Kids Garden News

This Month's Teachers' Room Feature: Trees
Although most of the landscape lies dormant during winter months, exploration in your schoolyard does not need to end. Now is a great time to study trees. When trees are leafless, students can observe their structure and bark in a whole new light. This month we provide background information about basic tree structure and function, along with lesson ideas to help get you started.Visit the Teachers' Room

This Month's Family Room Feature: Seed Catalog Fun
January may seem mellow because the bustle of the holidays has passed, but with slower schedules it is a great time to get kids excited about the garden season that lies ahead. One way to help them catch the garden bug is to explore the multitude of seed catalogs available. They’re informative, fun, and a potential source of games to play on cold winter days. Visit the Family Room.

New! 2010 Midwest School Garden Grant ~ Deadline: February 12, 2010
The Grandchildren of Helene and Mark Eisner will sponsor 11 schools in Midwestern states through the National Gardening Association’s Adopt a School Garden® program in 2010. Click here for more details.

New! Syngenta IPM in School Gardens Grant ~ Deadline: March 1, 2010
Syngenta is sponsoring the Syngenta IPM in School Gardens Grant to support educators using school gardens as a tool for teaching students about integrated pest management strategies in the garden and on farms. During 2010, four schools will receive grant packages valued at $1,250. Click here for more details.

2010 AeroGrow Growing Kids Awards Winners Announced
AeroGrow International, Inc. and the National Gardening Association are pleased to announce the winners of the 2010 AeroGrow Growing Kids Awards. Winning programs will receive an AeroGarden Classic Garden and Salad Greens Seed Kit. Click here to view a list of the organizations selected.

Welch's Harvest Grant ~ Deadline: February 6, 2010
The Welch’s Harvest Grant is open to K-8 classrooms throughout the U.S. that plan to use gardens to teach students about nutrition and sustainable agriculture. Two winning schools will be selected from each state. Five schools will receive $1,000 awards; 25 schools will receive $500 awards; and 70 schools will receive $250 awards. Winning schools may choose an indoor or an outdoor gardening package. Both contain a variety of tools, seeds, and educational materials, enabling entire school communities to connect with nature and better understand the origins of their food supply. Deadline for submitting applications is February 6, 2010. For complete details and official rules go to scholastic.com/harvest.

National Green Week 2010 ~ February 1–5
Green Education Foundation (GEF) is mobilizing 2 million children to take part in environmental educational programs during National Green Week (February 1–5, 2010). The objective is to empower students to become environmental stewards within the context of their own lives. Click here for details on how to participate.

Register Today for National Environmental Education Week, April 11-17, 2010
National Environmental Education Week (EE Week, www.eeweek.org) connects educators with environmental resources to promote K-12 students’ understanding of the environment. Recognizing the importance of conserving both water and energy in order to protect the planet and reduce costs, and acknowledging the interdependence between water and energy, EE Week’s 2010 theme is Be Water and Energy Wise! Register for EE Week and join a national network of educators dedicated to increasing the environmental literacy of K-12 students. You will receive certificates of participation, free online resources, information on professional development and funding opportunities, and access to discounts and special offers on educational materials for EE Week participants. Register today at www.eeweek.org/register.

2009 Scotts GroGood Campaign in Review
To encourage Americans to grow more of their own food, Scotts Miracle-Gro, along with its nonprofit partners the National Gardening Association, Garden Writers Association, Plant a Row for the Hungry, Franklin Park Conservatory, and Keep America Beautiful, initiated the GroGood campaign. The campaign asked all Americans to grow more food for themselves and others. To launch the GroGood campaign, Scotts Miracle-Gro donated 1 million pounds of produce to food banks nationwide and called on Americans to help by pledging to grow and donate an additional 1 million pounds of fresh produce to help feed those at risk for hunger. Click here for details.

NAAEE—Call for 2010 Conference Proposals ~ Deadline: February 1, 2010
The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) has issued a call for presentations and workshops for its annual conference and research symposium, “Environmental Education: Building Connections—Bridging Gaps” in Buffalo-Niagara, New York, September 28–October 2, 2010. The submission deadline for both conference and symposium is February 1. Visit http://www.naaee.org/ for details.

