The Wonders of Vegetable Gardening! By Kathy Self and Sally Shackelford

1. The Wonders of Vegetable Gardening!By Kathy Self and Sally Shackelford

2. Kathy Self 1st grade teacher with Hoover City Schools. Teaches at Trace Crossings Elementary (18 years). M.A. from Auburn University. NBPTS – Nationally Board Certified Teacher since 2002. Winner of Presidential Award for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching. Passionate about children and science.

3. Sally Shackelford 2nd grade teacher with Hoover City Schools. Teaches at Trace Crossings Elementary (19 years). M.Ed. From Converse College. Ed.S in Technology Education from Lesley University. 2011 recipient of Julia Tutwiler Educator of the Year Award from the University of West Alabama. Passionate about children and technology.

4. Use your cell phone to take a poll. Answer this question….. “Do you know the difference between a regular garden and a community garden?” Text one of these codes to: 37607 Yes: 37346 No: 37348 I’m not sure: 37349

5. What is a Community Garden? • A community garden can be on a school campus and should have easy for the public. • A community garden produces year round crops of fruits and vegetables. • Participating classes and families maintain and share the harvest of the garden. • Any family in the community is welcome to be a part of the project.

6. Unique Aspects of Trace Crossings Community Garden There are many reasons to start and maintain a community garden. Some of these include opportunities for families from different walks of life to find common ground, educational opportunities to learn about ecology, a sense of self pride and community pride. It's a place to get to meet your neighbors. In today’s age of technology it is a breath of fresh air literally and figuratively. The people involved learn and teach each other as they work together to accomplish the goal of raising fruits and vegetables organically. This is beneficial to both physical and mental health and to our environment.

7. Why should you have a Community Garden? Objectives • Convert unused garden beds into working community garden. • Hands-on activities that promote cross curriculum, cross grade level learning. • Teach botany and ecology to students through hands-on experiences. • Raise fruits and vegetables in a year round garden that can be consumed by the community who participates in the project. • Encourage children to incorporate more fruits and vegetables into their diets. • Demonstrate sustainable local food sources.

8. Trace Crossings Community Garden will produce fruits and vegetables that can be consumed by the community. • Students will learn about how to grow and maintain a garden. Teachers will observe student participation and keep records of student progress. • Students will learn to cook vegetables in different ways. • Students will incorporate more fruits and vegetables in their diet and will participate in fruit and vegetable taste tests. • Teachers will conference with parents and keep notes on the changes in their children’s diet preferences. • Students will make connections between their experiences with the garden and literature. • Teachers will engage students in discussions after reading books pertinent to the topics. • Students will increase their understanding of calendar math by keeping data on the planting and growth of the garden. • Students will utilize measurement and problem solving skills by designing the planting plan their garden bed. Project Outcomesfor Trace’s Community Garden

9. Project Milestonesof Trace’s Community Garden • April 2011- Beds prepared and soil delivered and summer plants planted and a letter to the families at Trace Crossings explaining the project and inviting their participation • May 2011- Monthly schedule of garden responsibilities for families and teachers participating in the project will be developed • June 2011- Summer harvest begins • August 2011- Garden is prepared for fall/winter planting • September 2011- Fall/winter plants are planted • October 2011- Fall harvest begins • March 2012- Beds are prepared for spring planting • Link to the Alabama Cooperative Exchange Service’s Planting Guide • (lets you know when and what to plant) • http://www.aces.edu/pubs/docs/A/ANR-0063/ANR-0063.pdf

10. Budget • Create a Budget and write grants for your funding. Go to your PTO and request funds. • 1st Grant: $700 that was left from a school grant for our Nature Trail. This was used • for topsoil. (Zoo Poo!). • 2nd Grant: $200 from our PTO for Spring plants. • 3rd Grant: $2,000 from Hoover Schools Foundation for a Water Collection System. • 4thGrant (in progress) $2,000 from Lowe’s: • Spring plants: Tomatoes, Sweet peppers, small pumpkins, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, marigolds, and strawberries - $466 • Garden Tools: 20 spades ($59), 5 shovels ($54.75), 10 pairs of gloves ($59.90), 2 hoses ($33.94) - $207.59 • Fall/Winter Plants: Cabbage, spinach, Assorted lettuce, broccoli, Kale, Pansies, Beets, Carrots - $394.40 • Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Parsley, Cilantro, Dill, Lemon Verbena, Lavender - $238.60 • 2 30 gallon deck boxes (model # 60040). Total $298 • 1 Sprinkler – $25.25 • Assorted organic pesticides and fertilizers - $370.16 • Total - $2,000

11. Other Grant Opportunities: 1. CAWACO –Cahaba Warrior Coosa River Association http://www.cawaco.org/cawaco-grants-programs/ 2. Lowe’s Toolbox for Education Grant http://www.toolboxforeducation.com/ 3. Whole Foods- Help Their Gardens Grow Grants http://www.wholekidsfoundation.org/gardengrants.php 4. PTO – We asked the PTO to make a Sign for our Garden!

