Kid’s Edible Gardens Nelson Marlborough Tasman

The Kids Edible Gardens programme aims to:

The Garden Facilitator

The Kids Edible Gardens Programme involves each school having a Garden Facilitator.  This person will work at the school garden each week for part of a morning or an afternoon, depending on the number of children who are involved.  Small groups of children will come out to the garden on a rotational basis and work with the Garden Facilitator on a particular topic or task relevant to the season.  The Growing Guide has been designed for use in conjunction with a Garden Facilitator and it can be used to full advantage in this way. The facilitator will be contracted to /or employed by the school and this position will be reimbursed by Council on a term by term basis.

How Kids Edible Gardens relates to the Key Competencies

Thinking

The Kids Edible Gardens programme is an ideal forum where the skill of thinking develops almost naturally and can be enhanced through questions and challenges set by the facilitator and teachers.

In the garden, children draw on their own personal knowledge of gardening. They ask questions about what they see happening in the garden which in turn develops understanding of processes and practises of an edible garden. This can include knowledge about plants and the environment, what to plant and why and how plants grow. Decision making opportunities are offered as part of the programme and students will be able to think and question, plan and monitor for the changes in their garden.

Using Language, Symbols & Text

Resources and tools used in the school edible garden offer rich opportunities to discover a range of texts and symbols. These include instructional opportunities such as reading seed packets, following recipes and growing.

Children will also gather information using instruments such as soil test kits and rain gauges that introduce new symbols and language.

Managing Self

A ‘can-do’ attitude is what an edible garden is all about. While children are guided in the garden, carrying out the tasks requires them to be resourceful, motivated and reliable. Many components of the Kids Edible Gardens programme promote the ideas of planning ahead and being organised. These include making provisions for crop rotation, saving & storing seeds for future yields, considering environmental factors/changes and where to seek out information when required.

Relating to Others

Children come out to the garden in small groups. It is not an individual based activity; it is about working as a team cooperatively. This co-operation is needed to ensure jobs get completed and children learn to take turns, respect others by listening, sharing and talking .When students return  to their classroom, they are often offered the opportunity share their experiences with the class.

Participating and Contributing

Contributing to the garden helps children develop a sense of belonging and ownership. They view their opportunities to learn about and be part of their school garden, as something to be treasured and worthwhile. This is seen through the satisfaction a group gets from activities such as mixing in school saved compost scraps, harvesting carrots grown from seed, making muffins from berries which have been pruned, cared for & fruit watched as it ripens. The Kids Edible Garden programme demonstrates what can be achieved when a group works together.

Enclosed in this toolbox is a recipe book for your class, utilising the produce from your school or Home Garden.

Contacts Are:

Annie McDonald
Education 0fficer
Marlborough District Council
15 Seymour Street, PO Box 443, Blenheim 7240, New Zealand
Phone:  +64 3 520 7400
Fax:    +64 3 520 7496
Mobile    027 2046449
annie.mcdonald@marlborough.govt.nz
www.marlborough.govt.nz
Marlborough District Council		 Lyndsey Fish – Nelson Tasman
Nelson Environment Centre / Te Putahi Taiao
1 Braemar Place
Upper Franklyn Street
PO Box 4011
Nelson 7045
03 545 9176
Home: 5445 302
Cell:0211460247
lindseyfish@nec.org.nz