School Garden Curricula*

Grades K-4

A'Planting We Will Go
This lesson is based on the book, The Tiny Seed, by Eric Carle. The story is used to introduce students to the concept that seeds change and grow into plants when conditions in the environment including temperature, light, water and soil are appropriate. Students learn that plants produce seeds that can become new plants. Through extended activities, students experience first-hand the germination of seeds. They become familiar with the parts of a plant and learn how each part works to produce a healthy plant.  This lesson is best suited for K-2nd graders and adheres to North Carolina Social Studies, English Language Arts, English Language Development, and Mathematics Standards.

Building Soil Nature's Way: Exploring Decomposition and Soil Health
In this lesson, students learn about decomposition and building healthy soil.  Using this knowledge, students then plant a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Physical Science - Properties and changes of properties in matter, Structure and properties of matter; Life Science - Life cycles of organisms; Earth and Space Science - Properties of earth materials.

Creating Herb Gardens: Inspiring Aromatic Adventures
In this lesson, students plant an herb garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Reproduction and heredity.

Crops 2: What Plants Need to Grow
In this lesson, students learn how to grow plants and what factors promote the growth of seeds and plants.  This lesson is best suited for K-2nd graders and is correlated with concepts described in the Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

Garden Investigations: Testing Partnerships
This resource is a general guideline for teaching students about garden companions.  Students learn about plant families and what plants have similar nutrient needs, attract or repel the same types of insects, are susceptible to similar diseases, etc.  In addition, students can design their own edible landscape based on a more artistic view of a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels, and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Populations and ecosystems, Interdependence of organisms.

Green Thumb Gardening
In this lesson, students learn which plants will grow in their climate and choose a type of seed to plant.  They keep a journal recording observations of the plant cycle, as well as plant parts and functions.  This lesson is best suited for 1st graders and adheres to Science and Social Science Learning Standards.

Green Thumbs and Dirty Fingernails
In this lesson, students learn about plant parts, needs, and characteristics through identifying and comparing seeds.  Using this knowledge, students then plant them.  This lesson is best suited for 2nd graders and adheres to New York State Learning Standards and Benchmarks.

Growing Flowers
Students grow flowers from seeds. They plant quick-growing seeds in a flower pot and consider what a seed needs to grow while observing and recording the growth of the planted seeds in science journals.  This lesson is particularly geared toward ESL students and correlates with TESOL Goals and Standards.

Growing UP (and around, and down...):  Exploring Plant Growth with Garden Structures
In this lesson, students build garden structures to experiment with the different ways (and directions) plants grow.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Structure and function in living systems, as well as the following National Math Standards: Geometry - Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems; Measurement - Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement; Connections - Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

How Does Your Garden Grow?
Students plant seeds and experiment with what makes them grow, while reading The Garden and discussing what methods were used in the book.  This lesson is best suited for K-2nd graders and adheres to Florida Sunshine State and Process Standards.

Invasive Species
In this lesson, students differentiate between native and nonnative plants and learn about how exotic species can harm native species.  They then survey the school yard to determine if plants and animals are native to the area and ultimately plant their own native garden.  This lesson is best suited for 3rd-5th graders and adheres to most State Science Standards.  See 'State Standards' link on lesson plan page for specific state information.

Landscaping with Lettuce
Students investigate the ornamental properties of lettuce in order to expand their perceptions of what kinds of plant material can be used in landscapes.  This lesson adheres to National Life Science Education Standards.

Native Beauty: Creating a Wildflower Planting
In this lesson, students plant and tend a wildflower.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Organisms and environments, Populations and ecosystems, Diversity and adaptations of organisms.

Planning a Pollinator Garden
In this lesson, students learn about native pollinators and their habitat needs and collect the necessary information for creating such a habitat in their schoolyard.  This lesson adheres to National Life Science Education Standards.

Plant Power
Students plant their own seeds in potting soil and measure plant growth. Before the students' plants are visible above the soil, students explore the parts and functions of classroom plants and compare growth between the classroom plants. Using the Weather Channel website, students predict whether the day's weather conditions are excellent, good, or poor for plant growth.  This lesson is best suited for kindergarteners and adheres to North Carolina Mathematics Standards.

Project Learning Tree
Through the program GreenWorks!, Project Learning Tree supports schoolyard garden projects by providing grants and curricula that link the outdoors to important scientific and environmental principles and required teaching.  Greenworks! promotes environmental action projects, and provides examples, as well as a guidebook for putting projects into action.  Connections to standards are explained.  These lessons can be modified for almost all grade levels. 

Ready, Set, Grow
In this lesson, students construct a butterfly garden.  Through this activity, students must select and plant the appropriate plants, set up water dishes for butterflies, write journal entries, and draw illustrations of the garden.  This lesson is most suitable for 1st grade students and adheres to Florida Sunshine State and Process Standards.

