The School Garden Curriculum - by Kaci Rae Christopher (Paperback)

About the Book

This resource offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship. Illustrations.

Book Synopsis

Transform classroom learning into hands-on discovery that improves academic outcomes while teaching real-world skills. Complete K-8 curriculum connects science, ecology, and systems thinking through practical gardening projects that engage even the most reluctant learners and meet educational standards.

Why Garden-Based Learning Works:

Students learn better when education is tangible and relevant. Garden curriculum integrates math, science, and environmental studies naturally while developing responsibility, patience, and problem-solving skills traditional classroom methods can't teach.

What You'll Implement:

• Season-by-season lesson plans integrating math, science, and environmental education
• Standards-aligned activities that meet curriculum requirements through hands-on learning
• Assessment tools measuring both academic progress and ecological literacy development
• Community partnership strategies connecting classroom learning to real-world applications
• Budget-friendly implementation for starting school gardens with minimal resources

Measurable Educational Impact:

Schools using garden-based curricula report 15-25% improvement in science test scores, increased student engagement, and enhanced environmental awareness lasting into adulthood.

Bring learning to life through nature. Essential for educators seeking to engage students while meeting academic standards through meaningful, memorable experiences.

From the Back Cover

Sow the seeds of science and wonder and inspire the next generation of Earth stewards

... offers hundreds of lessons for fall, winter, and spring that can be accomplished within a single class at each grade level from K-8. Highly recommended!
-- TIM GRANT, editor emeritus, Green Teacher magazine

Drawing on all the senses, science, math, reading, and more, it's also the cultivation of our inner gardens at play.
-- LINDSAY COULTER, David Suzuki's Queen of Green

A wonderful resource for introducing children to science as they discover ecological principles for themselves, along with the rewards of gardening.
-- LINDA GILKESON, author, Backyard Bounty

THE WORLD NEEDS young people to grow into strong, scientifically literate environmental stewards. Learning gardens are great places to build this knowledge, yet until now there has been a lack of a multi-grade curriculum for school-wide teaching aimed at fostering a connection with the Earth.

The School Garden Curriculum offers a unique and comprehensive framework, enabling students to grow their knowledge throughout the school year and build on it from kindergarten to eighth grade. From seasonal garden activities to inquiry projects and science-skill building, children will develop organic gardening solutions, a positive land ethic, systems thinking, and instincts for ecological stewardship. The book offers:

• A complete K-8 school-wide framework
• Over 200 engaging weekly lesson plans - ready to share
• Place-based activities, immersive learning, and hands-on activities
• Integration of science, critical thinking, permaculture, and life skills
• Links to Next Generation Science Standards
• Further resources and information sources.

A model and guide for all educators, The School Garden Curriculum is the complete package for any school wishing to use ecosystem perspectives, science, and permaculture to connect children to positive land ethics, personal responsibility, and wonder, while building vital lifelong skills.

... will help transform society with each new generation. Well done!
-- ZACH LOEKS, author, The Permaculture Market Garden

... shows us how to provide an intimate experience with nature and skills that will last a lifetime.
-- DARRELL FREY, co-author, The Food Forest Handbook

Kaci Rae Christopher is an outdoor and garden educator who focuses on life skills training for young adults and children. Her passion is fostering a he althy land ethic, personal empowerment, and environmental literacy in children of all ages through outdoor immersion and skill building. She lives in Bend, Oregon.

About the Author

Kaci Rae Christopher is the volunteer Farm and Garden Educator for Oregon's Redband Ranch. She was previously the School Garden Coordinator for the Springwater Environmental Sciences School, the Outdoor Educator for ERA, and worked on education farms, community supported agriculture initiatives, and farm schools. Her passion is fostering a healthy land ethic, personal empowerment, and environmental literacy in children of all ages through outdoor immersion and skill building in order to inspire generations of changemakers. Currently pursuing her MFA at OSU-Cascades, on most days Kaci Rae can be up to her elbows in soil or hiking new trails with her husband and two dogs. She lives in Bend, Oregon.