The Edible Schoolyard

The Edible Schoolyard program receives hundreds of requests for information and advice from schools and communities throughout the country. Individuals or groups starting garden-based environmental education programs often look to us for a definitive plan or kit that will allow them to replicate our program.

The strength of our program is not its replicability, but its inspiration to replicate. A garden-based program started by a parent in rural Wisconsin or a teacher in Washington D.C., for example, should be grounded in the seasonality, cultures, and native flora and fauna of their specific locales, and aimed at a student population that will differ greatly from our own. We offer The Edible Schoolyard as a model in an inspirational and collaborative, but not prescriptive, sense.

THINGS WE LEARNED THE HARD WAY

In the Garden

Build somewhere to meet – we created a simple shade structure with hay bale seats in which to begin and end each class
Leave room to plant flowers - they add beauty to the garden, encourage beneficial insects, and come in handy for special occasions
Trust your students to build and design the garden walls, beds, and fences
Our garden is a whole school garden – instead of dividing the work into various beds for each class, we all collaborate on the garden’s success as a whole
We have not put up a fence to “protect” our garden – signs gently remind the public that King students grow and eat the food there
Engage students in practical gardening or observational experiences, not paper and pencil activities
Plant the garden to encourage foraging – raspberries, carrots, peas – and make tasting (or smelling) part of each lesson

In the Kitchen

Begin each class with a thorough introduction of ingredients and methods
Encourage tasting as you work
Have low-tech, high-quality equipment, like graters, mortar and pestles, and food mills
Make sure each small group has a separate set of tools to work with
Have diverse jobs for students to do: washing, chopping, grinding
Arrange for groups of two to take turns at the stovetop
Designate jobs during cleanup so that everything is finished on time
Set the table: real plates, utensils, and a centerpiece are important

Garden and Kitchen Classroom Management

Begin each class with a greeting ritual
Structure classes around opening and closing ‘circles’
Set boundaries so students know where they can go; have plenty of adult supervision
Establish procedures: for example, set a defined time for clean-up, make sure students know that everything has its place, i.e. tool and boot racks, glove hangers, silverware drawers
Have students work in small groups
Wait to use “dangerous” tools until later in the year, when students feel at home

Teachers and Staff

Make time for reflection; we continue to learn from our mistakes and improve our work
We do not send classes with a substitute teacher to the garden or kitchen
It is essential to have both garden and kitchen teachers - they are year-round, full-time positions funded by The Edible Schoolyard
Structure time for classroom teachers to meet with the garden and kitchen staff – we hold monthly Curriculum Development Meetings
Encourage ongoing staff development that is integrated at the school-wide level through retreats and workshops
Teach lessons in the classroom to support the experiential learning that occurs in the kitchen and garden
Learn with the students in the kitchen and garden - allow for emergent opportunities
Use 90-minute (or longer) blocks of time for more intensive experience
Be flexible - you will be working with students and different teachers