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In small urban schoolyards, sometimes it pays to look up when searching for the perfect spot to grow plants. That is exactly how PS 41 in Greenwich Village began their journey to create their extraordinary Greenroof Environmental Literacy Laboratory (GELL).

Does the weather have you stuck inside your classroom? Invite the outdoors in… plant an indoor garden!

Most classrooms garden during the fall and spring, but by incorporating plant activities indoors you can reap the benefits of garden programs year round. Using grow lights or sunny windowsills, your class can experiment with growing a wide range of plants, from houseplants and blooming bulbs to edible crops like radishes and lettuce.

Plant the seeds for world peace in your garden. The garden offers a laboratory for students to observe how all living things are interconnected and must stay in balance to thrive. Here are a few peace related themes you can introduce through garden programs:

Plants. Soil. Shovels.

Inspiration. Motivation. Recognition.

As sponsor of the Youth Garden Grant Program, The Home Depot provides schools and nonprofit organizations with the tangible and intangible supplies needed to grow and sustain vibrant youth gardening programs.

Building forts, picking berries and floating stick boats can be pleasant childhood experiences that lead to fond memories and a lifelong appreciation of nature. However, children today are far less likely than past generations to spend time playing outside, and a growing body of research says children are paying a high price for it.

World Food Day is a great opportunity for students and teachers to understand more about global approaches to ending hunger. This year’s theme is “Agricultural cooperatives—key to feeding the world”. Observing the day as a school or individual classroom is one of the best ways to raise awareness about food instability and other food-related issues like malnutrition. Don’t be intimidated if you don’t know where to start!

Designed as an educational tool to inspire spontaneous play by children and create an attractive outdoor classroom for teachers, the non-profit The Kitchen [Community] developed an innovative raised bed system known as Learning Gardens to combat obesity at schools around the U.S. “Our hope is that the Learning Gardens will give children an understanding of food, healthy eating, and environmental stewardship through lesson plans and activities that tie into the existing school curriculum,” says Kimbal Musk, co-founder of The Kitchen [Community].