Best Practices in Middle School Gardens

Middle school teachers, staff, students, volunteers and administrators across California are interested in establishing and sustaining instructional gardens. To build on the work that has been done at the elementary school level, the California Department of Education and the UC Davis Children.

Each school story provides a glimpse into the ways garden programs can be structured and the myriad rich opportunities they offer. They show the wealth of experience of teachers and garden coordinators who have worked with youth in hands-on settings. From them, we can see how instructional gardens support

  • California State Content Standard
  • Environmental Education
  • Service Learning
  • Culinary Arts
  • Community Partnerships
  • …and more

Farmers, Festivals & Friendships: A Mosaic of Gardens

Baird Middle School, Fresno, CA Baird Middle School is a student-centered campus where friendships and festivals abound.

Reflecting the Valley: Life Skills through Agriculture

Blaker Kinser Junior High School, Ceres, CA

Building Partnerships: The Team Comes First

Gardening in an Urban Setting: Empowering Students

Claremont Middle School, Oakland, CA Claremont Middle School sits at a busy urban intersection, shops on one side, neighborhood on the other, and underneath one of the many freeways crisscrossing the East Bay. With space, in short supply, the staff and students have managed to create a lively school garden. Teams of students designed and installed a garden graced with whimsical art.

Around the World in the Garden: Growing Curriculm

Emerson Junior High School, Davis, CA

Stewards by the Sea: Science Education in the Garden

Los Osos Middle School, San Luis Obispo, CA

Culinary Arts and School Gardens: The Perfect Marriage

Petaluma Junior High School, Petaluma, CA

The Culinary Arts Program

Perennial Partnerships

Roosevelt Middle School, International Baccalaureate Magnet San Diego, CA

University Heights Middle School

Helping Kids Help Themselves: Service Learning and the Garden University Heights Middle School, Riverside, CA

A River Runs Through It: Ecology in Action

Carmel Middle School, Carmel CA

We are stewards of the earth.” That’s what we want the kids to walk away with—every decision they make and everything they do add up to behavioral and life changes in the world.” John Muir