Kendra Liddicoat, Dr. Marianne Krasny, & Jamila Simon Cornell University

1. Kendra Liddicoat, Dr. Marianne Krasny, & Jamila Simon Cornell University Garden Mosaics in South AfricaDiscovering connections between people, cultures, science, and action.

2. What does Garden Mosaics offer? Educational Materials • website and online databases • training DVD • program manual • colorful science pages i. m. science investigations • Gardener Story, • Community Garden Inventory, • Neighborhood Exploration, • Weed Watch. Action Projects Connecting youth and elders… to investigate the mosaic of plants, people, and cultures in gardens, to learn about science, and to act together to enhance their community.

3. Garden Mosaics in South Africa:June 2005, the beginning Environment and Language Education Trust (ELET): Training teachers, developing English language teaching materials, promoting health education (cholera and HIV/AIDS), planting trees at KZN schools, and the INK Greening Project. Pilot programs at two township schools in the Durban area participating in ELET’s INK Greening Project. INK Greening (Inanda, Ntuzuma, KwaMashu) A 2-year project which aims to green school yards in INK, promote social and economic development of adjoining communities, and employ 180 gardeners.

4. EE in Southern Africa • Well established and coordinated across the region. • Supported by SADC-REEP, EEASA, Share-Net, and Rhodes University. • Broad in scope and actively involved in the UN DESD. The Environment Political Social Economic Biophysical

5. EE in Southern Africa Active Learning Framework Information Seeking Reporting Ideas Inquiry Encounters Focus Action Taking O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

6. EE in Southern Africa Active Learning Framework What do we already know? Information Seeking What do we need to find out? Who can we contact for help? Reporting Ideas Inquiry Encounters Focus How will we investigate the issue? What can we report on the issue? Action Taking What can we do? O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

7. KethamahleSenior Primary SchoolKwaMashu • grade 7 learners, • 4 educators, and • 3 community workers

8. SandasonkePrimary SchoolNtuzuma 55 grade 7 learners, 3 educators, and 3 community workers

9. i m science investigations Neighborhood Exploration Learning from aerial photographs and topographic maps

10. i m science investigations Neighborhood Exploration Learn how to make and use a key. Locate where we can … • get fresh vegetables • attend a community event • talk with friends • get exercise • enjoy nature At our school! Take a virtual or actual tour of the community.

11. i m science investigations Gardener Story Where are you from? How did you learn to garden? What vegetables do you grow? How are they planted? How do you water and weed them? Who eats the vegetables from the garden? What indigenous herbs do you grow? How do your gardening practices relate to your culture? Then review the information and, if possible, share it through the Garden Mosaics website.

12. action project Choosing a Project Planning in groups • Come up with 3 realistic ideas. • What would you need? • Why would you do this project? …planting vegetables…planting herbs… cleaning the school…building houses…fixing shoes…clearing more land…making brooms…making trash bins…planting trees…making a sports field…selling the vegetables… starting a tuck shop… Our decision: focus on marketing the vegetables.

13. action project Designing Signs and Price Lists

14. evaluation Focus Group at Kethamahle What did you like and learn? “Looking at our school on the map and seeing places to develop in the community.” “I know why they do the garden, to feed people who are sick.” “The gardeners says that we must eat the vegetables because give us vitamins--good for our bodies.” “How to prepare the garden, need to dig a deeper hole, measure for the spinach. I like watering and preparing plants.” “I went into the garden to pick up papers, plastic. To clean the garden.”

15. evaluation Focus Group at Kethamahle What did you learn about people and plants? “Respect the gardeners, and plants are needed to feed their families so don't step or kill them.” “Need to know that the principal and everyone uses the garden to survive.” “In the garden don't walk in the plants. They are people, they breathe just like me.” “Cannot live without plants--give us food, medicine, shelter.” “I learned not to look down at gardeners…Garden is not for old people.” “Garden is very important in my community. Don't play, run, disturb.

16. evaluation Interview with the Principal What impact do you think Garden Mosaics had on your school, your learners, your educators, and the community workers? “They developed a love of working in the field, knowing that the soil is everything. This was for the educators as well as the learners. The educators never showed interest in the garden before. Now I know that they will accompany the learners and go to the garden with them….The learners were so eager. They would come to the office and remind me….It was excellent for the community workers. It made them know that even you from overseas work in the garden. It showed them dedication and love and support.”

17. Garden Mosaics fits well with the active learning framework used in the SADC region. Information Seeking Inquiry Encounters Reporting Ideas Focus Action Taking O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

18. Garden Mosaics fits well with the active learning framework used in the SADC region. What do we already know? NE—Labeling places from memory Information Seeking Inquiry Encounters Reporting Ideas Focus Action Taking O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

19. Garden Mosaics fits well with the active learning framework used in the SADC region. What do we already know? NE—Labeling places from memory Information Seeking Who can we contact for help? SP—printed resources, GS--meet elders What do we need to find out? GS—seek help with AP Inquiry Encounters Reporting Ideas Focus Action Taking O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

20. Garden Mosaics fits well with the active learning framework used in the SADC region. What do we already know? NE—Labeling places from memory Information Seeking Who can we contact for help? SP—printed resources, GS--meet elders What do we need to find out? GS—seek help with AP Inquiry Encounters Reporting Ideas Focus How will we investigate the issue? NE—answering questions GS—asking gardeners What can we report on the issue? GS—enter data on website Action Taking O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

21. Garden Mosaics fits well with the active learning framework used in the SADC region. What do we already know? NE—Labeling places from memory Information Seeking Who can we contact for help? SP—printed resources, GS--meet elders What do we need to find out? GS—seek help with AP Inquiry Encounters Reporting Ideas Focus How will we investigate the issue? NE—answering questions GS—asking gardeners What can we report on the issue? GS—enter data on website Action Taking What can we do? AP O’Donoghue, R. B. (2001)

22. Lessons learned about Garden Mosaics in South Africa. • GM can work in South Africa as a specialin-class project • How can it be integrated into the curriculum? • What informal settings are possible? • GM in South Africa should place greater emphasis on food production as a reason for gardening. • To move GM in South Africa forward, teacher trainings and adapted educational materials are necessary.

23. Lessons learned about adapting environmental education programs. • Program materials should be flexible and adaptable. • Youth learning indigenous knowledge from elders makes the scientific content relevant to participants in many countries. • Language issues must be considered and are especially complex in South Africa.

24. Siyabonga National Science Foundation (ISE) and Cornell University Garden Mosaics Program Director, Keith Tidball And to our many friends in South Africa who welcomed us, answered our questions, translated for us, drove us around, provided important insights, and invited us to come back. To name a few of you… ELET staff: Nontobeko Gasa, Mervin Ogle, Shradha Singh, Zain Amod, Govin Reddy, Hajira Mohamed, George Pillay, Cecil Fynn, and Udeshan Reddy Ms. Ngema and the learners and educators of Sandasonke. Ms. Mtshali, Ms. Ngidi, and the learners and educators of Kethamahle. WESSA/SADC-REEP: Bridget, Elizabeth, Jim, Mike, Mumsie, Priya, Shephard Participants in the July 2005 Attachment Programme. Durban Botanic Garden, Southern African Wildlife College, and Kids in Kruger