School Garden Activities

Starting with our Guide to Kids' Gardening published in 1983, NGA has focused on providing practical and creative ways for educators to incorporate gardening and plant-based activities into the curriculum. Below you will find links to our vast lesson collection.

Exploring Water--Four Lessons to Teach about the Importance of Water

This curriculum unit, developed by the education staff at the National Gardening Association addresses the core specific elements of the water cycle for K-12 students. There are

Rules Keep Us Safe

Grade: K-6 Objective: Students will review the importance of rules and determine the impacts that come from following them. Time: 30 minutes Materials:

Garden Safety

A school garden is an outdoor classroom laboratory, attracting countless organisms, each a great opportunity to teach students about the complex and fascinating ecosystem that we

Growing Nutritious Lessons in a World Garden

In 2009, students in grades K-2 at Washington School in New Jersey dug into gardening for the first time, and they reaped plenty. The worldwide unity of the Winter Olympic Games

My Seed Bank

Grade Levels: 2-4 Materials:

Researching the Past, to Discover the Future

Grade Level: 8-12 Materials: Posterboard for six groups of students Exploration 1. As a class, list what the students think are the most important plants for their nation.

Sugar Snow

Materials - Types of sugar (i.e., maple syrup, molasses, white sugar, brown sugar, honey), enough for each student to sample - Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls

Be the Tree

Materials - Tree cookies, for each student (can be cut from tree trimmings or available in bulk from nature suppliers like Nature-Watch) Background The tree trunk and its main

Maple Syrup, Step-by-Step

Materials: - Maple Syrup - Sugarbush Spring by Marsha Wilson Chall. A girl and her grandfather tap sugar maple trees and tell the story of making maple syrup. ISBN: 978-

Food Roots and Routes

Overview: Students explore the journey of produce from farm to table and chew on the idea of eating close to home. NCSS National Social Studies Standards Addressed: Theme 3:

Cooking in the Classroom

Objective To provide students with hands-on cooking experiences that will strengthen their knowledge of healthful foods, and to give them the skills to prepare nutritious meals.

Home Grown? Trends in Home Production

Objective Students will investigate and discuss the implications of historical changes home food production. Materials Internet access USDA's Food at Home Table Background See

Making Pressed Flower Thank-you Cards

Overview Thanking your garden volunteers and donors is as important as maintaining healthy garden soil because a garden can't grow without them! This lesson exercises students'

Building a Maze

Overview Mazes are an engaging and fun addition to any youth garden. They can be made from a wide variety of materials depending on the resources and space available. Design and

The Changing Garden

Objectives Students will: observe the changes in the garden throughout the day and year. understand and appreciate that nature is constantly changing. Central Concepts The

School Garden Activities

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