Lessons

The purpose of this lesson is for students to prepare for spring planting. They will measure the garden beds and read seed packets for spacing requirements in order to determine the number of seeds needed for square foot gardening. They will also practice calculating the area of a garden bed and use a calendar to determine when to plant seeds for a certain harvest date.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand the many ways that gardeners and farmers use data to grow food successfully. Students will practice collecting data from their school garden and use it to create tables and graphs to communicate what they find. They will also solve real world number problems related to farming and gardening.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to understand the impact of local recycling laws and waste reduction practices at their homes and schools. Students will study the recycling requirements in Washington, DC and create ways to communicate that information to their school community.  They will also learn how to make seed paper, one conservation tool. This lesson supports the DCPS 3rd Grade ELA Unit People, Laws and Democracy and the Social Studies Unit People, Politics and Power: DC Government.

The purpose of this lesson is for students to review the concept of seasonality and to learn that the food that grows in our garden changes with the seasons while grocery stores often have the same foods throughout the year. Students will sort FoodPrints recipes by season, enjoy sampling produce from the spring garden and write poems about a favorite vegetable. This lesson supports the DCPS 3rd grade ELA Unit Washington, D.C.: It’s Right Outside My Door and the Social Studies Unit Living Local: DC Geography.​
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The purpose of this lesson is for students to become informed and critical consumers of packaged food. They will read ingredient lists on a variety of packaged foods and use those lists to evaluate the claims and presentation on the front of the package. Students will also harvest ingredients for a FoodPrints recipe from the school garden and analyze a meal by carefully examining all of its ingredients.

The purpose of this lesson is to learn about traditional fall foods and different ways to celebrate the harvest. Students will trace the geographical origins of different foods that we eat during the fall and explore a variety of harvest traditions. They will harvest fall produce from the garden and reflect on Native American perspectives on the natural world. This lesson supports the DCPS 4th grade ELA Unit Early America and the Social Studies Unit One Land, Many Perspectives: Native North America.