Teaching & Learning outside (Finding these places) Gardening and more...

http://www.slowfoodusa.org/index.php/events/detail/the_growing_classroom_an_introduction_to_garden-based_learning1/

Excerpt:

The Growing Classroom: An Introduction to Garden-Based Learning

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Santa Cruz, CA,
Thu, March 22, 2012
9am-3:30pm
Life Lab’s Garden Classroom, Santa Cruz, CA
This two-day workshop, located at Life Lab’s Garden Classroom in
Santa Cruz, CA, is ideal for those interested in supplementing their
existing science program with garden-based learning. Using The Growing
Classroom activity guide for grades 2-6, you’ll experience hands-on
activities, learn basic science concepts and gardening techniques, and
develop management strategies for a school gardening program. Find out how
to teach the standards while you guide students through the natural cycles
of the garden. You’ll receive Life Lab’s 460-page book, The Growing
Classroom as well as many other ideas and resources. 2 semester units of
graduate education credit available.
Cost: $300.
Registration deadline: 3/8/12.
Date of Event: 03/22/2012
Event Name: The Growing Classroom: An Introduction to Garden-Based Learning
Location, City, State: Life Lab’s Garden Classroom, Santa Cruz, CA
Time of Event: 9am-3:30pm
Price: $300
RSVP: http://www.lifelab.org/workshops
Website: http://www.lifelab.org/
Phone: 831-459-3833

http://www.lifelab.org/2011/11/online-lessons/
Excerpt:

“Help! I’m the New Garden Parent” – Online Lessons and Resources for Garden Educators

<< Worm Composting Resources and Video |

Recently, my friend who has become the "garden parent" for her son's school lamented to me, "I know how to garden, but what am I going to do with 10 kindergarteners in the garden?" There is a world of difference between gardening in your yard and gardening with a class of kids. Although not essential, gardening skills help, but having lesson plans and ideas about outdoor classroom management can create a garden educator who can bring learning to life in the garden.

All of the following can be found at our School Garden Resource page, but for the person wanting to get a quick start, I often share the following:

• Managing an Effective Outdoor Classroom handouts and videos of lessons
• Various Scavenger Hunts
• Easy School Garden Activities "Back Pocket Activities" 
• Worm Bin Bingo Cards plus links to teacher guides for lessons on worms
• Fun Edible Activity 
• 1st-4th Grade Science Exploration Lessons 
• A whole other page of resources related to Garden Enhanced Nutrition Education

Of course the best resource is having a book in hand. Life Lab's Publication page lists our curriculum and activity guides. Most publication descriptions have sample activities to view, including one of my favorite activities Six of One, Half Dozen of the Other.

Now once you get the taste for teaching in the garden, you'll want to visit for a Garden Classroom Workshop….

More tips for browsing our website

Click around in the right hand column for blog content themes (Browse Posts) and other links to school garden content.

Stay connected to Life Lab

http://www.lifelab.org/for-educators/workshops/gcworkshops/ell/
Excerpt:

Supporting English Learners in Science

Audience

K-12 teachers

Location and Cost Options

* Life Lab's Garden Classroom on the UC Santa Cruz Campus:  $150/participant View all scheduled upcoming Garden Classroom workshops  1 unit of semester credit available per day.
or
* Your school site:  $1,500/day plus travel for 1 trainer.  25 participant maximum.  1 unit of semester credit available per day.

Workshop Description

This one-day workshop is designed for K-12 classroom teachers of English Learners. Science content and process skills provide an excellent opportunity for students to develop their English language skills. Using science lessons, based on current grade level standards, we will discuss effective strategies for creating reading, writing, listening and speaking opportunities for your students.
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Excerpt:

Upcoming Workshops in the Life Lab Garden Classroom:

Saturday, March 10, 2012 – 9AM-3PM
Supporting English Learners in Science – See More Details – Cost: $150/person. 1 semester unit of graduate education credit available for an additional $60. Registration deadline, February 24, 2012.

