Lessons

The purpose of this lesson is for students to learn about the different jobs needed to support a farm and bring food to the table. They will discuss what it takes to make the school garden grow and compare this to what it might take to manage a large farm. The lesson supports the DCPS Kindergarten ELA Unit Community Workers. 

The purpose of this lesson is to introduce students to soil and to explore its different components. During this lesson, students will examine soil from different areas around the school and dissect soil samples from the garden. Students will also work to prepare the garden for winter by protecting the soil. 

The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand the basics of composting and its importance in the garden.  After learning about the different ingredients needed to make compost, students make their own compost stew.  Students will also carefully observe worms in the garden or in a bin in the classroom and learn about their role in the decomposition process.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to make connections between the weather and seasonal food. After discussing seasons, weather, and plant growth, students study a seasonal food chart and then create their own. They also search for signs of life in the winter garden, make observational drawings, and predict how the garden will change in other seasons. This lesson supports the DCPS Kindergarten ELA Unit Water and Precipitation and the Science Unit Dealing with Weather.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to become familiar with the ways that seeds vary in color, shape and size. They will dissect fruits to compare and classify their seeds and explore the structure and function of fruits and seeds by building models and making observations. They will also work with a variety of seeds to practice sorting, counting, addition and subtraction. 

The purpose of this lesson is for students to explore vegetables. They will choose vegetables they would like to plant in the garden, carefully observe a few winter vegetables and celebrate the variety of vegetables they can eat.