Science-based garden education for Placer County schools starting with Skyridge Elementary

Skyridge Elementary, a transitional kindergarten-through-fifth-grade school, has an objective to provide education focused on project-based learning and STEAM. In its outdoor classroom, Principal Dr. Laurie Balsano Wright envisions that working with the UC Master Gardeners of Placer County can educate students about plants, food and the natural world, and do it in a way that is exciting and engages students of all grades to learn. Together, they will take their existing garden to a new level, offering garden activities and learning to their students. They have already engaged in lots of planning and established a schedule that includes discussions on topics such as whether plants are alive, the parts of plants, the plant life cycle, seasonal planting and the food chain. To tangibly start the garden work, on July 30, UC Master Gardeners, Wright, school staff, kids and parents cleaned beds, renewed pathways between beds, restarted the compost program, checked the drip irrigation system and determined how best to use the greenhouse. Together, Skyridge and the Master Gardeners are creating a variety of science-based learning experiences for students to study nature's life cycles based on the principles of sustainability and backed by science-based education. Students will learn hands on about planting, growing and harvesting of vegetables, herbs and flowers throughout the year. They will learn about pollinators, the use of compost bins, the value of worms and be able to watch leaf color changes. The outdoor classroom encourages students to discover, observe and investigate, creating a sense of purpose and curiosity as they learn to nurture the plants they grow. They will have an opportunity to also harvest and eat food they may not otherwise experience. To give an idea of what will be planted, pre-kindergarten kids will plant peas in August and February; fourth-graders will plant arugula and radishes. Broccoli and cauliflower will also be on the plant, harvest and eat schedule. Skyridge, in its Larry Ford Outdoor Classroom, is the lead school in a pilot program for a broader initiative in 2023, whereby all schools in Placer County can benefit from garden-based education supported by the Master Gardeners. We'll come back to see their progress to see what the students are learning. For now, Dr. Laurie suggests these lessons she has learned that can be applied for other schools: Don't be afraid to ask questions. The power of inquiry has helped us build partnerships with local organizations and businesses. In addition to the Placer County Master Gardeners, Green Acres Nursery is also supporting their Clean Up Day efforts. She is grateful for the opportunity to work with both organizations. Many hands make light work. The school learned this on the work day, and we are grateful for all the support from the school and community. Reach out to the Master Gardeners to engage your school with this incredible program.