Introduction |
Benefits
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Opening New Worlds of Growing Experiences
Introducing greenhouse gardening into
the classroom enriches the curriculum
 At
a time when our education system is under fire—from parents,
politicians, special-interest groups, and national education
reformers—some truths about learning endure. Children
do enjoy thinking, raising questions, manipulating, sorting,
testing, and investigating for themselves. What can be more
engaging than nurturing and exploring living things? National
Gardening Association is committed to helping teachers expand
their own skills as they help students use plants and gardens
as contexts for developing a deeper, richer understanding
of the world around them.
This online guide to school greenhouses is not
a complete how-to, but rather, a basic overview of key issues
relevant to educators planning to run—or currently running—a
school greenhouse program. It covers operational and horticultural
topics, with an emphasis on how to actively involve students
in maintenance and investigations.
"All
along, my goal has been to get to kids emotionally through
a hands-on experience," said Sandy May-Fitzgerald.
Sandy is a special education biology teacher in Danbury,
CT. "Through this project-based curriculum,
I have seen kids begin to realize that a plant is a
living thing and that what they do to that plant on
a day-to-day basis matters."
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You may already use a school greenhouse and
want to make it an even more useful learning tool, have one
that has fallen into disuse that you'd like to restore, or
be contemplating building or purchasing a greenhouse. Greenhouse
growing presents a unique set of challenges, and this online
guide highlights steps for meeting those challenges.
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© 2007
National Gardening Association