Bonnie Plants Third Grade Cabbage Program ~ Deadline: March 1, 2010
The Bonnie’s 3rd Grade Cabbage Program distributes free cabbage plants to third-grade classrooms whose teachers sign up to participate. This year 1,200,000 third graders will plant and take care of their own cabbage plants. Learn more about the program, which also awards a $1,000 scholarship to one student in each state, at the Bonnie Plants Web site.

Green Thumb Challenge ~ Oct. 2009 – June 2010
This initiative of the Green Education Foundation calls on classrooms and schools to plant 10,000 indoor or outdoor gardens during the spring of 2010! GEF’s Web site provides gardening instructions; checklists for school approvals; plot location guidelines; container garden suggestions; funding resources; garden plans, vegetable and flower suggestions; and more. Summer student internships and community service programs will be available, along with an online professional development course for teachers.For more information visit http://www.greenthumbchallenge.org.

The Growing Classroom Training
To provide educators in your area with the tools for success, host a Growing Classroom Training. Presented by the Life Lab Science Program and the National Gardening Association, this two-day workshop is ideal for those interested in supplementing their existing science program with garden-based learning. Using The Growing Classroom activity guide for grades 2-6, you’ll experience hands-on activities, learn basic science concepts and gardening techniques, and develop management strategies for a school gardening program. Click here for more details.

Garden Adventures: A New Garden Guide for Early Childhood Educators
This new book features 16 hands-on activities centered on 4 key questions: What is a plant? Where do plants come from? How do we take care of plants? Why are plants important? Each chapter includes horticultural teacher background information, interdisciplinary extension ideas, and a reproducible "family newsletter" describing an activity to complete at home. Equally suited for educators who are new to gardening and those who are experienced green thumbs, these inspired lessons will let you and your young students embark on a wonderful garden learning adventure. Click here for full details.

The Sacramento Tree Foundation Seed-to-Seedling Curriculum
Seed-to-Seedling is a comprehensive curriculum for K–6 students designed by the Sacramento Tree Foundation. Although developed for California oak trees, the curriculum contains valuable activity ideas that can be adapted for other geographic regions. Click here to download it as a pdf.

Exploring the Secret Life of Trees
An animated presentation from the University of Illinois extension service, “Exploring the Secret Life of Trees” is designed to help students in third through fifth grades gain an appreciation of trees, observe trees in their everyday lives, and want to discover more about trees. It includes a list of classroom activity ideas and is available in Spanish and English. Visit: http://urbanext.illinois.edu/trees2/.

First Bloom
First Bloom is a National Park Foundation program that connects kids in fourth, fifth, and sixth grades to nature and national parks. First Bloom kids meet with park rangers monthly over one program year. They engage in hands-on outdoor activities and build their relationship with the outdoors and their national parks. Toward the end of the program, the youth plant a native landscape at a national park. That landscape is a lasting connection for those students, a transferable experience, and a feature that all future visitors to the park will enjoy. Click here to learn more.

Planning the Edible Harvest - Creating & Sustaining Your School Garden ~ February 27, 2010
A healthy, year-round school garden is a critical component of a vibrant nutrition education program. Join the Life Lab Science Program to learn how to effectively manage a school garden so that students can enjoy an edible harvest. This workshop provides essential tips and best practices for teachers who want to conduct garden-based nutrition education projects. Additional details at: www.lifelab.org/cde.php

Institute on Creating Sustainable Environments for Young Children ~ June 10–11, 2010
Sponsored by White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, this institute provides a place where early childhood practitioners and designers can learn about creating sustainable environments for children, both indoors and outdoors. It will take place at the Courtyard by Marriott Country Club Plaza in Kansas City, Missouri. Registration is limited to 35 participants. Click here for details.

2010 Ag in the Classroom Conference ~ June 24-26, 2010
This year’s conference, Pioneers of Ag…Sailing into the Future, will be held in Baltimore, MD. Visit www.agclassroom.org for more information.

