Third and Fourth Grade Winter Digital Book
The Third and Fourth Grade Winter Lessons explore Plant Classification, and the inherited similarities plants have within families. Children examine common plant families found in an edible garden to allow them to recognize various plant species, identify their nutritional needs and benefits, and determine crop interdependence.
Topic Covered Include:
- Introduction to Classification and Garden Plant Families
- The Legume Family (Includes an Estimation Math Activity)
- The Brassica Family (Making a Planting Plan)
- The Mint Family (Nutrition and "How-to" of Herbal Tea)
- The Allium (Onion) Family (with a Recipe for Tabbouleh)
- The Umbellifer (Parsley) Family (Includes and Activity to Grow Food from Scraps)
- The Beetroot (Goosefoot) Family (Beet Juice Tasting and Art)
- The Ginger Family (Nutrition and Review of Roots and Rhizomes)
- The Grass (Grains) Family (with Popcorn 101 Science)
- The Nightshade Family (Companion Planting for Biodiversity Within Your Garden)
This is a tested elementary school curriculum that makes it easy to have or add garden-based learning to any classroom or home. Kids will not feel like they are doing any "work" while engaging with their environment. Learning about where our food comes from encourages community, collaboration, environmental awareness, and life-long healthy habits.
Having a garden plot is helpful, but not needed for these lessons to be impactful!
Engaging activities that allow teachers AND parents the opportunity to easily incorporate garden-based science, nature, and nutrition into their weekly plans.
Lessons have been used by Garden Teachers, Classroom Teachers, Parent Volunteers, Caregivers who homeschool, etcetera.
Our Mission
To provide accessible resources that create hands-on and meaningful experiences for families to "dig in" and connect while learning about their food and how we can all help care for our planet.
Our Guarantee
This tested elementary school curriculum makes it easy to have or add garden-based learning to any classroom or home. Kids will not feel like they are doing any "work" while engaging with their environment. Learning about where our food comes from encourages community, collaboration, environmental awareness, and life-long healthy habits.
Frequently Asked Questions
-
Do I need a garden or garden plot for this program?
No. It does help as your program starts to build some roots, but it should not be why you don't start. Just a few pots or grow bags are needed to get your garden program growing!
-
What is the right age?
The books are designated by season and grade-level. However, they are used with kids of ALL ages and even adults. One of the comments we hear from grown-ups is how much they are learning alongside the children!
If you have a child over the age of 11, who is new to gardening, I would recommend starting with the books for First and Second Grade. My 11-year-old child still enjoys the activities as I sometimes repeat lessons from previous years to reinforce and expand on his prior knowledge.
-
How many sets does my program need?
It all depends on the structure of the program. We recommend one grade-appropriate set (3 books) per classroom or one entire series (9 books) per garden educator.
-
What else do I need to get started?
Some pots, good soil, lesson-appropriate seeds, garden trowels, and an enthusiastic teacher, parent, caregiver, etcetera looking to learn and positively impact little ones' lives.
-
How much time does each lesson take to teach?
Each lesson is broken into portions that have the approximate time written next to the heading. There are also "Optional" activities that allow the educator to personalize their children's experience. Even spending 20 minutes a week will create meaningful learning, but you could also spend up to an hour each week, giving the children more time to dig and explore.