School gardens

Science in the Garden

by Sue Howarth

Presentation to school teachers at the Malvern (Worcestershire, UK) Spring Gardening Show, May 2012

The role of Physics and Chemistry in gardening is briefly considered; the rest of the presentation focuses on Biology... more The role of Physics and Chemistry in gardening is briefly considered; the rest of the presentation focuses on Biology and sources of help, mainly UK based, and other ideas for anyone wanting to start up a school garden plus some  examples of successful school gardens including competition gardens

Gardens at home, gardens at school: Diet and food crop diversity in two Q'eqchi'communities in Southern Belize

by douglas reeser

A district-wide school garden project has been initiated in the Toledo District of Southern Belize in response to... more A district-wide school garden project has been initiated in the Toledo District of Southern Belize in response to reported high rates of poverty and undernutrition. This paper will discuss research conducted in the summer of 2007 with Q'eqchi' Maya in the Toledo District to determine the effect of school gardens on household diet and gardening, the composition of the household diet, and the makeup of homegardens. Food frequency questionnaires and semi-structured interviews were conducted in two rural villages, one with a school garden program and one without. Various members of NGOs working on school garden projects in the district were also interviewed about the functionality and purpose of the projects. Results discussed herein include the limited effects of the school garden program, the role that both homegardens and school gardens play in household diet and nutrition, the diverse array of fruit trees utilized by the Q’eqchi, and a description and inventory of a typical Q'eqchi' homegarden in Belize.

Creative Gardening as a STEM Club Activity

by Sue Howarth

Co-authored with Linda Scott, University of Worcester.  Published in School Science Review, March 2012, 93(344) p18-22

Gardening creatively makes an engaging STEM / Science Club project all year round.  A list of organisations such... more Gardening creatively makes an engaging STEM / Science Club project all year round.  A list of organisations such as the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Science and Plants in Schools (SAPS) that provide help for school pupils and teachers is provided along with examples of school gardens that have been particularly successful.