The Garden of Wonders Food and Garden Education Program involves students in the stewardship of the school’s organic garden and landscape in a way that is wholly integrated with the school’s curriculum. We strive to encourage enthusiasm and wonder in learning by integrating classroom education with hands-on experience in the natural world. Students participate in food and garden-based activities that are interwoven with grade-appropriate math, science, social studies, and arts curricula. Our program is designed to educate students about the interconnected relationships of food, environment, ecology, communities, and cultural histories.
The Garden of Wonders education program has three specific objectives; education, wellness and community building.
Education: A study showed that third, fourth and fifth grade students who participated in a school garden program scored significantly higher on science achievement tests than students who did not participate in a school garden program. (Klemmer, C.D., Waliczek, T.M. and Zajicek, J.M. (2005). Growing Minds: The Effect of a School Gardening Program on the Science Achievement of Elementary Students. HortTechnology. 15(3): 448-452.) The Garden of Wonders Food and Garden Education Program provides a hands-on, interactive, multi-disciplinary approach to education. No more than twelve students participate in a class at a time, allowing the students to receive more direct attention. The program is tying in district standards in math, science, social studies, language and art, allowing teachers to rely on another form of education to teach their required curriculum. Through this unique approach, children are learning not just about food but also about diverse topics such as the botany and edible plants of the Lewis and Clark expedition, the life cycles of pollinators, and the science of healthy soil.
Wellness: A schoolyard garden is a proactive step in confronting the serious health issues that face American children. Not only does gardening provide stress relief and physical activity, but a study conducted at Texas A&M University demonstrated that students involved in a garden program had more positive attitudes toward fruit and vegetable snacks and an improvement in vegetable preference scores. (Lineberger, S. (1999). The Effect of School Gardens on Children's Attitudes and Related Behaviors Regarding Fruits and Vegetables. Thesis, Texas A&M University.) The Fruit and Vegetable of the Week program emphasizes not only the importance of eating fruits and vegetables but also how to prepare delicious and healthy meals. Rather than attempting to achieve nutrition education through textbook reading, the Garden of Wonders provides a multi-sensory learning experience through growing, harvesting, preparing and sharing food. The Garden of Wonders is also a part of Abernethy’s broader focus on the whole child, encouraging student wellness through healthy eating, physical activity, character education and safety.
Community Building: A 2004 study on a Detroit youth gardening program reported that after gardening, students possessed an increased appreciation for working with neighborhood adults and had an increased interest in the improvement of neighborhood appearance. In addition, the students made new friends, and showed increased knowledge about nutrition, plant ecology, and gardening. (Pothukuchi, K. (2004). Hortiliza: A Youth "Nutrition Garden" in Southwest Detroit. Children, Youth and Environments. 14(2): 124-155.) The garden is a visible manifestation of the community’s pride in and stewardship of its resources. During our biannual garden celebrations such as the Harvest Festival and Earth Day, families join in support of the Garden of Wonders and celebrate the progress made. Volunteers assist in the scratch kitchen, in the Garden of Wonders and in the Garden of Wonders classroom on a continual basis, demonstrating ongoing community support and enriching the programs with their extensive experience.