Welcome to the San Joaquin County Master Gardeners School Garden Website
We have created this resource guide as an informational tool to assist teachers, administrators, parents, and others who want to install, rejuvenate, or maintain a garden at their local school as an educational experience for all students and their communities.
While we consider these listings reliable gardening sources and have made every effort to determine that the contact information is accurate, San Joaquin County Master Gardeners do not endorse or recommend any resources other than those operating under the auspices of the University of California Cooperative Extension.
Why Start a School Garden?
A school garden program can bring nature and agriculture to life on campus. School gardens give young people an opportunity to better understand their relationship with nature, creates a dynamic environment for learning core subjects and promotes cooperation through group activities. A garden often encourages self-confidence and a sense of responsibility. Children become excited about math, history, science and nutrition through gardening experiences. Students have the opportunity to learn about where food really comes from. Parents are given an opportunity to get involved with their child by volunteering in the school garden. Most importantly students can learn by doing, getting their hands dirty, thereby becoming immersed in learning.
**Life Labs Value of Garden based Learning - contains a collection of summary documents and peer reviewed article databases on the benefits of school gardens and garden based learning.
Helpful Online Resources
There are many organizations out there designed to help teachers, parents and staff in starting or maintaining a school garden.
Click here to see a collection of websites, programs and resources that are available to help get you started and support your school garden. Includes resources like LifeLab and CA School Garden Network.
Linking to State Standards and Other Curriculum Related Resources
Contact Us
If you would like to request a Master Gardener School Garden Consultant, click here. Once you submit your request, a volunteer will be assigned to your school who will contact you to arrange the first meeting.
Grants and Funding Opportunities
Available Grants - Collection of grants from multiple web-sites
School Garden Teacher Trainings
How Can the Master Gardeners Help?
All Master Gardeners have been finger-printed and have passed background screening by the California Department of Justice. We follow horticultural practices appropriate within adopted University California Cooperative Extension guidelines and established Integrated Pest Management Techniques.
Click here to request an initial school garden consultationFour Pillars of School Gardens
Environmental Stewardship
A school garden is a powerful environmental education tool. Through gardening, students become responsible caretakers. They have an opportunity to engage in agricultural practices on a small scale, learning about the responsibilities and impacts of land cultivation. They explore the web of interactions among the living and nonliving players that sustain life. By doing so, they develop a greater understanding of the natural world. For many children, a garden offers the only chance to get close to nature. Read more here.
Community and Social Development
Community and social development lessons do not receive the attention of academic achievement, but they are as crucial to the survival of our country as reading and writing. Children must learn how to take responsibility for their environment and develop a strong sense of community to ensure the continuation of our society. Read more here.
A Healthy Lifestyle
Beyond academics, the garden provides broader life lessons including contributing to students’ knowledge of how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. The state of California is experiencing a major health crisis as the number of overweight and obese youth is growing at an epidemic rate. Read more here.
Academic Achievement
Academic achievement is the primary focus of educators throughout the country. Emphasis is placed on ensuring students perform at satisfactory levels guided by local, state and national academic standards. All lessons and activities must complement mandatory standards to merit the use of valuable classroom time. Read more here.
*For more reasons, research documents and peer reviewed articles why you should have a school garden, click here.
**Taken from the Collective School Garden Network
