What is Go! Gardening?
Go! Gardening is Project Grow’s dynamic, experiential school gardening program, which operates at area elementary schools. Go! enriches classroom education through garden experiences that give students in 1st – 5th grades the chance to dig in and get their hands dirty while learning about organic gardening, nature, and food. This exposure is key for many students selected for participation in Go! Gardening, as they may get little exposure to these important basic concepts outside of the program.
Project Grow staff work with teachers and draw on the talents of volunteers to coordinate activities, lessons, and schedules so students get the most out of time in the garden. Go! Gardening curriculum draws on Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) and strives to address needs identified through the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) examinations. Improved test scores demonstrate that students who participate in Go! Garden learn important concepts from their time in the garden. This is often a result of the opportunity to explore with all 5 senses and learn how to prepare the soil, plant seeds and seedlings, identify plants, weed, water, label crops, harvest produce, taste foods from the garden, and more.
Big plans are in store for the future of Go! Gardening at Mitchell Elementary and other area schools. While Mitchell is the flagship site for Go! Gardening, look for the program to spread to additional schools in the near future. Additional Go! Gardening goals include:
As people in our society become less acquainted with the source of their food, the need for school and community gardening program becomes greater and greater. Go! Gardening and programs like it present unique and important opportunities to make a real different in the future of food in our country and out community. Support school gardens in your area!
How can I get involved?
Volunteering with Go! Gardening is rewarding and fun. Because of the variety of activities covered by the program, Go! volunteers fill a variety of roles and are vital to our success.
Gardeners commit time to garden maintenance. Keeping the garden beautiful and functioning makes the space better for activities with the students. Gardening knowledge can be helpful, but it is not required.
Camp Counselors guide the students as they plant, weed, water, harvest, paint signs, make crafts, and sing songs in the garden. Great at telling stories or making up songs? Like to paint? Cook? Have fun? We’d love you to join us! Experience with gardening or working with kids if helpful, but definitely not required. Do you have special garden-related knowledge?
Event Staff help make occasional special events take place at the Go! Garden, like Slow Food’s Time for Lunch this Labor Day or Garden Parties, when we invite parents and community members to learn about what’s going on in the Go! Garden. Join us to help contribute to the success of these events and really dig in to the community.
TO LEARN MORE, or GET INVOLVED, contact our Program Coordinator Jacqueline at jacqueline@projectgrowgardens.org
Go! Gardening is Project Grow’s dynamic, experiential school gardening program, which operates at area elementary schools. Go! enriches classroom education through garden experiences that give students in 1st – 5th grades the chance to dig in and get their hands dirty while learning about organic gardening, nature, and food. This exposure is key for many students selected for participation in Go! Gardening, as they may get little exposure to these important basic concepts outside of the program.
Project Grow staff work with teachers and draw on the talents of volunteers to coordinate activities, lessons, and schedules so students get the most out of time in the garden. Go! Gardening curriculum draws on Grade Level Content Expectations (GLCEs) and strives to address needs identified through the Michigan Education Assessment Program (MEAP) examinations. Improved test scores demonstrate that students who participate in Go! Garden learn important concepts from their time in the garden. This is often a result of the opportunity to explore with all 5 senses and learn how to prepare the soil, plant seeds and seedlings, identify plants, weed, water, label crops, harvest produce, taste foods from the garden, and more.
Big plans are in store for the future of Go! Gardening at Mitchell Elementary and other area schools. While Mitchell is the flagship site for Go! Gardening, look for the program to spread to additional schools in the near future. Additional Go! Gardening goals include:
- encompassing more classrooms
- working with school kitchens to use garden produce in school meals
- making gardens available to any teacher for any subject throughout the year
- developing physical garden spaces though hardscaping, structures, and perennial plan selection to expand sit capabilities
As people in our society become less acquainted with the source of their food, the need for school and community gardening program becomes greater and greater. Go! Gardening and programs like it present unique and important opportunities to make a real different in the future of food in our country and out community. Support school gardens in your area!
How can I get involved?
Volunteering with Go! Gardening is rewarding and fun. Because of the variety of activities covered by the program, Go! volunteers fill a variety of roles and are vital to our success.
Gardeners commit time to garden maintenance. Keeping the garden beautiful and functioning makes the space better for activities with the students. Gardening knowledge can be helpful, but it is not required.
Camp Counselors guide the students as they plant, weed, water, harvest, paint signs, make crafts, and sing songs in the garden. Great at telling stories or making up songs? Like to paint? Cook? Have fun? We’d love you to join us! Experience with gardening or working with kids if helpful, but definitely not required. Do you have special garden-related knowledge?
Event Staff help make occasional special events take place at the Go! Garden, like Slow Food’s Time for Lunch this Labor Day or Garden Parties, when we invite parents and community members to learn about what’s going on in the Go! Garden. Join us to help contribute to the success of these events and really dig in to the community.
TO LEARN MORE, or GET INVOLVED, contact our Program Coordinator Jacqueline at jacqueline@projectgrowgardens.org
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