Growing Together: Open Forum

Hoping to see many of you at our next Community Chat on Tuesday, March 21st at 3pm ET to talk about social and emotional learning (SEL) in youth gardens!

This Chat is open to all Kids Garden Community members and will be a great time to ask questions and share ideas with one another about ways to use gardens as a SEL resource for different age groups, ideas for creating healing garden spaces, activities to practice social skills, favorite resources, and anything else you'd like to discuss!

We typically have a few topic specialists on Community Chats but do not have any lined up for this one yet so if you have ideas to share, please join! (Or if you or someone you know could be a topic specialist, let us know.)

If you can't make it, feel free to drop your questions or favorite resources in this thread!

Link to register

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Amelia Dupuis
Kids Garden Community Manager
KidsGardening
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Big thanks to everyone on yesterday's Community Chat! There were SO MANY fantastic ideas shared about how we can incorporate SEL in the garden. 

The recording is attached and time stamps for topics we discussed and links to some resources that were shared are included below. I highly recommend watching the recording since there were so many ideas discussed that are not captured in these resource links!

If you have more questions and ideas/resources to share, please add them here! 

These are two resources for defining social emotional learning and its benefits:

• CASEL: Fundamentals of SEL

• Child Mind Institute: What is social and emotional learning?

SEL activities, lessons, guides from KidsGardening:

• How Youth Gardens Can Support Social Emotional Learning

• Providing Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors in the Garden

• Lesson Plan: Self-expression in the Garden

• Lesson Plan: Kindness in the Garden

• Activity: Design a Healing Garden

• Activity: Thanks a Bunch!

• Activity: Create a Wishing Tree

• Activity: Mindfulness in the Garden

More SEL resources:

• A Place to Grow by Stephanie Bloom - children's book recommendation by a member for an SEL connection

• Vitamin N - Ted Talk recommendation from a member

• SEL-related webinars and a resource hub - the Florida Horticulture for Health Network has a selection of recorded webinars and upcoming webinars on this topic in addition to many resources organized by category (a section on autism will soon be added to the "populations/horticulture programs in specific settings" section)

• The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy and Horticultural Therapy Methods - book recommendations by a horticultural therapist on the call as a go-to resource for anyone interested in horticultural therapy

• The Compassion Project and Garden Guide - resources from Mrs. Meyer's and KidsGardening on compassion

Recording Time Stamps

8:50 - Defining social and emotional learning

15:45 - Examples of implementing SEL into garden activities and specific SEL curriculum and lessons

31:00 - Ideas for combining nutrition education and SEL

39:10 - Intentionally building social skills in the garden (sharing, problem solving, etc.)

49:30 - Tips for measuring success in the garden and sharing "wins"

58:20 - Tips for using the garden as a therapy tool for neurodivergent kids

(Note: if you're reading this in the email digest, you'll need to log in to see the recording attached to the thread)

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Amelia Dupuis
Kids Garden Community Manager
KidsGardening
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Follow up resource from this Community Chat! @Amy Bowman mentioned this really neat Seed Packet SEL activity that was in the works at the time of the Community Chat and is now up on the NC State University Plants for Human Health Institute site. Brief description: "The "Flourish Me" worksheet allow students to illustrate what conditions allow them to thrive as they grow and develop. " (Also a great activity for adults getting to know each other!)

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Amelia Dupuis
Kids Garden Community Manager
KidsGardening
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 03-22-2023 09:49:09 AM
From: Amelia Dupuis
Subject: Social and Emotional Learning Community Chat

Big thanks to everyone on yesterday's Community Chat! There were SO MANY fantastic ideas shared about how we can incorporate SEL in the garden. 

The recording is attached and time stamps for topics we discussed and links to some resources that were shared are included below. I highly recommend watching the recording since there were so many ideas discussed that are not captured in these resource links!

If you have more questions and ideas/resources to share, please add them here! 

These are two resources for defining social emotional learning and its benefits:

• CASEL: Fundamentals of SEL

• Child Mind Institute: What is social and emotional learning?

SEL activities, lessons, guides from KidsGardening:

• How Youth Gardens Can Support Social Emotional Learning

• Providing Windows, Mirrors, and Sliding Glass Doors in the Garden

• Lesson Plan: Self-expression in the Garden

• Lesson Plan: Kindness in the Garden

• Activity: Design a Healing Garden

• Activity: Thanks a Bunch!

• Activity: Create a Wishing Tree

• Activity: Mindfulness in the Garden

More SEL resources:

• A Place to Grow by Stephanie Bloom - children's book recommendation by a member for an SEL connection

• Vitamin N - Ted Talk recommendation from a member

• SEL-related webinars and a resource hub - the Florida Horticulture for Health Network has a selection of recorded webinars and upcoming webinars on this topic in addition to many resources organized by category (a section on autism will soon be added to the "populations/horticulture programs in specific settings" section)

• The Profession and Practice of Horticultural Therapy and Horticultural Therapy Methods - book recommendations by a horticultural therapist on the call as a go-to resource for anyone interested in horticultural therapy

• The Compassion Project and Garden Guide - resources from Mrs. Meyer's and KidsGardening on compassion

Recording Time Stamps

8:50 - Defining social and emotional learning

15:45 - Examples of implementing SEL into garden activities and specific SEL curriculum and lessons

31:00 - Ideas for combining nutrition education and SEL

39:10 - Intentionally building social skills in the garden (sharing, problem solving, etc.)

49:30 - Tips for measuring success in the garden and sharing "wins"

58:20 - Tips for using the garden as a therapy tool for neurodivergent kids

(Note: if you're reading this in the email digest, you'll need to log in to see the recording attached to the thread)

------------------------------
Amelia Dupuis
Kids Garden Community Manager
KidsGardening
------------------------------