Gardening

=Gardening for kids, the importance of getting outside.=

Although gardening is covered as an elective in some high school as "Agricultural Studies" it is an important and educational life skill that can be used across all ages.

Taken from kidsgardening.org, these are some of the benefits that school gardens can have:

> - Klemmer, C. D., T. M. Waliczek, and J. M. Zajicek. 2005. Growing minds: The effect of a school gardening program on the science achievement of elementary students. //HortTechnology// 15(3):448-452. > - Smith, L. L., and C. E. Motsenbocker. 2005. Impact of hands-on science through school gardening in Louisiana public elementary schools. //HortTechnology// 15(3):439-443. > > - DeMarco, L., P. D. Relf, and A. McDaniel. 1999. Integrating gardening into the elementary school curriculum. //HortTechnology// 9(2):276-281. > > - Skelly, S. M., and J. M. Zajicek. 1998. The effect of an interdisciplinary garden program on the environmental attitudes of elementary school students. //HortTechnology// 8(4):579- 583. > > - Lohr, V.I. and C.H. Pearson-Mims. 2005. Children’s active and passive interactions with plants influence their attitudes and actions toward trees and gardening as adults. //HortTechnology.// 15(3): 472-476. > > - Robinson, C.W., and J. M. Zajicek. 2005. Growing minds: the effects of a one-year school garden program on six constructs of life skills of elementary school children. //HortTechnology// 15(3):453-457. > > - Pothukuchi, K. 2004. Hortaliza: A Youth “Nutrition Garden” in Southwest Detroit. //Children, Youth and Environments// 14(2):124-155. > > - Lineberger, S. E., and J. M. Zajicek. 1999. School gardens: Can a hands-on teaching tool affect students’ attitudes and behaviors regarding fruits and vegetables? //HortTechnology// 10(3):593-597. > > - Morris, JL and Zidenberg-Cherr, S. 2002. Garden-based nutrition curriculum improves fourth-grade school children's knowledge of nutrition and preferences for some vegetables. //Journal of the American Dietetic Association// 102(1): 91-93. > > - Koch, S., T. M. Waliczek, and J.M. Zajicek. 2006. The Effect of Summer Garden Program on the Nutritional Knowledge, Attitudes and Behaviors of Children. //HortTechnology// 16 (4): 620-625. > > - McAleese, J.D., and L.L. Rankin. 2007. Garden-Based Nutrition Education Affects Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Sixth-Grade Adolescents. //Journal of the American Dietetic Association.// 107 (4): 662-665. > > - Miller, D. L. The Seeds of Learning: Young Children Develop Important Skills Through Their Gardening Activities at a Midwestern Early Education Program. //Applied Environmental Education & Communicatio//n 6(1):49-66. > > - Blair, D. (2009). The child in the garden: an evaluative review of the benefits of school gardening. //Journal of Environmental Education// 40(2), 15-38.
 * **Significantly increase science achievement scores.**
 * **Improve social skills and behavior.**
 * **Improve environmental attitudes, especially in younger students.**
 * **Instill appreciation and respect for nature that lasts into adulthood.**
 * **Improve life skills, including working with groups and self-understanding.**
 * **Increase interest in eating fruits and vegetables and improve attitude toward fruits and vegetables.**
 * **Improve attitude toward vegetables and toward fruit and vegetable snacks**
 * **Improve nutrition knowledge and vegetable preferences.**
 * **Increase children’s knowledge about the benefits of eating fruit and vegetables and participants reported eating healthier snacks.**
 * **Increase fruit and vegetable consumption in adolescents.**
 * **Contribute to communication of knowledge and emotions, while developing skills that will help them be more successful in school.**
 * **Have a positive impact on student achievement and behavior.**

Gardening can be a very therapeutic activity for learners, and can be enjoyed by diverse learners as well. = = Useful links: www.**kidsgardening**.org/ - www.bbc.co.uk/**gardening**/**gardening**_with_**children**/