Fall 2007, A New Class

September 24th thru October 4th
Well, we've started again. This year it's just Cara Tomasino and I, and the class is 4th grade and only 20 kids. Cara is going to follow her kids as their teacher in the 5th grade as well, they follow each other into 5th. The garden is overgrown, and we "rescued" some of the plants still alive, and re-potted them and set them on the patio.
Now for the overgrown garden, I need a roto-tiller. I was lucky enough to get a big box of seeds almost out-of-date from ACE, and the Home Depot gave us 10 bags of potting soil and $45 in gift cards. I "scamed" two small shovels and two pitch forks from one of my clients today (forced contribution he-he-he). I'm splitting them between Ramona and Stillwell. Fred's is limited in what they can give away, so have to wait for anything from them, and still have to get with Lowes.
On the 24th we started, got the kids ready and worked on the weeds at the garden, then I went to Stillwell and brought in seeds and talked with Mr. Gray's last period class. Ramona got the veggie seeds and some flowers, at Stillwell I'm starting with flowers first, and a garden club is a solid idea over there. I credit Mr. Gray with that, while I entertained bringing the program schoolwide to both, it would be the perfect vehicle to do just that.
So after the first day at Ramona, where the kids jumped right in, and at Stillwell, where everything still needs to be formulated, I stepped up seeking donations. That was Monday the 24th we started, and Thursday the 27th we actually planted seeds, kids choosing what they wanted to to grow and taking some seeds home. I keep stressing that they keep a log, and Ms. Tomasino will give extra credit for extra work, like a log, and I came back a week later, Thursday October 4th, and we discussed low carbon living and leaving a low carbon footprint, talking about conservation, and a bit of world history talking about how man has progressed. Many of the kids wanted to grow pumpkins, and we talked about how early man used gourds as bowls.
The kids were asked to write a paper on "How I can reduce my carbon footprint" or "I can reduce my carbon footprint by". This will be extra credit as well, and inspire creative thought and deduction. We also discussed global warming, and how everybody can be responsible for how they live and how much energy they use. The kids found talking about how locally grown food uses less energy to get to their table, and some for the first time are thinking about where their food comes from and how it gets to them.
Their plants, each kids having three "pots" to work in, are sprouting. The kids were excited that their plants are starting, and sprouting they are! I think it's critical that I get my hands on a roto-tiller soon, so we can get the ground ready to plant.
I still have to get with Mr. Gray and Stillwell to formulate just how we will start over there. I can see Stillwell bursting with color when we get flowers going over there. At Stillwell, I'd like to see the kids run the show since they are old enough and smart enough to.
October 14th:
Well, I'm beat.... I had the use of a roto-tiller donated by Sunbelt on Normandy, and the darn thing beat me up! I tilled and I should have cut the old growth down first, because the grass kept filling the blades. I doubled the size of the garden, and now it is up to the kids to clear the weeds out. The seedling they planted all but died due to the heavy rains, but Cara is playing just a little catch up to make sure they are where they need to be before we go full swing anyway. I told the kids that my being there and them working in the garden depends upon their getting all their work done and being good.
Now they can get their little kid paws dirty and get the soil ready to plant. They are still very excited, and love asking questions. Ask a question and it looks like you just asked who wants ice cream. I intend to get with Cara and see what is on the agenda for them to learn, and see how I can work that in, so we can teach it as part of the class. Green Garden tests can incorporate math and English as well as sciences and history. I think the garden can give associations to curriculum that will make retention better. In this way, they can see why they need math and English and writing skills, and directly apply them to recreational work they enjoy. Play to learn, or, rather, the enjoyment of learning with a hands on approach. Last week I came in about 2:50 because I had work I was doing, but told the kids directly that I wasn't going to be so interested in getting there for them if they didn't fully behave for their teacher or her substitutes and weren't up to date on their studies. This carrot before the horse method should make the cart move nicely. They get to eat the carrot after they grow it and it is ripe.
I've drafted their first test, an easy one, but will wait until Cara can work with me to incorporate regular studies in the garden. From math problems to word skills, if it all is sewn together by that garden, the results should be clear, and favorable.