‘ We believe that the natural world — the marvelous interwoven communities of plants, animals and other creatures formed through the agencies of Fire, Water, Air and Earth — is truly our first Teacher, our first Classroom and Curriculum. We believe that academic, social and moral lessons appropriate to every age may be drawn from observing, experiencing, and working with the Earth and the natural world.
– Adele Seronde – Founder, Gardens for Humanity
We have renamed our “School Gardens” program “Learning Gardens.” This is more realistic of the role gardens play in developing knowledge and appreciation of our relationship to the natural world. Some of our youth learning gardens are not in schools, but rather in libraries, and other organizations that serve in youth development.
Gardens for Humanity assists with learning gardens throughout our community from site evaluation, to building the garden team, to developing the garden, to helping with activities and learning resources that engage children in in learning in all subject areas. With our awareness of state, national, and STEAM standards across the curriculum, children are enriched academically as well as gaining valuable skills in environmental education and the arts.
If your school, library or organiztion would like to start a garden, garden club, or garden themed activity, contact our Learning Gardens Coordinator.
Starting a School Garden – Step-by-Step (pdf)
Arizona Gardens for Learning – creating and sustaining your garden (pdf)
Planning Your Dream Garden (m4v – view with movie player full screen)
Growing, Eating, Living – A Garden Guide for Head Start (pdf)
Waldorf inspired Garden Curriculum K-3
Flagstaff Food Link Elementary School Garden Curricula aligned to AZ academic standards
Creating and Growing Edible Schoolyards – A How to Manual for School Professionals (pdf)
Outdoor Classroom User’s Guide (pdf)
Flagstaff Food Link Secondary School Garden Curricula aligned to AZ academic standards
Composting in the Classroom -Scientific Inquiry for High School Students (pdf)
Model program for young adults: Youth Agriculture Project
An Integrated K-8 Guide for Discovering Science, Ecology, and Whole-Systems Thinking
Garden & Sustainability Curriculum Schema (pdf)
Higher Education – Career Pathways in Sustainable Education
National Gardening Association-Kids’ Gardening
Dig In! – Western Growers Foundation
National Gardening Association-Adopt a School Garden
Boston Schoolyard Initiative-Design, curriculum materials, professional development
The Arizona Association for Environmental Education
AZ Master Gardeners Vegetable Planting Guide
Kids Gardening Educator Resources
Children and Nature – Tools and Resources
Youth and Garden Education – what works
Find and choose a program you like, and help to expand and flourish it.
Gardens for Humanity acknowledges that we work and gather upon the ancestral homeland of the Yavapai-Apache Nation. We honor, with gratitude, the land itself and the Yavapai and Apache people who have lived here for millennia and who remain a vital part of this community today.