Health
Our Elementary School Garden is My JOY
Our Story The JWE Outdoor Learning Center is a 6,600 square foot natural school garden that serves as an interactive science lab and outdoor classroom
Go Dig in the Dirt!
Here we share our best gardening activites, tips and things we’ve learned along the way. Gardening is a way of life and very theraputic.
As my students say, “Life is good in the garden”.
Our Story The JWE Outdoor Learning Center is a 6,600 square foot natural school garden that serves as an interactive science lab and outdoor classroom
How to Start an Easy Indoor Garden Club at Your Elementary School (Even on a Small Budget!) If you’ve always wanted to start a school
Cucumbers are excellent companion plants because they benefit from pollinators and can share space with many vegetables, herbs, and flowers. 🥒 Best Companion Plants for
Tomatoes grow best when paired with plants that attract pollinators, repel pests, improve soil health, or maximize garden space. 🍅 Best Companion Plants for Tomatoes
Summer Garden Style: What I’m Wearing and Carrying in the Garden This Season Summer gardening is one of my favorite times of the year. The
My Favorite Garden Things A Few of My Favorite Amazon Garden Finds This Season One of my favorite parts of gardening is finding beautiful and
🌿 April Planting Guide for Central Texas Gardeners 🌞April marks a key transition in the Central Texas growing season. With soil temperatures warming and longer
March is for planting! Yay! Spring is here in Texas! In our garden, we plan to make sure there are plants to provide food for
Green Thumbs: The Ultimate School Garden Guide for Blooming Success Importance of School Gardens School gardens are more than just patches of green on campus—they
Setting Up a Garden: Full Sun vs. Part Sun Vegetables Starting a garden is an exciting journey, but to ensure a successful harvest, you
Spring Gardening: The Importance of Companion Planting As the chill of winter fades and the promise of spring begins to warm the air, gardeners everywhere
A look back… in the summer of 2016, I wrote a grant for our school garden and secured $2000 to support its growth—such exciting news!
November Gardening with Kids: A Seasonal Adventure in Our School Garden As the days grow shorter and cooler, November offers a unique opportunity for young
September Gardening with Kids in Central Texas: A Fun and Educational Adventure As September rolls around in Central Texas, the blistering summer heat begins to
Exploring Nature: Monthly Gardening Ideas for Children Gardening isn’t just for adults; it’s a wonderful way to introduce children to the natural world, teach them
As February rolls in, the chill in the air might make you think twice about outdoor activities, but don’t let that deter you from enjoying
Cultivating Young Gardeners: Picture Books That Inspire Kids to Love the School Garden Gardening is more than just a hobby—it’s a fantastic way for kids
Fun and Practical Science: Exploring Mixtures and Solutions in Elementary School Science education at the elementary level doesn’t have to be confined to textbooks and
School Garden Lessons Elementary school garden lessons is a fantastic initiative that offers numerous educational benefits. By integrating garden activities into the curriculum, educators can
Companion planting for squash is a tried and true gardening practice that involves growing different plants together for mutual benefits such as pest control, pollination,
Planting Joy: Seed Bombs as Fun Activities for Kids on Earth Day or Mother’s Day Gifts As Earth Day approaches or when Mother’s Day is
Creating a Pollinator Paradise Welcome to your very own pollinator paradise! If you’re ready to create a buzzing haven for butterflies, bees, and other important
Harvesting Carrots in our School Garden It’s April 5th and our School Garden is thriving at JWE! I’ve been reflecting lately that this is the
Porch Decor Ideas Springtime has arrived so it’s time to revamp the porch. I had this old starburst and looking metal piece that was yellow
Companion Planting for Tomatoes Companion Planting is when two plants are planted together for the benefit of one or both of the plants. For example,
Tips for Starting a School Garden Starting an elementary school garden can be a wonderful and rewarding project for both students and teachers. Here are
Keyhole Gardening A keyhole garden is a raised garden bed with a cutout along one side that gives easy-access to a compost area in the
Propagating Propagating plants is a great activity to do with kids. In this video I show how to propagate a prayer plant. This plant is
Life cycles in the elementary school garden can be a fascinating and educational experience for young students. By observing the various stages of plant growth,
Lessons for Composting are available in my TPT SHOP! Composting with Kids Composting with kids in a school garden can be a fun and educational
Getting garden beds ready for spring is an exciting and important task for any gardener. To ensure a successful growing season, there are several steps
Is your School looking at starting a school garden but need lesson plans? I can help. I have led our elementary school garden since 2016.
Protecting School Gardens from Freezing Temperatures School gardens can be a wonderful way to teach students about sustainability, nature, and the importance of fresh produce.
Winter Gardening Activities Creating succulent gardens with kids can be a fun and educational winter activity that can bring a touch of greenery indoors during
Yes, I’m a soil nerd….. but this is fun! These are our school garden pumpkins from last year… turning to soil in closed containers! Pretty
Guide to Starting Your Seeds Successfully Starting seeds is an exciting way to prepare for the gardening season ahead. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help
Summer School Gardening Camp We are in Texas and our school garden thrives in the summer! Each summer, I have volunteered to maintain our garden.
Why a School Garden? Successful and Educational Schoolyard Gardening Ideas For Kids are within your reach! School gardens provide an interesting and practical platform for
April 25, 2023 – 3rd Grade Afterschool Garden Club Peaches and more peaches!!! The later freeze this year helped our peach trees bloom! Now we have
Persistence is Key! What do you do with an idea? YOU CHANGE THE WORLD!!! I have no doubt these kiddos will! I have loved teaching this
February 14, 2023 – 4th and 5th Grade It’s afterschool Garden Club time again! So fun! Mini Greenhouses was the plan for today! We accomplished that!
STEM Extension – Integrated Subjects Lesson Growing Food In Space is an exciting topic to research! Is it possible to grow food in space? NASA
Mini Greenhouses In February in Texas, it is rainy and cold many days for garden club so we create mini greenhouses and learn how to
Ready to Get Started? Materials needed for a Mini Greenhouse: 1 gallon or 1/2 gallon plastic milk jug Sharp knife or Scissors Packing tape (inside
Life Long Gardening Learner Granny Hazel’s Garden We always learn the best from grandparents, don’t we? My Granny Hazel was a gardener when gardening wasn’t
How to Incorporate Gardening Into School Curriculum Incorporating gardening into the elementary curriculum can offer numerous benefits to students. Not only does it provide a
November 22, 2022 Teach Real World Skills…. that is one thing we try to incorporate into our garden club. We have students sort and organize
Harvest, Harvest, Harvest! That was the theme of today’s garden club meeting! Students harvested Bok Choy, arugula, and lettuce. The favorite of today was Bok
October Fun With Pumpkins There are so many fun activities you can do with pumpkins. This year in our October meeting, we had each grade
Large Purple MUMS! Oh these mums are so pretty! The students loved them. Students worked hard today! First, we went out front to discuss how