Recycling by Composting
In this lesson, students pay attention to what waste they produce, consider whether this waste is compostable, and carry out a composting experiment.  They then plant experimental gardens using the different kinds of composted soil.  Finally, students develop, advocate for, and ultimately implement a composting program in their school.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and includes NAAEE standards on the overview page: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/wue/land2_overview.html.

School Garden
In this lesson, students survey the area around their school to determine if there is any erosion and what is causing it.  Based on this observation, they then find the best place for a school garden and pond and recognize the value of planting on areas where there is soil erosion.  This lesson is best suited for 4th graders and adheres to Canadian Fourth Grade Curriculum Expectations.

Sun or Shade?
Students use a thermometer to measure the air temperature in several places around the school and then return to the classroom to graph the data. In addition, students will grow three plants in different amounts of sunlight and record their growth.  This lesson includes ties to Utah Math and Science Standards.

Which Radish Seeds Will Produce More Food?
In this lesson, students learn about plant growth and maintenance, while comparing differences between several different varieties of radishes.  This lesson is best suited for 3rd-12th graders and adheres to National Science Standards and Illinois State Standards.

Jump To: Grades K-4 | Grades 9-12

Grades 5-8

Building Soil Nature's Way:  Exploring Decomposition and Soil Health
Students learn about decomposition and building healthy soil, and then plant a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels, and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Physical Science - Properties and changes of properties in matter, Structure and properties of matter; Life Science - Life cycles of organisms; Earth and Space Science - Properties of earth materials.

Creating Herb Gardens:  Inspiring Aromatic Adventures
Students plant an herb garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels, and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Reproduction and heredity.

Crowding in an Ecosystem
In this lesson, students plant radish seeds in two environments differing in seed density.  They then observe the growth rate of the plants and the effects of crowding.  This lesson is best suited for 6th-8th graders and adheres to National Life Science Standards (Content Standard C). 

Garden Investigations: Testing Partnerships
This is a more general guideline for teaching students about garden ‘companions', including companion planting strategies based on what plants help other plants grow best.  Students also learn about plant families and what plants have similar nutrient needs, attract or repel the same types of insects, are susceptible to similar diseases, etc.  Also, students can design their own edible landscape, based on a more artistic view of a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Populations and ecosystems, Interdependence of organisms.

Gardening: A Math Adventure
Students learn how math computations can be applied to a real life situation in planning the layout of a garden.  Also, students learn about cooperation and teamwork in actually planting their garden.  This lesson adheres to Michigan Content Standards in Math.

Growing Flowers
Students grow flowers from seeds. They plant quick-growing seeds in a flower pot and consider what a seed needs to grow while observing and recording the growth of the planted seeds in science journals.  This lesson is particularly geared toward ESL students and correlates with TESOL Goals and Standards.

Growing Pains: Assessing the Complexities in Plant Growth and Reproduction
In this lesson, students compare common food items with the parts of a plant, and then plant and grow their own plants.  They learn about the potential problems and difficulties in assisting a plant's growth and reproduction.  This lesson is best suited for 6th-12th graders and adheres to National Science Standards.

Growing UP (and around, and down...):  Exploring Plant Growth with Garden Structures
In this lesson, students build garden structures to experiment with the different ways (and directions) plants grow.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Structure and function in living systems, as well as the following National Math Standards: Geometry - Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems; Measurement - Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement; Connections - Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

How Does Your Garden Grow?
In this lesson, students learn how to use natural fertilizers and pesticides in their own organic vegetable garden.  They also learn about the negative effects of the misuse of unnatural chemicals.  Students must determine what vegetables are best suited to grow in their area and select the appropriate location and soil.  This lesson is best suited for 5th-9th graders and adheres to National Science Education Standards.

Invasive Species
In this lesson, students differentiate between native and nonnative plants and learn about how exotic species can harm native species.  They then survey the school yard to determine if plants and animals are native to the area and ultimately plant their own native garden.  This lesson is best suited for 3rd-5th graders, and adheres to most State Science Standards.  See 'State Standards' link on lesson plan page for specific state information.

Native Beauty:  Creating a Wildflower Planting
In this lesson, students plant and tend a wildflower.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Organisms and environments, Populations and ecosystems, Diversity and adaptations of organisms.

Plant Parents
In this lesson, students will come to understand that most plants reproduce sexually. Students will learn about the parts of the flower and the process of sexual reproduction in plants.  This lesson is best suited for 6th graders, and is correlated to concepts described in the Benchmarks for Science Literacy.

Project Learning Tree
Through the program GreenWorks!, Project Learning Tree supports schoolyard garden projects by providing grants and curricula that link the outdoors to important scientific and environmental principles and required teaching.  Greenworks! promotes environmental action projects, and provides examples, as well as a guidebook for putting projects into action.  Connections to standards are explained.  These lessons can be modified for almost all grade levels. 

Recycling by Composting
In this lesson, students pay attention to what waste they produce, consider whether this waste is compostable, and carry out a composting experiment.  They then plant experimental gardens using the different kinds of composted soil.  Finally, students develop, advocate for, and ultimately implement a composting program in their school.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and includes NAAEE standards on the overview page: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/wue/land2_overview.html.

