KITCHEN GARDENS IN SCHOOLS

Sustainable Schools NSW Online Conference27 October 2020

Helen Curry - Gibberagong EEC

Why Kitchen Gardens?● Authentic learning opportunities incorporating

syllabus outcomes● Wellbeing outcomes● Sustainability outcomes● Enables connections with the natural world● Students learn where their food comes from ● Encourages healthy food choices● Physical activity outside● Reduces and educates about waste through

composting● Encourages confidence in the outdoors/ecophobia● Increases student engagement● An opportunity for kids to nurture and care

Different styles of Kitchen Gardens #1

Straw bale beds

● Can be placed anywhere, even on concrete

● Cheap to build● Entirely biodegradable● Less bending ● Need lots of water● Not permanent, rot away

after a couple of years

Different styles of Kitchen Gardens #2

No dig gardens

● Can be grown on top of grass● Low cost● No need for good soil● Semi-permanent● Can look a bit messy● Hard to protect from feet,

balls etc.

Different styles of Kitchen Gardens #3Raised beds (West Ryde PS)

● Medium cost, easy to put up in a working bee● Less bending down● Fairly permanent● Easy to pest-proof

Different styles of Kitchen Gardens #4

Beds with inbuilt pest protection (Mount Colah PS)

● Built by parents

● Possum/bird/butterfly proof

● Aesthetically neat and smart

● Permanent

● Expensive and timely to construct

Different styles of Kitchen Gardens #5Wicking Beds

● Water from below rather than above.

● Trickier and cost more to build● Permanent structures● Much more productive and

tasty crops!● Much less water needed● Will survive over holidays with

little input

What to grow in a school kitchen garden

● Things that can be grown within a term● Things that kids like to eat raw eg snowpeas, cherry

tomatoes, strawberries● Things that you can make into an easily prepared

meal eg stir fry, pizza, bruschetta, spinach triangles● Loads of herbs for smelling and infusions● Seasonal veggies● Seedlings are quicker but seeds are cheaper

What to cook with students● There are lots of raw food options● Keep it simple, the less ingredients the better● Be aware of allergies● Things that can use lots of whatever is ripe eg. pizzas, stir fry● Things that use up a lot of one ingredient that you have a surplus of eg.

bruschetta, spinach triangles, rhubarb crumble.

How to incorporate gardening into lessonsKitchen Gardening for Sustainability and Wellbeing K-6(NSW Department of Education, April 2019)

This document was written by Gaye Braiding at Field of Mars EEC.

It includes a full year’s lesson plans and activities with links to learning outcomes for gardening and cooking for each stage ES1-3.

https://schoolsequella.det.nsw.edu.au/file/91cbd106-7d39-4597-b461-246c7836d7de/1/Kitchen-gardening-sustainability-wellbeing-K-6.docx

Compost! ● Free fertiliser for the gardens● Saves the school money on landfill● Hands-on education about biodegradability● Bring magnifying glasses

Some fun stuffKitchen Garden Fairy

● Leaves children instructions in her letter box● Put a fairy door in a tree

More fun stuff● Scarecrows and signs

Where to locate a kitchen garden

● A central and public location. It needs to be visible to students, not tucked away behind buildings

● Not in a thoroughfare● Near a tap (hose distance)● Near the composts, or locate them next to the garden● In the full sun!● Near storage for tools (hose, watering cans, trowels,

buckets, a couple of spades)● Away from Camphor Laurels, Casuarinas, Pines etc. ● (Near chickens creates a system, they provide fertilizer

and eggs and eat the scraps.)

Teaching tips ● The smaller the watering cans the better! ● Don’t do hoses unless you want the kids wet. ● Small wheelbarrows are easier to manage. Big ones tip.● Don’t lift any tools above shoulders. Have buddies and

monitor this.● Don’t worry about gloves (unless there’s a medical reason).

Teach to wash hands after touching soil.● Explicitly teach children to be safe in all weather

conditions - heat, cold, rain etc. and to take care of each other

The need for teaching wellbeingThere is documented evidence to suggest that youth in 2020 suffer from unprecedented levels of mental health issues.

In Warringah Council‘s Youth Survey 2012, (66%) of Youth say that they feel anxious, stressed and depressed on a regular basis (12-24 year olds).

https://files.northernbeaches.nsw.gov.au/sites/default/files/documents/policies-register/youth-strategies/youth-strategies/youthstrategyfinal2013.pdf

In Mission Australia’s 2019 Youth Survey, young people (15-19) were asked how concerned they had been about certain issues;

● coping with stress (44.7%), ● school or study problems (34.3%) ● and mental health (33.2%). ● Three in ten respondents indicated that they were either extremely or very concerned about body image (31.0%). ● One in four young people were either extremely or very concerned about physical health (25.1%)

file:///C:/Users/52031598/Downloads/Mission%20Australia%20Youth%20Survey%20Report%202019.pdf P.3

Wellbeing - Nature Journalling

● Each child has their own nature journal in which they record observations in the gardens.

● Nature journals help children to slow down outside, focus, relax, observe, be creative, take ownership of their experience and be mindful.

● Promotes emotional, social and physical wellbeing

Students can;

● Trace a leaf● Do a crayon rubbing● Draw a

plant/flower/leaf/invertebrate etc.

● Write a poem● Write a word cloud● Record emojis● Paint a scene● List species seen● Record the weather● Record species interactions● Sketch a pattern● Stick in objects

Wellbeing - other teaching strategies● Yoga in the Garden (google Princeton

University)● Meditation in the Garden. Use classroom

meditation apps like Smiling Minds, or just google outdoor meditations

● Magic spots

To establish a kitchen gardening and cooking program in your school addressing syllabus outcomes from Maths, Science and Technology, English, HSIE, Creative Arts and PDHPE. Cross-curricular priorities such as wellbeing, Aboriginal education and sustainability are incorporated throughout.

NSW EEC/school kitchen garden partnership project;PROJECT AIM

NSW EEC/school kitchen garden partnership project;Kitchen gardens increase learning outcomes● Evaluations conducted by Penrith Lakes EEC in 2019

found that the Kitchen Garden Program measurably increased students’ engagement in learning and achievement.

● Your program will include teacher and student evaluations at the beginning and end of the project to measure student engagement and achievement.

2019 participating schools;Oxley Park PS, Chisholm PS, Cambridge Gardens PS, Whalan PS, St Claire PS.

2020 participating schools;Penrith PS, Clairgate PS, St Mary’s North, James Erskine PS, Oxley Park PS, Plumpton PS, Metella Road PS, Surveyors Creek PS, Eastern Creek PS, Llandilo PS, Cambridge Park PS, Penrith Valley School, Sir Joseph Banks High School, Regentsville PS, Kingswood High.

NSW EEC/school kitchen garden partnership project;The logistics

● Based on successful Penrith Lakes EEC/school model running in

15 Western Sydney schools in 2020.

● 3-4 classes chosen

● Lessons are scheduled into the week; 1 hour per class per week

alternating kitchen and gardening lessons.

● Initially, one entire year group will participate, expanding in

future years if needed.

● A teacher from Gibberagong EEC will teach these lessons and

train school staff to take over the program after one year.

● The cost is approximately $22,000 per year inclusive of one day

per week teacher and all cooking and gardening materials.

NSW EEC/school kitchen garden partnership project;The logisticsThe kitchen garden teacher will organise gardening and cooking spaces and run all lessons.