12. “Do not waste teaching time with technology; enhance learning with technology!”Amanda Amanda Stone, Technology Specialist for Hoover City Schools • Some examples of technologies to use with your garden are: • Wikis • Blogs • Social Networks (Facebook, Twitter, Edmoto) • Podcasts • Digital Storytelling • Document Projectors • WiFi, Skype • Interactive Smart Boards • Clickers • iPads, iTouches, iPods, Cell Phones • QR Codes • Virtual Worlds, Vokis • Wix Flash Websites " Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Ben Franklin

13. What in the World is a Wiki? A collaborative Web that allows anyone to edit, delete or modify content. Students can build personalized, global learning networks. Students can connect with talented people around the world and participate in collaborative learning. Students can get real-time feedback on projects. Students don’t have to stop learning when they leave your classroom. Teachers can create free wikis at: http://www.wikispaces.com Wikipedia is the largest wiki in the world! http://tcesgarden.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/Home Wikis can make the difference between “learning with technology” and “teaching with technology.”

14. Learning Spacesin the Garden! Whether physical or virtual, they can have an impact on learning. Learning Spaces are locations where learning happens. The ideal study space in the garden: comfortable areas with plenty of sunlight and shade. A strong WiFisignal is preferable, but not mandatory.

15. Podcasts! • Have your students make podcasts about their experiences in the garden. Post them on your webpage or wiki. • A podcast is a recording of your voice. Audacity (free download) is an easy way to make the recording and import it to iTunes or to your wiki. http://audacity.sourceforge.net/ Four Steps to an Easy Podcast: 1. Plan 2. Record 3. Edit 4. Publish

16. Collaborate and Communicate Your Gardening Experiences with Social Networks! Teach students how to use social networking sites safely. Twitter:http://twitter.com/ Excellent place for teachers and students to connect, collaborate, and share ideas with others around the world. Edmodo:http://www.edmodo.com/ Facebook for students. Allows students to connect in a safe, controlled network. Teachers can make assignments using Edmodo. PLN:Develop a Personal Learning Network (PLN) to share gardening curriculum, ideas, and experiences with new teammates. Facebook:http://www.facebook.com/

17. Trace Community Garden Facebook Page

18. More Collaboration and Communication.... Wixwww.wix.com Free Flash Website Builder 1000’s of free templates. Websites for kids in 3 easy steps…. 1. Choose your design… 2. Customize. 3. Publish. http://sshackelford.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/Our+Webpages Glogsterhttp://www.glogster.com A social network that allows users to create free interactive posters, or glogs. The glog is short for graphical blog. Free FlatClassroom:Vicki Davis, a teacher at Westwood School in Camilla, GA, started FlatClassroom to give her students skills that she knows they’ll need when they graduate: technology, communication, and global awareness. The project uses a wiki to collaborate with other schools around the world on research projects and publish their findings online. http://www.flatclassroomproject.org/

19. iPads and iTouches: Making learning in the garden mobile! iPADs-- The iPAD is a WiFI/ 3G computer that is based on the iPhone/ iPod Touch operating system. iPads and iTouches can be used as note-taking devices; e-readers; web browsers; to send email. iPads and iTouches increase a child’s ability to concentrate and peak their interest. Both can be used as student work stations or group collaboration devices. Top 200 Educational APPS: http://www.appannie.com/top/ipad/united-states/education/?has_in_app_purchases=0 http://teachwithyouripad.wikispaces.com/

20. QR Codes Quick Response (QR) Codes. Createthemat: http://www.qrstuff.com/ Use QR Codes to provide mobile learningopportunites. For examples of how to use them in educational settings, go to: http://cybraryman.com/qrcodes.html Download free Code Scanning APPS: (i-nigma, Mobiletag, QR Reader, Paperlinks, etc.)

21. Wonderful Word Cloud Tools:http://www.wordle.net/ http://www.tagxedo.com/http://www.slideshare.net/boazchoi/fortyfive-interesting-ways-to-use-wordle-in-the-classroom WordleSample: Tagxedo Sample:

22. Storybirdhttp://storybird.com/ Storybirdis a web site that uses collaborative storytelling to connect kids and families. Two (or more) people create a Storybird in a round robin fashion by writing their own text and inserting pictures. They then have the option of sharing their Storybird privately or publicly on the network. The final product can be watched on screen or shared through a worldwide library. Links to wiki examples http://sshackelford.wiki.hoover.k12.al.us/Our+Storybirds

23. Storybird is Something to Tweet About (Storybird YouTube Video)

24. http://kidblog.org/home.php A blog is short for weblog. A weblog is a journal that is frequently updated. Kidblog.org is built by teachers, for teachers, so students can get the most out of the blogging process. Kidblog meets the need for a safe and simple blogging platform suitable for elementary and middle school students. Most importantly, Kidblog allows teachers to monitor and control all publishing activity within the classroom blogging community. Comment privacy settings block unsolicited comments from outside sources. Kidblog does not collect any personal information from teachers or students.

25. Blogging With Kidblog (Kidblog YouTube Video)

26. “Oh, the places you’ll go!”Once you start a garden…. “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go.”-Listen and learn. Read, engage, subscribe to blogs, join Twitter and Edmodo for the classroom, collaborate, and learn from your peers and mentors! Keep learning! Keep gardening!!!