The Delany Garden
In this lesson, students create, design, and plant a flower garden using the flowers in the book On My Own at 107.  This lesson is best suited for 6th-8th graders and adheres to National Science, Computer/Technology Skills, Language Arts, Mathematics, and Visual Art Standards.

Which Radish Seeds Will Produce More Food?
In this lesson, students learn about plant growth and maintenance, while comparing differences between several different varieties of radishes.  This lesson is best suited for 3rd-12th graders and adheres to National Science Standards and Illinois State Standards.

Jump To: Grades K-4 | Grades 5-8

Grade 9-12

Building Soil Nature's Way:  Exploring Decomposition and Soil Health
Students learn about decomposition and building healthy soil, and then plant a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels, and adheres to the following National Science Standards:  Physical Science - Properties and changes of properties in matter, Structure and properties of matter; Life Science - Life cycles of organisms; Earth and Space Science - Properties of earth materials.

Creating Herb Gardens:  Inspiring Aromatic Adventures
Students plant an herb garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels, and adheres to the following National Science Standards:  Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Reproduction and heredity.

Garden Investigations: Testing Partnerships
This is a more general guideline for teaching students about garden ‘companions', including companion planting strategies based on what plants help other plants grow best.  Students also learn about plant families and what plants have similar nutrient needs, attract or repel the same types of insects, are susceptible to similar diseases, etc.  Also, students can design their own edible landscape, based on a more artistic view of a garden.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards: Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Populations and ecosystems, Interdependence of organisms.

Growing Pains: Assessing the Complexities in Plant Growth and Reproduction
In this lesson, students compare common food items with the parts of a plant, and then plant and grow their own plants.  They learn about the potential problems and difficulties in assisting a plant's growth and reproduction.  This lesson is best suited for 6th-12th graders and adheres to State Science Standards. 

Growing UP (and around, and down...):  Exploring Plant Growth with Garden Structures
In this lesson, students build garden structures to experiment with the different ways (and directions) plants grow.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards:  Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Structure and function in living systems, as well as the following National Math Standards: Geometry - Use visualization, spatial reasoning, and geometric modeling to solve problems; Measurement - Understand measurable attributes of objects and the units, systems, and processes of measurement; Connections - Recognize and apply mathematics in contexts outside of mathematics.

Launching Laudable Landscapes
Students find or design their own garden plan while using knowledge of geometry and shapes, with the potential of actually implementing the garden design in their school or community.  This lesson adheres to Louisiana Mathematics Content Standards.

Native Beauty: Creating a Wildflower Planting
In this lesson, students plant and tend a wildflower planting.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and adheres to the following National Science Standards:  Life Science - The characteristics of organisms, Organisms and environments, Populations and ecosystems, and Diversity and adaptations of organisms.

Planning a School Garden
In this lesson, students learn how to plan a vegetable garden.  Students grow vegetables from seeds for transplantation into the garden.  Students learn about planting, soil, light, water, as well as proper gardening tools and composting methods.  This lesson is best suited for 9th-10th graders and adheres to standards in Language Arts: Word Analysis and Reading Comprehension, Mathematics, and Social and Health Sciences.

Project Learning Tree
Through the program GreenWorks!, Project Learning Tree supports schoolyard garden projects by providing grants and curricula that link the outdoors to important scientific and environmental principles and required teaching.  Greenworks! promotes environmental action projects, and provides examples, as well as a guidebook for putting projects into action.  Connections to standards are explained.  These lessons can be modified for almost all grade levels. 

Recycling by Composting
In this lesson, students pay attention to what waste they produce, consider whether this waste is compostable, and carry out a composting experiment.  They then plant experimental gardens using the different kinds of composted soil.  Finally, students develop, advocate for, and ultimately implement a composting program in their school.  This lesson can be modified for almost all grade levels and includes NAAEE standards on the overview page: http://www.thirteen.org/edonline/wue/land2_overview.html

The Value of a Garden
This lesson plan for high school (and possibly undergraduate) students uses handouts and articles to teach students about the various services different types of gardens provide to humans.  Students also learn about the changes among factors in gardens described through feedback loops, the role of Carl Linnaeus in the history of taxonomy, the causes of species declines and extinctions, the efforts being used to preserve species, the ability to critically evaluate the arguments set forth in a scientific article, and the contributions of community and botanical gardens to conservation and the socio-cultural wellbeing of communities.  This lesson adheres to National Science Education Standards.

Which Radish Seeds Will Produce More Food?
In this lesson, students learn about plant growth and maintenance, while comparing the differences among several different varieties of radishes.  This lesson is best suited for 3rd-12th graders and adheres to National Science Standards and Illinois State Standards.

Do you have school garden curricula you'd like to share?  Email it to us!

*The curricula listed on this webpage have been selected in light of their adherence to state, national, and/or NAAEE educational standards and are thus suitable for classroom use.