Background Information

 

 

Driving Question

 

What can we gain from a school garden?

 

 

 

Creating a school garden creates a learning community and connects

 all content areas of learning. It pulls together a student body and their families.

 

 

 

Feasibility:  Student input is crucial to the development and growth of a school garden. It provides many different learning opportunities for all grade levels. Many learning opportunities are provided through the creating process as well as the development and maintenance of the garden. Curriculum is varied at all grade levels.

 

Worth: Extensive investigations in all content areas and meets district/state/ and national standards.  Students have many opportunities to observe, investigate, predict, and collect data to discuss and share in classrooms.

 

Contextualization: Relates to real world experiences, and how plants provide us the things we need to survive. Connections with where plants grow, how and what they need to grow and why certain plants grow where they do. Many different questions that lead to a new ones.

 

Meaning: Student involvement daily at each grade level, which allows conversations between students and new questions and suggestions for a growing garden.

 

Sustainability: Student engagement over time a definite.  Growth and change over time for the garden.

 

Rationale: A garden will build community with students and families, teamwork skills, and cross-curricular project learning experiences.  It connects content area to real world experiences by providing students with authentic math and science activities.  The garden experience will offer students more time outside to appreciate nature and time to exercise.

 

Background: Students expressed interest in having a hands on learning area that they could apply their learning and answer their questions about concepts being taught in the classroom.  The garden would create a natural outdoor classroom that would provide a rich learning  opportunity for all students.  It would service the grade level but would also bring together other grade levels to create a vertical alignment of learning creating a community of life long learners.

 

TEKS: Integrated Subjects

 

 

Mathematics 

 

(3.1) Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student uses place value to communicate about increasingly large whole numbers in verbal and written form, including money. The student is expected to:

(C) determine the value of a collection of coins and bills.

(3.4) Number, operation, and quantitative reasoning. The student recognizes and solves problems in multiplication and division situations. The student is expected to:

(A) learn and apply multiplication facts through 12 by 12 using concrete models and objects;

(B) solve and record multiplication problems (up to two digits times one digit).

(3.11) Measurement The student directly compares the attributes of length, area, weight/mass, and capacity, and uses comparative language to solve problems and answer questions. The student selects and uses standard units to describe length, area, capacity/volume, and weight/mass. The student is expected to:

(A) use linear measurement tools to estimate and measure lengths using standard units;

(B) use standard units to find the perimeter of a shape;

(C) use concrete and pictorial models of square units to determine the area of two-dimensional surfaces.

 

Social Studies    

The student is expected to:

(A) identify ways of earning, spending, and saving money; and

(B) analyze a simple budget that allocates money for spending and saving.

((3.6) Economics. The student understands the purposes of spending and saving money. The 3.18) Social studies skills. The student uses problem-solving and decision-making skills,

working independently and with others, in a variety of settings. The student is expected to:

(A) use a problem-solving process to identify a problem, gather information, list and

consider options, consider advantages and disadvantages, choose and implement a

solution, and evaluate the effectiveness of the solution; and

(B) use a decision-making process to identify a situation that requires a decision, gather

information, identify options, predict consequences, and take action to implement a

decision.

 

Science     

(3.2)  Scientific processes. The student uses scientific inquiry methods during field and

laboratory investigations. The student is expected to:

(A)  plan and implement descriptive investigations including asking well-defined

questions, formulating testable hypotheses, and selecting and using equipment and

technology;

(B)  collect information by observing and measuring;

(C)  analyze and interpret information to construct reasonable explanations from direct

and indirect evidence;

(D)  communicate valid conclusions; and

(E)  construct simple graphs, tables, maps, and charts to organize, examine and evaluate

information.

(3.4)  Scientific processes. The student knows how to use a variety of tools and methods to conduct science inquiry. The student is expected to:

(A)  collect and analyze information using tools including calculators, microscopes,

cameras, safety goggles, sound recorders, clocks, computers, thermometers, hand

lenses, meter sticks, rulers, balances, magnets, and compasses; and

(B)  demonstrate that repeated investigations may increase the reliability of results.

(3.5)  Science concepts. The student knows that systems exist in the world. The student is expected to:

(A)  observe and identify simple systems such as a sprouted seed and a wooden toy car;

and

(B)  observe a simple system and describe the role of various parts such as a yo-yo and

string.

(3.10) Science concepts. The student knows that many likenesses between offspring and parents are inherited from the parents. The student is expected to:

(A) Identify inherited traits of plants

(3.11)  Science concepts. The student knows that the natural world includes earth materials and objects in the sky. The student is expected to:

(A)  identify and describe the importance of earth materials including rocks, soil, water,

and gases of the atmosphere in the local area and classify them as renewable,

nonrenewable, or inexhaustible resources;

(B)  identify and record properties of soils such as color and texture, capacity to retain

water, and ability to support the growth of plants;

 

 

Language Arts: Reading     

3.7) Reading/variety of texts. The student reads widely for different purposes in varied sources. The student is expected to:

(B) read from a variety of genres for pleasure and to acquire information from both print and electronic sources.

(C) read to accomplish various purposes, both assigned and self-selected.

(3.10) Reading/literary response. The student responds to various texts. The student is expected to:

(B) demonstrate understanding of informational text in a variety of ways through writing, illustrating, developing demonstrations, and using available technology.

(3.12)  Reading/inquiry/research. The student generates questions and conducts research-using information from various sources. The student is expected to:

(A)  identify relevant questions for inquiry such as "What Native American tribes

inhabit(ed) Texas?"

(C) recognize and use parts of a book to locate information, including table of contents,

chapter titles, guidewords, and indices

(D)  use multiple sources, including print such as an encyclopedia, technology, and

experts, to locate information that addresses questions

(E) interpret and use graphic sources of information, including maps, charts, graphs,

And diagrams

(G) organize information in systematic ways, including notes, charts, and labels

(I)  use compiled information and knowledge to raise additional, unanswered questions

(J) draw conclusions from information gathered.

 

Language Arts: Writing     

(14)  Writing/purposes. The student writes for a variety of audiences and purposes and in various forms. The student is expected to:

(A) write to record ideas and reflections

(B) write to discover, develop, and refine ideas

(C) write to communicate with a variety of audiences.

(3.19)  Writing/evaluation. The student evaluates his/her own writing and the writing of others. The student is expected to:

(A)  identify the most effective features of a piece of writing using criteria generated by the teacher and class,

(B)  respond constructively to others' writing,

(C)  determine how his/her own writing achieves its purposes,

(D)  use published pieces as models for writing,

(3.20) Writing/inquiry/research. The student uses writing as a tool for learning and research. The student is expected to:

(A)  write or dictate questions for investigating,

(B)  record his/her own knowledge of a topic in a variety of ways such as by drawing

pictures, making lists, and showing connections among ideas,

(C)  take simple notes from relevant sources such as classroom guests, books, and

media sources,

(D)  compile notes into outlines, reports, summaries, or other written efforts using

available technology.