Growing Together: Open Forum

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

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Phil Rynearson
Wassenaar
+31645082703
------------------------------

I am lucky enough that our school has enveloped our program into the schedule and I see all classes PreK-4th graders on a rotation...49 classes every 4 weeks. I wish it were more often but there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I set up picnic tables to act as an outdoor classroom and teachers are invited to bring their students out and use the garden for math, science, reading, writing or whatever they are doing that day.  Of course this is only during nicer weather but we teach classes throughout the school year including summer school. I'm also hosting summer garden camps for the older middle school kids!

I set up a spreadsheet and looked at the daily building schedule to set up times that didn't interfere with lunch, recess or they daily specials like library, PE, music, art, etc. It took some time but once it was set, I've been using it for 7 years now.

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[Hope] [Sickmeier] [Designation]
[Garden Educator]
[Southern Boone Learning Garden]
[Ashland] [MO]

Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2024 12:04:18 PM
From: Phil Rynearson
Subject: Looking for Examples of Scheduling Classes in a School Garden

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

------------------------------
Phil Rynearson
Wassenaar
+31645082703
------------------------------

Thanks so much for sharing this, Hope. It sounds like you and your school have created something that works to get students in the garden.

I am lucky enough that our school has enveloped our program into the schedule and I see all classes PreK-4th graders on a rotation...49 classes every 4 weeks. I wish it were more often but there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I set up picnic tables to act as an outdoor classroom and teachers are invited to bring their students out and use the garden for math, science, reading, writing or whatever they are doing that day.  Of course this is only during nicer weather but we teach classes throughout the school year including summer school. I'm also hosting summer garden camps for the older middle school kids!

I set up a spreadsheet and looked at the daily building schedule to set up times that didn't interfere with lunch, recess or they daily specials like library, PE, music, art, etc. It took some time but once it was set, I've been using it for 7 years now.

------------------------------
[Hope] [Sickmeier] [Designation]
[Garden Educator]
[Southern Boone Learning Garden]
[Ashland] [MO]

Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2024 12:04:18 PM
From: Phil Rynearson
Subject: Looking for Examples of Scheduling Classes in a School Garden

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

------------------------------
Phil Rynearson
Wassenaar
+31645082703
------------------------------

This is one 4-week rotation. I see them on the same day at the same time every 4 weeks. If we have snow or an assembly (whatever might upset the schedule) I have some leeway to reschedule and that way I don't miss anyone. 

Thanks so much for sharing this, Hope. It sounds like you and your school have created something that works to get students in the garden.

I am lucky enough that our school has enveloped our program into the schedule and I see all classes PreK-4th graders on a rotation...49 classes every 4 weeks. I wish it were more often but there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I set up picnic tables to act as an outdoor classroom and teachers are invited to bring their students out and use the garden for math, science, reading, writing or whatever they are doing that day.  Of course this is only during nicer weather but we teach classes throughout the school year including summer school. I'm also hosting summer garden camps for the older middle school kids!

I set up a spreadsheet and looked at the daily building schedule to set up times that didn't interfere with lunch, recess or they daily specials like library, PE, music, art, etc. It took some time but once it was set, I've been using it for 7 years now.

------------------------------
[Hope] [Sickmeier] [Designation]
[Garden Educator]
[Southern Boone Learning Garden]
[Ashland] [MO]

Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2024 12:04:18 PM
From: Phil Rynearson
Subject: Looking for Examples of Scheduling Classes in a School Garden

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

------------------------------
Phil Rynearson
Wassenaar
+31645082703
------------------------------

Thanks for the visual, Hope. Very helpful.

This is one 4-week rotation. I see them on the same day at the same time every 4 weeks. If we have snow or an assembly (whatever might upset the schedule) I have some leeway to reschedule and that way I don't miss anyone. 

Thanks so much for sharing this, Hope. It sounds like you and your school have created something that works to get students in the garden.

I am lucky enough that our school has enveloped our program into the schedule and I see all classes PreK-4th graders on a rotation...49 classes every 4 weeks. I wish it were more often but there just aren't enough hours in the day.  I set up picnic tables to act as an outdoor classroom and teachers are invited to bring their students out and use the garden for math, science, reading, writing or whatever they are doing that day.  Of course this is only during nicer weather but we teach classes throughout the school year including summer school. I'm also hosting summer garden camps for the older middle school kids!

I set up a spreadsheet and looked at the daily building schedule to set up times that didn't interfere with lunch, recess or they daily specials like library, PE, music, art, etc. It took some time but once it was set, I've been using it for 7 years now.

------------------------------
[Hope] [Sickmeier] [Designation]
[Garden Educator]
[Southern Boone Learning Garden]
[Ashland] [MO]

Original Message:
Sent: 03-11-2024 12:04:18 PM
From: Phil Rynearson
Subject: Looking for Examples of Scheduling Classes in a School Garden

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

------------------------------
Phil Rynearson
Wassenaar
+31645082703
------------------------------

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

We try to see students 5-7 times per year for garden-based lessons, including lessons throughout the winter. Our current approach to scheduling is that we send out a list of available times/class periods before each season and then ask teachers to sign up for X time slots in that particular season. When we send this scheduling document (it's a Google Doc with a table of available dates/times, editable by all teachers), we also include in the email a short description of what the lessons are for that season. For example, we would send all 3rd grade teachers an email that welcomes them to the Fall season of gardening lessons, gives the title and objective/short overview of the two lessons that we have planned for Fall, and include a link to the scheduling doc with the request that folks sign up for their two lessons by such-and-such a date. We send an email like this out to the teachers of each grade level -- the descriptive info is unique to that grade and the scheduling doc is the same for the whole school. It's a bit tricky to explain well in writing, but feel free to reach out if you have any questions! We've tried other approaches to scheduling in the past, and this one has worked best for us.

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

I have heard of teachers slipping project ideas with related standards into teacher mailboxes with available times for the activities and then they would sign up for a time that way! 

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil

Some schools have plastic storage boxes where they store lessons by grade level. Make it simple so teachers/room parent could check out lesson and teach it at their assigned time. Keep adding lessons when you have time. You could also have a box with basic supplies to save teachers time; such as masking tape markers, clipboards, measuring tape, scissors, crayons, rubber bands, glue sticks, some art supplies (pipe cleaners, etc.).

I have been developing a school garden in my Prek through 2nd grade school over the past four years. This has been in addition to teaching science and technology in classrooms. We have students come to the gardens during recess and I offer several stand alone gardening lessons to teachers.

I am working on a proposal to make gardening and sustainability experiences more consistent throughout the year. (especially August - November and March through June) I want to have a more consistent flow of students in the gardens without making "garden class" part of the regular pull out schedule.

What kinds of schedules or agreements have you tried that have worked to get teachers and students in the gardens on a regular basis? Any thoughts will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

Phil