New Franklin School Garden

Beginning with our kindergarteners in the spring (looking forward to the following fall), our students plant potatoes and pumpkins in order to pass those crops on to the incoming kindergarten class for future harvest. The incoming class of kindergarteners harvest the crops and enjoy mashed potatoes and pumpkin seeds that were the fruit of the labor of the previous class. In first grade, students will plant spring peas as the snows melt, and future plans include integrating our science weather unit (including air temperature, soil temperature, and rainfall) with graphing plant growth. Second graders study soil science and butterfly life cycles. They maintain a pollinator garden, and release butterflies in the spring. They also learn about soil and worms, including the process of composting. We have three composters and participate in a local commercial compost pickup program. In third grade, students study plant life cycles and have the opportunity to plant, maintain, and harvest their own square foot garden. Students start plants from seeds indoors under grow lights and transplant outside. We are hoping to expand our gardening program for fourth and fifth graders. Fourth graders will grow salad gardens and study healthy eating and nutrition. Nutrition and environmental education will continue with fifth graders, who will also plant garlic and other “pizza garden” ingredients as well as prepare garden beds for the winter.