Save the date! National Children & Youth Garden Symposium ~ July 22 -24, 2010
The 2010 National Children & Youth Garden Symposium will be July 22 -24, 2010 in Pasadena, CA. The call for sessions will begin in mid-October and the proposals with a due date of December 15th. This is a conference every garden educator should try to attend! More details.

American Community Gardening Association Annual Conference ~ August 5–8, 2010
Mark your calendar! The 2010 ACGA annual conference will be held in Atlanta in August. Check http://www.communitygarden.org/ for upcoming details.

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Funding Opportunities (Listed chronologically by deadline date)

Project Orange Thumb® ~ Deadline: February 19, 2010
Started in 2003, the Project Orange Thumb grant program provides community garden groups with the tools and materials they need to reach their goals for neighborhood beautification and horticulture education. Click here for more information about this year's opportunities and application process.

2010 Mantis Award ~ Deadline: March 1, 2010
Mantis sponsors this award program in support of charitable and educational garden programs that enhance the quality of life in their host communities. NGA will select 25 gardens to receive a Mantis Tiller/Cultivator. We welcome applications from all nonprofits; past winners include community gardens, schools, ministries, colleges, master gardening groups, and hospitals. Learn more here.

Captain Planet Foundation ~ Deadlines: March 31, June 30, September 30, December 31, 2010
Captain Planet Foundation provides funds for hands-on programs that promote understanding of environmental issues. Click here for details.

Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards ~ Deadline: April 1, 2010
The 2010 Nature Hills Nursery Green America Awards is designed to give national recognition and $5,000 in plants to community groups and organizations that are improving their local environments. The annual award, sponsored by Omaha-based Nature Hills Nursery, will be presented in April 2010 to groups and organizations that are literally “greening” their communities, parks, schools, and public spaces by planting trees, shrubs, and other plants. The Grand Prize-winning garden project will receive $2,500 in plants from Nature Hills Nursery. The First Prize winner will receive $1,500 in plants from Nature Hills Nursery, and the Second Prize winner will receive $1,000 in plants. The plant materials may contain any combination of trees, fruit trees, bushes and shrubs, perennials, and vegetable seeds that Nature Hills Nursery offers. Visit the Nature Hills Web site to download an application.

ING Unsung Heros Awards ~ Deadline: April 30, 2010
Each year, 100 educators are selected to receive $2,000 to help fund innovative class projects. Three of those educators receive the top awards of an additional $5,000, $10,000, and $25,000. Learn more.

Build-A-Bear Workshop® Giving Programs ~ Deadline: April, July, and October
Champ-A Champion Fur Kids grants for children’s health and wellness are awarded twice each year to programs with measurable outcomes that make the world a healthier and happier place for kids. Click here for more details.

Annie's Grants for Gardens ~ Deadline: Rolling
Annie's offers a limited number of small grants to community gardens, school gardens, and other educational programs that connect children directly to gardening. These funds may be used to buy gardening tools, seeds, or other gardening supplies. Click here for application details.

Outdoor Classroom Grant Program ~ Deadline: Rolling
Lowe's Charitable and Educational Foundation, International Paper, and National Geographic Explorer! classroom magazine have partnered to create an outdoor classroom grant. The goal is to provide schools with additional resources to improve their science curriculum by engaging students in hands-on experiences outside the traditional classroom. All K–12 public schools in the United States are welcome to apply. Visit the Lowe's Web site for more information.

Fruit Tree 101 ~ Deadline: Ongoing
This program of The Fruit Tree Planting Foundation brings fruit tree orchards to schoolyards, so students can make a positive environmental impact at their school, while creating a source of tasty snacks for decades to come. Click here to download an application.

Operation Green Plant - Free Seed Grants
America the Beautiful Fund's Operation Green Plant program is offering grants of FREE SEEDS (vegetable, flower, or herb) to encourage citizen efforts to protect and preserve America’s lands and resources. Shipping and handling fees for the first set of 100 seed packets is $14.95. Additional set(s) of 100 packets are available for $5 per set. Click here for more details.

Grant Wrangler
Find funding opportunities for K-12 schools, searchable by grade level, keyword, category, and deadline at http://grantwrangler.com/.

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