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MOUNTAIN OAKS STUDENTS MAKE A
GARDEN GROW
A song floats from Miss Walker's classroom window at Mountain Oaks Charter
School.
"Inch by inch, row by row, we're going to make this garden grow. All
you need is a rake and a hoe and a piece of fertile ground," the second
and third-graders sing.
 Their parents and friends, who have joined them for a spring tea, applaud
the song and the poems and skits that come afterward.
They all make their way down to the school's courtyard, and the students
proudly give their guests tours of their new garden - a garden they planned
and planted themselves, with the help of Jessica Bean.
As part of her senior project at Prescott College, Bean developed and implemented
a garden curriculum for 15 second and third-graders at Mountain Oaks Charter
School.
"Miss Bean came in for eight class periods twice a week and took a
plot of dirt and made it into a beautiful garden," said second and third-grade
teacher Sarah Walker. "It's been a great program for my students because
it helps them understand practical things. It's a really valuable lesson
for them that they can start with nothing and get a wonderful garden."
The goal of the project, according to Bean, was to connect kids to their
food so they understand where it comes from. She integrated many concepts
she had learned while doing an internship with Common Roots, an environmental
education organization in Montpelier, Vt., that designs curriculum for elementary
schools that utilize gardens as a method for studying science and cultural
history.
"Gardening ties our ecological and cultural landscapes together and
is something easy that kids can do," Bean said. "On the first day
of class, the kids all took their lunches out and we made a backward timeline
to where their food originates."
In addition to lessons about the responsibilities of farmers and what foods
can grow in the Prescott area, the students spent an afternoon at Sharlot
Hall Museum, learning what people did before there were grocery stores.
 The students then planned the garden and voted on what to plant, including
carrots, eggplants, potatoes, peas, artichokes, strawberries, bee balm, corn,
sunflowers, gourds, pumpkins, lettuce, nasturtiums, marigolds and various
herbs. A chart hangs on the classroom wall for students to record when their
crops sprout, what bugs they see in the garden and the chores they have to
do to maintain the garden.
(Third-grader Adam Tucker and Jessica Bean look to see what plants have
sprouted in the garden.)
"I was very surprised when they chose to plant artichokes," said
Bean, "but it was a unanimous decision."
The spring tea party gives the students the opportunity to show their parents
and friends around the garden and share some of the bounty they have received
thus far.
"We made mint jelly out of mint leaves that we'll put on bread," explained
third-grader Adam Tucker.
They also made sun tea from various herbs in the garden, explained second-grader
Mark Winter.
The garden, which was planted in early April, will have to be watered and
weeded over the summer. Bean hopes this is an opportunity for parents and
friends to become involved in the project. During the tea, many signed up
to help with summer chores.
When asked about their favorite part of the garden project, the students
had a hard time choosing just one thing, mostly answering "Everything."
"I liked the whole thing," said third-grader Michelle Maxwell. "And
getting muddy."
"I liked getting messy and planting the strawberries," said third-grader
Patrick Davis.
"We were so lucky to have Miss Bean work with us on our garden and
as a classroom teacher," said teacher Sarah Walker, adding that the
garden would continue to be a class project.
For Bean, the experience was very rewarding. "These students have such
incredible enthusiasm and energy. They're learning so much so fast. I've
grown a lot as a classroom teacher by working with this age group."
After graduating in May with a degree in environmental education, Bean plans
to continue teaching, though is unsure in what capacity. "I feel called
to teaching because it's such important and rewarding work."
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