JTS School Gardens

By:

               For more than 15 years, J.T. Stevens has  made great use of the school's outdoor space by creating gardens. The gardens have gone through many changes over time. About seven years ago, our school recieved funding to improve upon our outdoor learning environment. P lans were made and put in place to create a garden plot for each classroom. Parents, teachers and students all played a part in the construction of these special garden plots. These green spaces not only serve to make our school more attractive, but also function as an outdoor learning environment. Students are able to see first hand the many stages of plant life. It is a much more memorable and effective experience than seeing illustrations in a book. The kids get to see, touch, smell, hear and taste everything nature has to offer. You will find a variety of plant life and other attractions in the JTS gardens.

             One of the most beautiful spots on campus is the butterfly garden. It boasts a variety of flowering plants that attract butterflies for all to enjoy. We often collect fruit scraps for this garden, which helps to attract even more of these magical creatures (along with lightening the load in the garbage). Watch your step around the cactus garden! There are several varieties of cactus that grow throughout the year. Visitors to the J.T. Stevens gardens will also enjoy scoping out the lizard motel and fossil garden, which features fossils created by students in art class. Gardens are marked with mosaic stepping stones also decorated by students with the help of our amazing art teacher. Students have also completed applied learning projects to create bird houses and a bird bath for our garden areas. 

           The kindergarten students have taken part in a special project for two years and counting. Kids helped to plant potatoes in one of the largest plots on campus. In the spring, students (with help from teachers) harvest the 'crop' of potatoes and donate it to a local food pantry. It is exciting to see the impact our gardens have on the community.

           Teachers take their students to the gardens for many projects. Science connections are obvious and easy to make. However, our teachers get pretty creative. Kids learn about measurement and estimation in the garden areas. The gardens also inspire poetry and stories. Students sometimes take pictures outdoors and recreate their photo in art class. We have even had a few musical performances outdoors. During a 'Green Day' event a few years ago, students took part in an 'unnature' scavenger hunt, in which they had to discover anything that was man made. All of these projects serve as valuable, memorable learning experiences for our kids.

        The gardens are maintained by teachers and students. Every Wednesday morning (7AM) the garden club meets to do any extra weeding, composting or planting that needs to be done. These are some dedicated gardeners! Parents get involved from time to time, which makes our gardens a place for the community.

          In a world where technology rules, it is important to have a place where kids can learn to love nature. For kids who live off of fast food, it is an important lesson for them to see how food is grown. We are very thankful to have this amazing outdoor learning enviroment. It is a place where our kids can grow...right along side the plants, flowers and trees!