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Our Earth Genius Program
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Learning, growing, and eating in the garden unlocks the inherent genius in everyone. Genius isn't just about book smarts, it's about reconnecting with our health, our family, our community, and the Earth. Drawing together Food Forests, Zero Waste, and Water Wise concepts, the program currently works at schools in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara counties to measurably improve student health, academics and well-being.
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Health
By the age of 20, one in three elementary students will be overweight, and four in ten will have type II diabetes. We are changing that. Growing food makes nutrition fun and personal, connecting youth with healthy food.
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Academics
Outdoor, living laboratories and project-based learning bridges textbooks and the real world. Gardens help youth who struggle with learning science to increase test scores by up to 17%.
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Wellbeing
They bring people together to make a difference, and give space for exploration and play. In a time when more students than ever feel disconnected from their school and community, the Green Team is changing that.
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The Earth Genius Program is a custom garden-based curriculum that we bring to our partner schools.
We have created 25 lesson plans focused on the garden and tied to Next Generation Science Standards, all of which are uploaded here for your use. Our lessons are grouped in 'phenomenal series' to link related and/or sequential lessons. Lessons can be taught stand-alone, but may have more significance if taught in the suggested order, within a given phenomenal series. Lessons can be downloaded and used digitally, or printed (because our lessons contain links to supplemental resources, we strongly recommend using them digitally).
What Can You Download?
Full Lesson - This is a full lesson plan that goes into great depth on a given subject and activity. It will contain links to any printouts, handouts, visual aids, videos, slideshows, or other content required for the lesson. This lesson plan can be reduced and filtered to support your time constraints and grade-level content.
Science Framework - We have correlated all of our lessons with the Next Generation Science Standards, and this document identifies which standards are supported, listing performance expectations, environmental principles and concepts, science and engineering practices, cross cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas to help you reinforce these and build off of them before, during and after the lesson
Simplified Activities - (for select lessons) Because the full lesson plan can be quite in-depth, we've created reduced, stand-alone activities that fit onto one page. They contain everything you need for a successful 20 - 45 minute lesson, and draw upon the Full Lessons. They are designed for age groups, either K-2, 3-5, or 6-8. We have already developed these for 10 of our lessons to date, and have plans to make even more.
What Grade Level Are These Lessons For?
Our Full Lessons are activity based and can be tailored to almost any grade level K - 8, especially since NGSS calls for 'spiraling', or refreshing old topics across grade levels to reinforce and develop cross-cutting concepts, disciplinary core ideas, and science and engineering practices. We do list the grade levels that fit best with each lesson, based on the NGSS standards addressed most directly.
We Want Your Feedback!
If you have ideas, comments, or suggestions, please Contact Us. We value your input!
What Can You Download?
Full Lesson - This is a full lesson plan that goes into great depth on a given subject and activity. It will contain links to any printouts, handouts, visual aids, videos, slideshows, or other content required for the lesson. This lesson plan can be reduced and filtered to support your time constraints and grade-level content.
Science Framework - We have correlated all of our lessons with the Next Generation Science Standards, and this document identifies which standards are supported, listing performance expectations, environmental principles and concepts, science and engineering practices, cross cutting concepts, and disciplinary core ideas to help you reinforce these and build off of them before, during and after the lesson
Simplified Activities - (for select lessons) Because the full lesson plan can be quite in-depth, we've created reduced, stand-alone activities that fit onto one page. They contain everything you need for a successful 20 - 45 minute lesson, and draw upon the Full Lessons. They are designed for age groups, either K-2, 3-5, or 6-8. We have already developed these for 10 of our lessons to date, and have plans to make even more.
What Grade Level Are These Lessons For?
Our Full Lessons are activity based and can be tailored to almost any grade level K - 8, especially since NGSS calls for 'spiraling', or refreshing old topics across grade levels to reinforce and develop cross-cutting concepts, disciplinary core ideas, and science and engineering practices. We do list the grade levels that fit best with each lesson, based on the NGSS standards addressed most directly.
We Want Your Feedback!
If you have ideas, comments, or suggestions, please Contact Us. We value your input!
Phenomenal Series: Critters & Pollination |
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Species Survey
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 3, 4, 5
What makes a suitable habitat? What kinds of living beings are typically found in our schoolyard? Students will prepare for an adventure in their school grounds and go on a school safari! Tracking skills and understanding life cycles of local species will be the focus. Students will then turn their attention to a real life example of a declining species of ladybug, the C-9, and will serve as citizen scientists to survey their schoolyard to look for, identify, and photograph ladybug species they encounter.
Flower Power
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4
Students will practice accurately depicting a flower through drawing its components and will locate the reproductive organs of a flower to discuss pollination. They will analyze how the structures of different flowers are beneficial to a variety of different pollinators and will be able to describe coevolution. Then, students will role-play flowers and pollinators and find their perfect match, followed by an exploration outside to observe coevolved flowers and pollinators!
