Types of resources

“Because Your Children Live What They Learn…”

By:

Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff

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Here are some meaningful plant selections to incorporate into your peace garden:

Rhododendron - in Russia, the blossoms signify peace, health, and purity

Mistletoe - in Scandinavia, associated with Frigga, the goddess of love

White pine tree - for the Native American Haudenosaunee, or Six Nations Peoples, the five needles joined together indicate unity

Peace Rose - a rose variety introduced in 1945 to commemorate the end of World War II

Sunflowers - a symbol of freedom from the threat of nuclear weapons during the 1990s. Sunflowers are warm and welcoming; grow in friendly crowds; and produce nutritious seeds for people and wildlife.

Cosmos - named after the Greek word for well-ordered universe; symbolizes peace and order

Education in the garden is a great way to teach kids to live responsibly and peacefully.This philosophy, from the creator of Playschool Child Care, Inc., Carol Acosta, is what continues to guide the program more than 25 years later.

Promoting Environmental Stewardship through Rain Gardens

By:

Ann English for NGA with Cynthia Domenghini, NGA Staff

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How to Design a Rain Garden

This detailed account provides step-by-step instructions for designing, installing, and maintaining a rain garden. Additional content provided to use this as a high school activity. Download How to Design a Rain Garden (PDF) »

Rain Garden at Coolidge High School, Washington DCSchool gardens have a long and successful history with a variety of purposes. Ninety six percent of the 2010-2011 National Gardening Assoc

Inquiry Flows

Submitted by sarahp on Wed, 04/21/2010 - 00:49

Creating a Classroom River

"Exploring life in the river near our school intrigued my third and fourth graders," reports Waits River, VT, teacher Cheryl Ollman. "But, of course, the time for working outside is limited by our climate. When I discovered that a local educational group was experimenting with an indoor river simulation, I volunteered to test it out in my classroom."

Going Green with Kids

By:

NGA Staff

rainbarrelEarth Day is in April which also happens to be National Garden Month®, making this a great time to jump into the garden with kids. Many garden activities are fun and help kids better appreciate ecological concepts and environmental responsibility.

Pests & Diseases

Submitted by admin on Tue, 11/17/2009 - 07:38

When trying to keep unwanted visitors under control, the first step is to recognize the enemy

In general, there will be attempts by other organisms to colonize the greenhouse paradise you have created. After all, if you were a whitefly or an aphid, wouldn't you rather spend the winter in a warm, moist, verdant spot than in a hard egg under a frozen log? When dealing with pest problems, take heart in the fact that plants often survive pest and disease attacks and that such events can lend another dimension to your students' investigations.

Starting from Seed

Submitted by admin on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 09:25

You and your students will want to start some seeds in their permanent containers or beds, if you are raising crops that do not transplant well (such as beans, peas, cucumbers, melons, squash, carrots, beets, and radishes) or if transplanting them later on isn't an option. You may choose to sow other seeds in temporary containers, and later transplant them to larger containers or greenhouse beds.

Eco-Containers

Submitted by admin on Thu, 05/28/2009 - 08:26

Spring -- the time when the thoughts of classroom gardeners turn to starting an abundance of seedlings for gardens, gifts, and sales. Why not turn your need for growing containers into a springboard for challenging students' imaginations and reinforcing lessons on waste reduction and recycling?

The National Gardening Association's mission is to promote home, school, and community gardening as a means to renew and sustain the essential connections between people, plants and the environment.

Last updated on 05/24/2013