The Bonny Slope Community Garden is an outdoor classroom for students and teachers. It is a dynamic, beautiful setting in which to integrate hands-on, grade-appropriate education in math, science, social and environmental studies, language and arts. The garden is also a platform for wellness, creating a positive attitude toward healthy living. And finally, the garden creates an awareness of and sense of belonging in the community.
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
During the 2009-10 school year, the Bonny Slope Community Garden began and a group of supporters created the initial structure for the garden. This included clearing and fencing the site, installing irrigation, laying weed barrier and wood chips, installing 20 raised beds, shed, and rain barrel, and building a compost bin. In 2010-2011, we created the vision and mission for the garden as detailed above. In addition, focus for last year was on creating programs to use the garden; most of the beds were assigned to teachers/classes and planted for various uses. The beds were also named the 22 PYP attitudes and attributes. We had an After School Enrichment garden club in the Spring and a gardening-at-home speaker for parents. There was a food tasting in the Fall and gardening information published in PawPrints several times. For the Summer break, parents of Bonny Slope students have planted the beds for personal and community use. In terms of the physical structure, we installed a gate at the entrance, created 2 gathering areas, and completed and planted the pumpkin patch for kindergarteners to visit Fall 2011.
OBJECTIVES
For 2011-2012, there are objectives for each pillar: Education, Wellness, and Community. We will continue to include teachers and lesson plans in the garden to connect the garden and classroom, and incorporate PYP. For Wellness, we will incorporate the ideas of a positive relationship with healthy and natural foods (more veggie tastings!) and the physical activity a garden can offer. For Community, we will repeat the after school enrichment garden club in the spring and treat the kindergarteners to a pumpkin patch experience. We hope to create a composting program in partnership with Earth Sustainability. In addition, there is much physical work to complete within the garden to build on the last 2 years.
CONTACT US
If you are interested in learning more, would like to participate or have ideas, please contact Erin Hire at erin_hire@hotmail.com.
And check back soon for a list of items or services we could use for the garden.
