Lesson Plans

Hands-on learning experiences and inquiry-based exploration

Three great lessons:

shapes and patterns in nature Photographing Shapes and Patterns in Nature 3-5, 6-8
herbal tea Grow Your Own Herbal Tea K-2, 3-5
insect safari Insect Safari K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Lettuces growing in soil with dividers in between them Square Foot Salad Garden 3-5, 6-8
Compost in a chain link fence and compost in a wooden box. Enriching Soil with Compost 3-5, 6-8
A white and black furry mammal, called a black and white ruffed lemur, on a tree branch. Phenomenal Pollinators K-2, 3-5, 6-8
A plowed field with a blue sky in the horizon Exploring Tilling vs. No-Till Gardening 9-12
Handmade seed packers with labels written in sharpie. Support Biodiversity by Starting a Seed Library 6-8, 9-12
A blue bird sits on a branch, with yellow oak leaves around the bird. Exploring the Mighty Oak 3-5, 6-8
Children wearing gnome hats and smiling at the camera. A few are holding small items and one is giving the peace sign. A bouquet of yellow daffodils is in the foreground. Create Your Own Garden-Inspired Performance K-2, 3-5, 6-8
A garden sign that says "No Spraying" next to the orange flowers Bugs in Balance 3-5, 6-8
A child in a purple shirt holds up a painted wooden sign that reads Community Garden Wanda’s Roses and the Power of Community Gardens K-2, 3-5
A small lemon tree growing in an orange pot Compact Plants for Small Garden Spaces 9-12
A child's hands hold half an acorn, shaped like a heart. Object-Based Storytelling in the Garden K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
A variety of plants, fruits, and nuts around a red crown. Invent a Plant-iful Holiday K-2, 3-5
A lunch tray showing a hamburger, pickles, pickles, fries, a milk carton, salad. What’s for lunch? 6-8, 9-12
Kids holding up produce outside a school Exploring the Flavors of Your Community K-2, 3-5, 6-8
A child handles worms on a yellow tray. Next to them is a green bin filled with soil. Worms At Work K-2, 3-5
A child wearing a face covering stands in front of an array of vegetables from the garden Celebrating Diversity in the Garden 9-12
Carrots and peas and other vegetables Food Exploration K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
A child in a wheelchair uses a trowel in a raised garden bed Design an Accessible Garden 9-12
group of garden signs made from wood and painted with vegetable names in different languages Creating Signs for Culturally Relevant Plants 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Three children on a rooftop garden, they are sitting down in front of plants with white notebooks open in front of them Growing Rooftop Gardens 9-12
Garden Adjective Adventure K-2
A Multitude of Gratitude 3-5, 6-8
Self-Expression in the Garden Preschool, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
children removing compost from a compost bin Compost Your Way 6-8, 9-12
Fungus Among Us K-2
Hornet on allium flower Love for the Bugs! 3-5, 6-8
photograph of Earth taken from space Sustainable Gardening Ideas from Around the Globe 9-12
hands planting sunflower seeds Create a School Garden Planting Calendar K-2, 3-5
succulent plant with rosette Amazing Adaptations of Succulents 3-5
burdock bur showing hooks that cling to clothes and fur Plant-Inspired Products 3-5
milk carton with soil to imitate landfill Learn About Landfills 3-5
Exploring food forests Exploring Food Forests 6-8, 9-12
wildflower lesson Wonderful Wildflowers K-2, 3-5
hydroponic farming Hydroponic Farming 3-5, 6-8
Pollinator Jeopardy Pollinator Jeopardy K-2, 3-5
Exploring Hydroponics Exploring Hydroponics 3-5
radish seeds in soil Room to Grow K-2, 3-5
photosynthesis Photosynthesis Runs the World 3-5, 6-8
Various cut fruits and vegetables Fruit vs. Vegetable K-2
Two pre-school age children help each other with a hose and watering can in the garden. Kindness in the Garden Preschool, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Tropical Rainforests Tropical Rainforests 3-5, 6-8
amaryllis The Amazing Amaryllis Preschool, K-2
Lettuce growing hydroponically Soil vs. Water: Exploring Hydroponics 6-8, 9-12
birds garden ecosystem Birds and the Garden Ecosystem 6-8
carnivorous plant lesson plan Plant Adaptations of Carnivorous Plants K-2, 3-5, 6-8
shapes and patterns in nature Photographing Shapes and Patterns in Nature 3-5, 6-8
Oliver's Vegetables Garden Literature: Exploring Oliver’s Vegetables Preschool, K-2
Seedfolks Garden Literature: Exploring Seedfolks 6-8, 9-12
imperfect flower Imperfect Flowers: A Design for Genetic Diversity 3-5, 6-8
soil air connection lesson plan The Soil-Air Connection: A Carbon Cycle Lesson 9-12
grow a knowing nose Growing a Knowing Nose – A Scent Lesson 3-5
edible landscaping Edible Landscaping K-2, 3-5, 6-8
state flowers State Flowers 3-5
Exploring buds in winter Exploring Buds in the Winter 3-5, 6-8
classroom hydroponics Classroom Hydroponics 3-5
ethnobotany Ethnobotany for the Holidays 3-5
early childhood gardening activities Garden Activities for Families and Educators
ece lessons, curriculum, and literature Early Childhood Education Lessons and Activities Preschool
A child's muddy feet in mud Soil is Alive! 6-8, 9-12
seed banks lesson plan Seed Banks 3-5, 6-8
let there be light garden lesson plan Light Experiments 3-5, 6-8
pollinator lesson plans Pollinator Lesson Plans & Activity Kit K-2, 3-5, 6-8
garden lesson plan Garden to Give Preschool, K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
memorial day lesson plan Remembering Memorial Day 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
art in the garden lesson plan Art in the Garden K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
garden lesson plan school business Create a School Garden Business 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Curled up green ferns Prehistoric Plants 3-5, 6-8
A purple African violet in front of green leaves Make New Plants and Keep the Old (Asexual Propagation) K-2, 3-5
Indoor greening Indoor Greening K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
tree rings Exploring Tree Rings 9-12
germination exploration Germination Exploration K-2, 3-5
food preservation Exploring Food Preservation K-2, 3-5
Compost in a plastic bag Decomposition Observation Bags K-2, 3-5
Weather-Tracking Tools K-2, 3-5
petal lesson plan Petal Attraction 3-5
herbal tea Grow Your Own Herbal Tea K-2, 3-5
community planning event Host a Community Planning Event 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Various plants that can be used for dyes Exploring Plant Dyes K-2, 3-5, 6-8
winter bird lesson Winter Bird Observation 3-5, 6-8
rain garden lesson plan Rain Gardens 9-12
Garden bulbs that are sprouting thick green stems Bulb Botany 3-5
Chill Out 3-5
growing poems Growing Poems K-2, 3-5, 6-8
insect safari Insect Safari K-2, 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
Three Sisters Garden K-2, 3-5
Be a Bee Preschool, K-2, 3-5
pollinator Planning a Pollinator Garden 3-5, 6-8
Seedlings and soil in compostable pots The Plant-Soil Relationship 3-5
soil texture lesson plan Soil Texture and Composition 3-5
A child in a cardboard space helmet holding a seedling. Plants in Space 3-5, 6-8
companion planting Growing Garden Companions 3-5, 6-8, 9-12
lettuce lesson Lettuce Be Healthy K-2, 3-5
A single seed in a compostable pot filled with soil. One other seed is on the outside of pot. Journey to the Center of a Seed K-2, 3-5
A rainbow of fruits and veggies forming a circle Eat a Rainbow 3-5

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