Our School Science Garden

I am a teacher at Phillips Elementary School. We are a public school and have 575 students from pre-school through sixth grade.  We are designated as a title one school with 87% of our students receiving free or reduced lunch. When creative projects come up to improve our student’s learning experience, funding is the biggest battle and most are out of reach.

Phillips has an extensive year round vegetable garden.  Examples of crops grown annually: butternut squash, lettuce, peas, spices, cabbage, boc choy, wheat, beets, tomatillos, and many more. All of which the students eat right off the vine, prepare into dishes, or learn from (like wheat).

I am currently trying to create a kitchen and work area in the school garden to prepare/cook the crops grown seasonally during the school year. Cooking our harvests in the classroom has had many downfalls, the carpet being only one. A space is needed in the garden to address food preparation.  Students learn where their food comes from and how to prepare healthy meals from the local produce that they have farmed. Examples of previous dishes that the students have prepared are, butternut ravioli, stir fry, and green salsa. Each year a new group of students benefit from the lessons in the garden as well as the culinary activities.

Plans for the area are as follows:

·         Specified area leveled and prepared (ground covering, and edging) for sink cabinet, tables and work area.

·         Plumbing materials and labor to connect sink to existing plumbing.

·         Outdoor square table with connection benches.

·         Outdoor canopy to shade/cover work area