History of School Gardens
School gardens began to appear in the early 1900s. They served as ways for students to study nature, to learn work habits and to develop appropriate social attitudes. Although gardens have been a part of schools since then, growing emphasis on hands-on learning and active participation has encouraged more schools to add gardens in all shapes and sizes to their school yards to serve as tools for outdoor science and environmental education.
Other subjects can also be taught through class gardens including, but not limited to math, English and nutrition. Gardens have been observed to increase children's respect for nature and to aid in physical, mental and moral development. Studies have been conducted to look at some of the benefits of school gardens including their effect on self-esteem and environmental attitudes but there are still many more benefits to explore including the effect gardening has on nutritional attitudes and behaviors.
Nutrition in the Garden* Back to School Gardens