Family Gardening
Some great ideas from American Community Gardening Association
Be comfortable with dirt. All kids are washable. Wear clothes that are not fancy. If mud is a concern once the kids are going back inside set up a hand-washing and shoe-scraping station before they go back inside.
Bugs and crawly critters are cool.
Children aren’t inherently afraid of things that crawl and creep. They learn that these things are bad or scary or icky from adults. When you pass on an aversion to something because of how it looks, that’s called “prejudice.” Worms, caterpillars, grubs, insects, spiders and all sorts of wondrous creatures are out in your garden as part of the ecosystem. Please see them as integral parts of the system, and the kids will be amazed and curious, not afraid. Check out Worms Eat My Garbage and other great teaching resources on garden critters.
For more tips see their website:
Ten tips on gardening with kids.
Kid activities
Science experiment: Worm watch
What happens when worms are under the ground? Make a mini worm farm and see exactly what happens. Make your predictions and watch as it unfolds before your eyes .Experiments are all about observing so watch and learn with science.
What you need
- large plastic bottle
- soil
- sand
- dead leaves
- water
- earthworms
- food wrap
- dark paper
- pencil
Activity
Cut the top off of a large plastic bottle. Or be really green and use a glass jar
Fill the bottle with layers of soil and sand.
Add 4 teaspoons of water to the soil and put dead leaves at the top of the soil.
Dig around some soil outside and try to find 2 or 3 earthworms and add them to your soil.
Cover the bottle with food wrap and poke some holes in it with a pencil.
Tape dark paper around the sides of the bottle.
Add 2 teaspoons of water each day to keep the soil damp.
After 2 weeks, take the dark paper off.
You should see that the worms have mixed up the soil and made tunnels.
Notes:
- Don't forget to return the worms to where you found them.
- Make sure you don't put the bottle into direct sunlight.
Our School Garden
About Our School Garden
The Los Cerritos Urban Farmyard has been in existence since the year 2000. It occupies an area of approximately 60 ft. by 80 ft. Built on a formerly grassy site, it has grown from 4 raised beds, utilized by 2 teachers, to 22 raised beds, utilized by all teachers and students. It includes pathways made of decomposed granite, borders of flowers and herbs, 6 fruit trees, benches for an "outdoor classroom," a composting area, a "barn" for storage and a chicken coop.
The school garden connects to the classroom in a variety of ways. It provides students with the hands-on experience of planting and maintaining a garden. This fosters a sense of responsibility and respect for the environment and all living things. The cooperative spirit, which arises through gardening together, transfers to the classroom in a strong sense of community and appreciation for others. Students have been able to observe worms, insects, lizards, frogs, butterflies and birds naturally in our organic garden. Ours is not the typical "big city" experience, especially since we have our own chicken coop. Come and see for yourself. There is nothing else like it in the Long Beach Unified School District!
Our Garden Teacher
OUR GARDEN TEACHER
Our school partners with Ground Education Long Beach which helps to plant the seeds of success one student at a time, helping students THINK, EXPLORE, & CONNECT in school gardens. As a non-profit, Ground Education proudly serves Long Beach Unified School District. At Los Cerritos our Ground Education garden teacher is Amy Rosenberg, known to her students as Ms. Cricket. When she is not working in the garden she stays busy with her family, raising her two kids and living a creative life. A student of nature & the world, Ms. Cricket has worked in unique environments which include the Channel Islands off the California coast and the tropical Pacific islands of Micronesia. Closer to home, she was the first educator hired at the Aquarium of Pacific in Long Beach, and eventually became the Aquarium's Director of Education. Throughout her career she has designed and created meaningful educational programs that help others learn, grow and appreciate our natural world.
Best,
Amy
(Ms. Cricket)
Garden Jokes
"What does the letter "A" have in common with a flower?
They both have bees coming after them."
Books
“Our School Garden!” by Rick Swann
"Grandpa Green" Lane Smith
"The Giant Carrot" Barry Root
"Red are the Apples" Marc Harshman and Cheryl Ryan
Primary Goals of Los Cerritos' School Garden
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To connect the garden to the state standards and curriculum in a variety of ways including literacy, math and science.
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To encourage students to make healthier food choices and expose them to a wide variety of vegetables and fruits.
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To encourage character building and community involvement through sharing our harvest and empathizing with others in need.
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To create a better understanding of where food comes from in order to more fully appreciate the role of agriculture in our society now and in the future.
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To instill in students a love of the earth and concern for the environment.
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To encourage a more active lifestyle by engaging students in additional outdoor physical activity.
Great Gardening websites
Thanks to the dedication of our parents and staff, Los Cerritos' garden continues to flourish.
