STEM FOR LIFE GARDEN
The John Muir Elementary Foundation STEM FOR LIFE GARDEN at John Muir Elementary School was completed in October 2022!
We are on a mission to introduce our students to the joy of gardening. Our focus is on three key elements: Play, Connection, and Nutrition.
“This is a really good mix of what the [science]standards are and what they [students]are doing hands on…These are visuals we don’t have in the classroom.”
— Rafael Ortiz, John Muir Teacher
Play:
Play is the primary medium for children to learn. A garden-based science program will enable children to play and feel the soil, bringing to life concepts such as photosynthesis and pollination that they learn in the classroom.
Connection:
In an urban school environment, the majority of our students find their food preprocessed and wrapped in multiple layers of plastic. In the garden, our students will learn about the interconnectedness between the soil, the nutrients, the organisms and humans.
Nutrition:
Throughout their time in the garden ranger program, students get to taste what they’re growing. From peas to peppers, chard to celery, there’s nothing like the experience of trying new things to point young palates in the direction of healthy, fresh, food.
Why A Garden?
Research suggests that engaging students in real-life environments such as a garden is an important way to learn to tackle problems scientifically, as well as introduce concepts of biology, conservation, soil science, and nutrition. It also encourages the cooperation and problem-solving skills important for them to become the best adults they can be.
Glendale is a diverse city within Los Angeles County. John Muir Elementary School is located in a working-class neighborhood made up largely of Hispanic and Armenian immigrants, as well as sizable populations of Filipino descent. Almost half of our students speak a language other than English outside of school and are considered English learners, and 72 percent qualify for free or reduced lunch. The school serves about 800 students.
How Can You Support Us?
John Muir Elementary Foundation, the nonprofit dedicated to enriching student experiences with STEAM, and John Muir Elementary have teamed up with the EnrichLA Garden Ranger program to develop and teach the curriculum to our students, as well as maintain the garden.
But it costs money. Won’t you consider a donation?
