiesSocial StudiesSocial Studies

Linking storytelling with garden programs may serve toeducate children about the processes that underlie and

interweave diverse cultures' seasonal traditions.Bowles (1995)


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The ArtsThe ArtsThe ArtsGardens are often the mostaccessible places forchildren to learn aboutnature's beauty,

interconnections, power,fragility, and solace.

Heffernan (1994)

Art students show the fruits of their creativity inspired by beautiful outdoor settings.


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DiversityDiversityDiversity

Gardening can be an ideal vehicle for introducing

elements of multicultural education.Eames-Sheavly (1994)

C


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Cultural AppreciationCultural AppreciationCultural Appreciation

Gardening helps young people understand the value ofdiversity by exploring historical contributions from culturesworldwide to what we eat today.

G f


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Gardening can bring any aspect of

the curriculum to life

Gardening can bring any aspect ofGardening can bring any aspect of

the curriculum to lifethe curriculum to life

Gardening isnt an add on, but rather anintegral part of the whole curriculum.


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We rely on plants for everythingWe rely on plants for everythingWe rely on plants for everything

Gardening is a way to help us recognize our

dependence on, and connectedness with plants.

G d i N Y k S S h l !


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Garden in New York State Schools!Garden in New York State Schools!Garden in New York State Schools!

Educators in gardening classrooms and schoolshave little doubt about the benefits studentsreap from their living garden laboratories.


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Got Gardening?Got Gardening?Got Gardening?

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Why garden in schools: a visual look at the research