As we get ready to build 13 new school gardens this spring, our School Grounds Manager, Emma, is busy hosting gardening workshops for our new school partners. As a part of our School Grounds program, partner teachers receive informative, hands-on Gardening 101 and Planting 101 workshops to help them get their gardens growing.
Gardening 101 is the initial workshop that all new School Grounds partners receive prior to City Green installing their garden. Gardening 101 is held at the school and covers the basics of managing and running and explains introductory gardening skills geared towards children. During these workshops, teachers and administrators receive a copy of the “School Gardening Guide” which is a comprehensive curriculum book filled with garden guides, lesson plans, and access to an archive of City Green’s previous garden lessons.
Once the garden build is complete, Emma returns to the school garden to host the Planting 101 Workshop. Teachers and administrators join Emma in the garden to practice setting up for garden lessons and to plant out their new school garden. Once both workshops are completed, teachers and school administrators are able to use the garden to teach students about the power and beauty of nature and healthy eating!
In addition to these introductory workshops, all School Grounds partners are invited to attend professional development workshops hosted here at City Green’s Farm Eco-Center. These free workshops provide an opportunity for teachers to receive more in depth practice and knowledge on certain gardening topics that are relevant to the season. This spring, Emma is hosting workshops that include “Getting Ready for Spring!,” “Teaching in the School Garden,” and “Preparing for Summer Break.” All teachers and administrators who attend these workshops receive gardening supplies like bulbs, seeds, teaching supplies, and other materials needed to help their gardens grow. Additionally, City Green is hosting the School Garden Symposium on Saturday, May 6th from 8:30 - 2:00 to help School Grounds partners learn the tips and tricks for building and sustaining successful school gardens. Learn more and purchase tickets for this event here!
If you have any questions for our School Grounds team about our teacher trainings or want to start a garden at your school, leave a comment down below and we’ll be happy to get back to you!
Thank you for joining us for Wintering with City Green! We had so much fun learning about what the City Green team does during the winter. Be sure to follow along on our website, social media, and newsletter as we continue to highlight the work of our incredible staff throughout the year!
City Green is a 501(c)3 urban farming and gardening organization based in Clifton, New Jersey working to foster connections between communities, agriculture, and the environment. For more information about City Green, visitwww.citygreenonline.org.