Use this form to pay by check or purchase order


Thursday – Friday, March 22-23, 2012 – 9AM-3:30PM
The Growing Classroom: Intro to Garden-Based Learning – See More Details – Cost: $300/person. 1 semester unit of graduate education credit available per day for an additional $60 fee per day. Registration deadline, March 8, 2012

http://www.lifelab.org/2003/04/outdoor-management/
Excerpt:

Managing an Effective Outdoor Classroom

<< Sustaining Your School Garden | | Summer Vacation for Your Garden >>

Managing an Effective Outdoor Classroom – Taken from The Life Lab Garden Times, Spring 2003.
More resources on effective outdoor management:

• Life Lab's Effective Outdoor Management Handout (4 pages)
• Observe School Garden Lessons taught by veteran garden instructors
• View our Easy "Back Pocket" Activities that all garden teachers should have ready to share. Many of these work well as independent learning garden stations.
• FOSS Science Curriculum and The Boston Schoolyard Alliance teamed up to create Taking FOSS Outdoors Folio, a 28 page guide for teaching science outdoors. Their site also has videos of teachers instructing outdoors.

"I would love to take my students out to the school garden more often, but I'm not sure how to manage that many kids." -Kim Stadler, Teacher comment at a Life Lab workshop
The idea of conducting serious academic work with a class of 28 students in an outdoor setting can be daunting for some teachers and administrators. In many schools, students go outdoors for two primary purposes, >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Their site
Excerpt:
Taking FOSS Outdoors

Here is a list of all K-6 modules that have a corresponding Science in the Schoolyard™ Guide. These guides were created by the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, in conjunction with the Boston Public Schools Science Department and BPS teachers. Click the name of the module to download the guide.

Grade Level	Module Name
Kindergarten	Animals Two by Two		Wood and Paper
Grades 1-2	Air and Weather	Insects	New Plants	Pebbles, Sand, and Silt
Grades 3-4	Magnetism and Electricity	Physics of Sound	Structures of Life	Water
Grades 5-6	Landforms		Levers and Pulleys

The Taking FOSS Outdoors Folio will give you general guidance for taking your students outdoors, including choosing a study site; managing time, space, students, and materials; and general teaching strategies.
The Science in the Schoolyard™ video (below), from the Boston Schoolyard Initiative, shows teachers and students taking science outdoors. It demonstrates both practical tips for taking your class outdoors and strategies for managing time outside. See the chapter index to the right of the video for a list of the parts of the video, including what FOSS modules are used as examples.
Science in the Schoolyard™ Video

Select a chapter from the list below.

Getting Started (9:10)

Kindergarten (Wood and Paper) (4:21)

Multi-handicapped Class (grades K-3) (Animals Two by Two) (3:48)

Grade 1 (Air and Weather) (3:42)

Grade 2 (Insects) (3:32)

Substantially Separate grade 5 (Water) (6:58)

Grade 5 (Landforms) (4:31)

Grade 5 (Levers and Pulleys) (6:14)

Credits (0:47)

Play All (43:03)

Note: In order to view the PDFs, you will need Adobe Reader or a similar PDF reader. To view the video, you

"Inedible Egg" - SlowFoodUSA.org/egg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYtG3TScwBg

http://www.facebook.com/pages/GMO-Free-NorthWest-FL-applicable-world-wide/199011343506022
Excerpt:

GMO Free NorthWest FL (applicable world-wide)

Ah, our "friends" at the FDA still opting for BigAg's interests instead of the consumer. Note this story has a link at the end to submit comments so please make your opposition to this decision loud and clear.

» News: FDA Won’t Act Against Ag Antibiotic Use

http://www.wired.com/

With no notice other than a holiday-eve posting in the Federal Register, the US Food and Drug Administration has reneged on its long-stated intention to compel large-scale agriculture to curb over-use of agricultural antibiotics, which it had planned to do by reversing its approval for putting penic...

December 26, 2011 at 7:04am

http://www.thetruthaboutdow.org/section.php?id=36
Excerpt:

GMOs: How Chemical Companies Alter our Environments and our Bodies

The technology of Genetic Engineering (GE) is the practice of altering or disrupting the genetic blueprints of living organisms-plants, trees, fish, animals, humans, and microorganisms. Large corporations such as DowAgrosciences, Monsanto and Syngenta intend to monopolize the global market for seeds, foods, fiber, and medical products.
With little or no regulatory restraints, labeling requirements, or scientific protocol, bio-engineers have begun creating hundreds of new GE "Frankenfoods" and crops. The research is done with little concern for the human and environmental hazards and the negative socioeconomic impacts on the world's several billion farmers and rural villagers.