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Garden-Based Learning  

​"Let Nature Be Your Teacher" -William Wordsworth
Farm to School Program

 

The LMPTG partners with Rooted to employ a part-time Farm to School Specialist through the Americorp Farm to School Program. By participating in this program our schools receive help with planning, development, and maintenance of our school gardens, in addition to providing nutrition and garden-based lessons to students. We are excited to welcome Emily Scott for another year. 

Emily is a second year Farm to School Specialist.  She implements programming at Lapham and Marquette, as well as Elvehjem Elementary and Mendota Community Schools and La Follette High School.  In the fall and spring, you will find Emily working with the students in the school garden, focusing on environmental education, teaching the students how to grow food, going on tasty tours, and more!  In the winter, Emily moves programming indoors and teaches nutrition education to the students.  Last year, Emily and her colleagues involved their students in growing lettuce to be featured on the school menus, and she hopes to make more developments procuring local foods onto the school menu this year.

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Lapham Outdoor Classroom and Community Garden
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What do kids learn in the Outdoor Classroom?

Watch this short video to learn more!

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Want to help out with the Garden Classes?

Sign up here to help with classes in the Lapham garden!

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Our garden offers endless opportunities for learning both through structured lessons as well as

independent exploration. Through regular visits to the garden we strive to:

 

  • Increase outdoor time, exercise and healthy eating through first-hand experience growing and tasting fruits and vegetables

  • Expose students to hands‐on environmental education opportunities

  • Connect students to the natural world inspiring an appreciation and respect for nature 

  • Offer students experiential garden-based learning activities and encourage the integration of garden activities into classroom curriculum

  • Build community within our school by offering community work days, social gatherings; volunteer opportunities, and giving Lapham-Marquette families priority in our "Adopt-the-Garden-for-a-Week" summer program

  • Build community beyond our school's walls by inviting summer school and scout programs to utilize the garden; inviting our neighbors to participate in our "Adopt-the-Garden-for-a-Week" summer program; growing food and donating it to neighborhood food pantries; and providing a relaxing, fun, educational garden for people of all ages to enjoy!

The Green Team

 

The Green Team meets several times a year to discuss garden needs and programming. All Lapham and Marquette families, staff and community members are welcome to attend. Meetings are announced through the Lapham Garden & Green Team Facebook Page, PTG Facebook Page and the PTG Email List.

 

Objectives

  • Ensure sustainability of our program.

  • Organize garden events and workdays.

  • Maintain classroom participation and provide teachers the support they need to lead classroom visits.

  • Recruit and maintain garden volunteers (school and community)

  • Recruit  Green Team Committee members

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Get Involved

 

There are many ways to contribute, whether you have a few hours to spare or you would like to make a longer-term commitment:

  • Volunteer in the garden (especially during the summer) to help with planting, weeding, watering and harvesting

  • Lead, participate or donate to a garden fundraiser

  • Research, write and apply for grants to fund garden programming and projects

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