Buggy Diner
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2
Students will set up a simple food preference test to demonstrate the feeding preferences of some common garden insects. They will use the data they collect to classify insects as beneficial or pests.
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 3, 4, 5
What makes a suitable habitat? What kinds of living beings are typically found in our schoolyard? Students will prepare for an adventure in their school grounds and go on a school safari! Tracking skills and understanding life cycles of local species will be the focus. Students will then turn their attention to a real life example of a declining species of ladybug, the C-9, and will serve as citizen scientists to survey their schoolyard to look for, identify, and photograph ladybug species they encounter.
Flower Power
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4
Students will practice accurately depicting a flower through drawing its components and will locate the reproductive organs of a flower to discuss pollination. They will analyze how the structures of different flowers are beneficial to a variety of different pollinators and will be able to describe coevolution. Then, students will role-play flowers and pollinators and find their perfect match, followed by an exploration outside to observe coevolved flowers and pollinators!
Buggy Diner
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2
Students will set up a simple food preference test to demonstrate the feeding preferences of some common garden insects. They will use the data they collect to classify insects as beneficial or pests.
Phenomenal Series: Perennials & People |
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Living in Our Watershed
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4, 5, 6-8
Through storytelling, acting and a 3D model, students will review the water cycle, learn the term ‘watershed,’ make observations about how water and pollution runs off of and infiltrates landscapes and affects habitats, as well as explore relationships that contribute to health or harm in our watershed.
Invasive vs. Native Debate
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will explore how humans interact with their environment, specifically plants, and how they support us physically as well as financially. Then, they will play a game that reveals how human impact can affect the ecosystem by altering the species that exist in it. They will take a tour on campus to identify plant species, benefits of plants in general, and choose carefully from plant selections in order to positively impact the landscape using low impact development (LID) techniques.
Cool Carbon Sink Oaks
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students will get a hands-on look at the carbon cycle, where it is stored in their local environment, and the importance of native oaks. Humans have an influence on the natural process of carbon cycling, but how can we have a positive influence? We will be growing our own oaks!
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4, 5, 6-8
Through storytelling, acting and a 3D model, students will review the water cycle, learn the term ‘watershed,’ make observations about how water and pollution runs off of and infiltrates landscapes and affects habitats, as well as explore relationships that contribute to health or harm in our watershed.
Invasive vs. Native Debate
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will explore how humans interact with their environment, specifically plants, and how they support us physically as well as financially. Then, they will play a game that reveals how human impact can affect the ecosystem by altering the species that exist in it. They will take a tour on campus to identify plant species, benefits of plants in general, and choose carefully from plant selections in order to positively impact the landscape using low impact development (LID) techniques.
Cool Carbon Sink Oaks
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students will get a hands-on look at the carbon cycle, where it is stored in their local environment, and the importance of native oaks. Humans have an influence on the natural process of carbon cycling, but how can we have a positive influence? We will be growing our own oaks!
Phenomenal Series: Soil to Seed |
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Space Travelers
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2
Students work in small groups as space travelers trying to decipher the composition of soil. After dissecting soil to identify ingredients, they will attempt to manufacture soil. Students will then learn about the important role weathering and decomposers plays in soil formation and will understand how people and healthy soil are codependent.
Is Soil Alive?
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: 3, 4, 5
In this lesson students will learn that soil is home to billions of organisms that play vital roles in decomposition and ecosystem health. Students will use their senses to discover qualities of different soil types and understand what they provide for plants in way of food, water, and shelter. They will then practice setting up an experiment to test which mixture of soils help support plant growth best!
Getting Micro with Climate
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6-8
Students will explore the difference between climate, weather, and seasons. Each is related and can affect the growth of plants. Field observations of microclimates that exist on campus will give students real data to argue why certain designs and landscapes are more ecologically friendly than others.
Seeds
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4
Seeds are small but mighty! In this lesson students will explore seeds and learn that each one contains all the information necessary to grow into healthy, thriving vegetables for our garden. Learning will happen through a skit that relates common items such as a coat, a snack, and a hat to the structure and function of different seed components. Students will then dissect a variety of soaked seeds to understand that all seeds have these parts and therefore all seeds have the possibility to become a plant.
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2
Students work in small groups as space travelers trying to decipher the composition of soil. After dissecting soil to identify ingredients, they will attempt to manufacture soil. Students will then learn about the important role weathering and decomposers plays in soil formation and will understand how people and healthy soil are codependent.
Is Soil Alive?
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: 3, 4, 5
In this lesson students will learn that soil is home to billions of organisms that play vital roles in decomposition and ecosystem health. Students will use their senses to discover qualities of different soil types and understand what they provide for plants in way of food, water, and shelter. They will then practice setting up an experiment to test which mixture of soils help support plant growth best!
