ELA in the Garden

Reading and writing are two very important classroom basics, and mastery of these skills provides students with the power to succeed. Relating language arts exercises to the garden can add an element of fun, too. Example activities:

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• Keep daily garden journals documenting observations, weather conditions, and classroom activities.

• Research the growing habits of the school garden plants using the Internet and reference material. Create a planting schedule based on the information.

• Write letters to local merchants explaining the school gardening project and asking for donations.

• Write thank you notes to volunteers and garden sponsors.

• Write, illustrate, and publish a collection of garden stories and poems.

• Brainstorm different adjectives to describe each plant in your garden.

• Study new vocabulary that relates to plants and gardens.

• Publish a class newsletter with student articles about the garden and
  distribute it to other classrooms and parents.

• Write step-by-step instructions for common garden activities.

• Follow written instructions to perform a garden task like planting seeds.

• Read books and stories about plants and gardens.

• Write a research paper on a favorite plant, including source citation.

• Prepare and deliver a presentation about the garden for other students,
  teachers, and parents.

• Learn about the origins of scientific plant names.

• Read a garden magazine article highlighting a plant and distinguish between
  the facts and opinions presented by the writer.

• Research the nutritional value of your favorite garden vegetable and then
  write a script for a 60-second advertisement designed to get more people to grow and eat it.

Source: California School Garden Network: Gardens for Learning