Curriculum

“Put your hands in the soil and feed the dark, moist, gritty earth; smell the aroma of soil and plants and wakeup to your surroundings. Gardening connects us to nature. It also invites us to think like scientists. The garden is our laboratory where experimentation, observation, and evaluation are a part of the process. Gardening teaches us to compartmentalize and evaluate the garden through the lens of each particular problem.” 

- Andrea Hurd

Lessons in the garden focus on several main areas: science, math, and the edible garden. Children have the opportunity to learn about nutrition, biology, ecology, botany, as well as, environmental education. The garden provides a year round opportunity for classes to explore the various plant life cycles, the seasons, wildlife, and weather.

In conjunction with our garden aide, Lilana Spindler, OUSD teachers have developed the Environmental Education Curriculum containing approximately 90 lessons that are organized by grade level and season. These lessons support California subject area lessons and many lessons align with that being taught within the classroom.