Getting Micro with Climate
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 5, 6-8
Students will explore the difference between climate, weather, and seasons. Each is related and can affect the growth of plants. Field observations of microclimates that exist on campus will give students real data to argue why certain designs and landscapes are more ecologically friendly than others.
Seeds
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4
Seeds are small but mighty! In this lesson students will explore seeds and learn that each one contains all the information necessary to grow into healthy, thriving vegetables for our garden. Learning will happen through a skit that relates common items such as a coat, a snack, and a hat to the structure and function of different seed components. Students will then dissect a variety of soaked seeds to understand that all seeds have these parts and therefore all seeds have the possibility to become a plant.
Phenomenal Series: Appropriate Technology |
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Ancient Agriculture
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students will learn about Egyptian and Middle Eastern agriculture, see how flood and drain irrigation is still used today in Northern California and how that was the impetus for the Central Valley Project to bring water from the wet north to the dry south. Students will learn about dry farming, how it has been used extensively in San Luis Obispo County’s past (such as grains and almonds) and how that technique may need to be employed more so in order to stave off the water shortage. They will then get a chance to build their own irrigation system and tinker with parts to gain an appreciation for how we use technology to feed ourselves.
Hoop House Greenhouse
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will use thermometers to measure soil temperature and use the information to determine if the soil is warm enough to support plant growth. Students will then learn about one structure humans developed to change their local environmental conditions to grow plants in the winter time, the greenhouse! Students will engineer their own prototypes of a greenhouse and visit the hoop house / greenhouse in the garden! Why would farmers want to create a blanket for their crops? What are the benefits? How does it work? Let’s try it!
Solar Pizza Box Oven
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 4, 5
In this lesson students will learn about different forms of energy and will engineer a solar oven out of a pizza box! Students will then experiment with the structure and function of their ovens by making quesadillas in the garden utilizing garden produce.
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students will learn about Egyptian and Middle Eastern agriculture, see how flood and drain irrigation is still used today in Northern California and how that was the impetus for the Central Valley Project to bring water from the wet north to the dry south. Students will learn about dry farming, how it has been used extensively in San Luis Obispo County’s past (such as grains and almonds) and how that technique may need to be employed more so in order to stave off the water shortage. They will then get a chance to build their own irrigation system and tinker with parts to gain an appreciation for how we use technology to feed ourselves.
Hoop House Greenhouse
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will use thermometers to measure soil temperature and use the information to determine if the soil is warm enough to support plant growth. Students will then learn about one structure humans developed to change their local environmental conditions to grow plants in the winter time, the greenhouse! Students will engineer their own prototypes of a greenhouse and visit the hoop house / greenhouse in the garden! Why would farmers want to create a blanket for their crops? What are the benefits? How does it work? Let’s try it!
Solar Pizza Box Oven
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 4, 5
In this lesson students will learn about different forms of energy and will engineer a solar oven out of a pizza box! Students will then experiment with the structure and function of their ovens by making quesadillas in the garden utilizing garden produce.
Phenomenal Series: Weather & Water Use |
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Graphing The Drought
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: 6-8
In this lesson students review the water cycle, learn watersheds to better understand human impacts on water resources, and graph precipitation data to visualize the severity of California’s drought and become familiar with digital graphing.
Water Audit
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: 5, 6-8
Students will quantify their water use at home, understanding water conservation strategies indoors and outdoors and students will recommend and take challenges to explore these strategies at home and at school!
Weather Station
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 3
Since weather plays a big role in the success of school gardens, students will learn to observe and make sense of it! Students will learn how to track different types of weather components through engineering homemade, weather-measuring devices to help them observe rain, air pressure, humidity, and wind. Students will measure and describe weather, think and act like scientists, look for patterns, and make sense of data to understand weather’s impact on plant growth!
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: 6-8
In this lesson students review the water cycle, learn watersheds to better understand human impacts on water resources, and graph precipitation data to visualize the severity of California’s drought and become familiar with digital graphing.
Water Audit
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: 5, 6-8
Students will quantify their water use at home, understanding water conservation strategies indoors and outdoors and students will recommend and take challenges to explore these strategies at home and at school!
Weather Station
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 3
Since weather plays a big role in the success of school gardens, students will learn to observe and make sense of it! Students will learn how to track different types of weather components through engineering homemade, weather-measuring devices to help them observe rain, air pressure, humidity, and wind. Students will measure and describe weather, think and act like scientists, look for patterns, and make sense of data to understand weather’s impact on plant growth!
Phenomenal Series: Slow It, Spread It, Sink It |
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Just Passing Through
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson series, students learn about stormwater runoff and model solutions using examples with their bodies in an interactive physical activity outside.
