Agricultural Arts at Brooksville Elementary School

Agricultural Arts is an exciting new program at Brooksville Elementary School in which all students get one period a week of gardening & culinary education. The class is designed to teach gardening and cooking skills through hands-on learning, gives students a role in cultivating our school garden, and explores a range of subjects through an agricultural/environmental lens. We let the seasons and the natural world guide our learning. The curriculum has been built from scratch based on available human and ecological resources in our community and student inquiry and interest. This year we’ve studied storytelling and literacy in the garden with PreK & Kindergarten, vermiculture and seed starting with Grades 1 & 2, wild foods and maple syruping with Grades 3 & 4, and the art and science of cooking with Grades 5-8.

The program’s mission is to enrich our students’ understanding of their ecological connection to each other and to the land through food, while promoting health and well-being, creativity, and stewardship. Ag Arts gives students the opportunity to express their thoughts, ideas, and abilities in a nontraditional and collaborative classroom setting. It also serves as a connection between the school and the wider community through field trip opportunities, guest teachers, and service learning projects.