The Benefits of A School Garden

In Case You Were Wondering:

With thanks to our friends at the National Gardening Association and kidsgardening.org! Available online here. 

THE BENEFITS OF A SCHOOL GARDEN:

Significantly increase science achievement scores.- Klemmer, C. D., T. M. Waliczek, and J. M. Zajicek. 2005. Growing minds: The effect of a school gardening program on the science achievement of elementary students. HortTechnology15(3):448-452.

- Smith, L. L., and C. E. Motsenbocker. 2005. Impact of hands-on science through school gardening in Louisiana public elementary schools.HortTechnology 15(3):439-443.

Improve social skills and behavior.
- DeMarco, L., P. D. Relf, and A. McDaniel. 1999. Integrating gardening into the elementary school curriculum. HortTechnology 9(2):276-281.

Improve environmental attitudes, especially in younger students. - Skelly, S. M., and J. M. Zajicek. 1998. The effect of an interdisciplinary garden program on the environmental attitudes of elementary school students. HortTechnology 8(4):579- 583.

Instill appreciation and respect for nature that lasts into adulthood. - Lohr, V.I. and C.H. Pearson-Mims. 2005. Children’s active and passive interactions with plants influence their attitudes and actions toward trees and gardening as adults. HortTechnology. 15(3): 472-476.

Improve life skills, including working with groups and self-understanding. - Robinson, C.W., and J. M. Zajicek. 2005. Growing minds: the effects of a one-year school garden program on six constructs of life skills of elementary school children. HortTechnology 15(3):453-457.

Increase interest in eating fruits and vegetables and improve attitude toward fruits and vegetables. 
- Pothukuchi, K. 2004. Hortaliza: A Youth “Nutrition Garden” in Southwest Detroit. Children, Youth and Environments 14(2):124-155.

Improve attitude toward vegetables and toward fruit and vegetable snacks 
- Lineberger, S. E., and J. M. Zajicek. 1999. School gardens: Can a hands-on teaching tool affect students’ attitudes and behaviors regarding fruits and vegetables? HortTechnology 10(3):593-597.

Improve nutrition knowledge and vegetable preferences. 
- Morris, JL and Zidenberg-Cherr, S. 2002. Garden-based nutrition curriculum improves fourth-grade school children's knowledge of nutrition and preferences for some vegetables. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 102(1): 91-93.

Increase preference of vegetables.
-Gatto, N., Ventura, E., Cook, L., Gyllenhammer, L., and Davis, J. 2012. LA Sprouts:  A garden-based nutrition intervention pilot program influences motivation and preferences for fruits and vegetables in Latino youth. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 112(6): 913-920.

- Morris, JL and Zidenberg-Cherr, S. 2002. Garden-based nutrition curriculum improves fourth-grade school children's knowledge of nutrition and preferences for some vegetables. Journal of the American Dietetic Association 102(1): 91-93.

Increase children’s knowledge about the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables and participants reported eating healthier snacks. 
- Koch, S., T. M. Waliczek, and J.M. Zajicek. 2006. The Effect of Summer Garden Program on the Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Children. HortTechnology 16 (4): 620-625.

Increase fruit and vegetable consumption in adolescents. 
- McAleese, J.D., and L.L. Rankin. 2007. Garden-Based Nutrition Education Affects Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Sixth-Grade Adolescents. Journal of the American Dietetic Association. 107 (4): 662-665.

Contribute to communication of knowledge and emotions, while developing skills that will help them be more successful in school. 
- Miller, D. L. The Seeds of Learning: Young Children Develop Important Skills Through Their Gardening Activities at a Midwestern Early Education Program.Applied Environmental Education & Communication 6(1):49-66.

Have a positive impact on student achievement and behavior. 
- Blair, D. (2009). The child in the garden: an evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. Journal of Environmental Education 40(2), 15-38.

Our Warmest Thanks!

A very warm thanks to GREENSTAR LANDSCAPING!  Greenstar is generously partnering with the Children's Garden this year to help us maintain and grow this special space.  

Share the love SPE - this company is an Angie's List super service award winner and believes in the importance of community and giving back!  They have chosen to help our Children's Garden and we are very grateful!  

Thank you Greenstar Landscaping Company

2015-2016

IT'S A BRAND NEW YEAR!

Welcome Back SPE!

Our award winning Children's Garden has been busy over the summer months.  We welcome you back and look forward to another wonderful year together.

We are delighted to share our new OUTDOOR CLASSROOM!  Thanks to the Lowe's Toolbox for Education Grant, we have a new outdoor space for learning and growing!  Stay tuned - we aren't finished yet!