Rainy Day Hike
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students learn about stormwater runoff, identify challenge areas on the school site, and begin to discuss design solutions. How does water flow? Where does water go? Can we be mindful of how and where we use water given to us by rain and potable water as well?
LID Design Challenge
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students learn about stormwater runoff, identify challenge areas on the school site, and design solutions and present designs to master Low Impact Development (LID) concepts to landscape management.
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
In this lesson series, students learn about stormwater runoff and model solutions using examples with their bodies in an interactive physical activity outside.
Rainy Day Hike
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students learn about stormwater runoff, identify challenge areas on the school site, and begin to discuss design solutions. How does water flow? Where does water go? Can we be mindful of how and where we use water given to us by rain and potable water as well?
LID Design Challenge
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
Students learn about stormwater runoff, identify challenge areas on the school site, and design solutions and present designs to master Low Impact Development (LID) concepts to landscape management.
Phenomenal Series: Pollution & Our Waste |
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Food Chain Frenzy
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will explore the interconnectivity between pollution, water, and life forms via tactile games and physical activity.
Garbology
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 5
Students will learn what kinds of things decompose by conducting a simple experiment wherein items are sealed in a bag with soil for a month, observed, and weighed.
Pollution Solutions
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
How is litter created? What impacts does it have on the environment, both humans and non humans? In this lesson students pose questions about the nature of the litter found around their school, make predictions, do a campus cleanup, and then brainstorm solutions to prevent litter.
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 5, 6-8
In this lesson students will explore the interconnectivity between pollution, water, and life forms via tactile games and physical activity.
Garbology
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 5
Students will learn what kinds of things decompose by conducting a simple experiment wherein items are sealed in a bag with soil for a month, observed, and weighed.
Pollution Solutions
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 3, 4, 5, 6-8
How is litter created? What impacts does it have on the environment, both humans and non humans? In this lesson students pose questions about the nature of the litter found around their school, make predictions, do a campus cleanup, and then brainstorm solutions to prevent litter.
Phenomenal Series: Garden Eats & Healthy Bodies |
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Eat a Rainbow
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4
Students will learn about the positive health effects that individual phytonutrients play inside of our bodies and develop arguments for which color is the most important. The class will make a model showing which colors impart health benefits to which parts of our bodies. Students will discuss patterns of diversity in our world to explore to value of a varied diet. Then, students will make and taste a smoothie using produce from every color of the rainbow!
$1 Million Orange
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 6-8
In this lesson students will make orange “juicicles” to learn the steps and costs involved in processing food from its original form to its final form. Students will demonstrate the increased cost of food as it is processed. The activity in this lesson will promote a natural curiosity about how food affects their health while reinforcing food and agriculture as their connection to a better quality of life. Understanding what it takes to produce food will help students make the association between the land, farmers, and the grocery store.
Taco 'Bout a 6 Part Plant Garden Party
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6-8
Students will gain understanding of the 6 plant parts and their individual functions through a skit. Students will learn about plant adaptations in the context of their school garden and local environment. The class will then identify, harvest, and eat the 6 plant parts as garden tacos!
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 2, 4
Students will learn about the positive health effects that individual phytonutrients play inside of our bodies and develop arguments for which color is the most important. The class will make a model showing which colors impart health benefits to which parts of our bodies. Students will discuss patterns of diversity in our world to explore to value of a varied diet. Then, students will make and taste a smoothie using produce from every color of the rainbow!
$1 Million Orange
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 6-8
In this lesson students will make orange “juicicles” to learn the steps and costs involved in processing food from its original form to its final form. Students will demonstrate the increased cost of food as it is processed. The activity in this lesson will promote a natural curiosity about how food affects their health while reinforcing food and agriculture as their connection to a better quality of life. Understanding what it takes to produce food will help students make the association between the land, farmers, and the grocery store.
Taco 'Bout a 6 Part Plant Garden Party
Full Lesson | Science Framework
Simplified Activities (by grade level): K-2, 3-5, 6-8
Optimum Grade Levels: K, 1, 2, 3, 4, 6-8
Students will gain understanding of the 6 plant parts and their individual functions through a skit. Students will learn about plant adaptations in the context of their school garden and local environment. The class will then identify, harvest, and eat the 6 plant parts as garden tacos!
General School Garden Resource Guides
We've put together the following resources to help you create a thriving garden, especially looking at best practices for managing students in the unconventional space of a garden, as well as linking you to other area service providers that can support school garden education (click the links below to download each .pdf file individually).
School Garden Funding Resource
Local School Garden Partners, Field Trips, and Support Groups
Classroom Management
One Cool Earth County Planting Calendar
School Garden Funding Resource
Local School Garden Partners, Field Trips, and Support Groups
Classroom Management
One Cool Earth County Planting Calendar