Kelly Middle School

Kelly Middle School began construction of their school garden in 2011 as a teaching resource for their Science Classes. In 2013, the School Garden Project began teaching STEM based curriculum to students in 4J's BEST after school program. Kelly's garden was still new and underdeveloped so throughout the school year students had the opportunity to create their own garden: experimenting with soil, building cloches, designing beds and creating a space for beneficial animals who might make their home there. Students applied their Math and Science skills to create their garden layout, plant efficiently, monitor soil temperature and to create a beautiful space that would inspire their fellow students to get involved with the garden.

Middle school is a great age to teach how to develop a garden. Students form their own opinions and ideas and are able to think more critically regarding the placement of beds and plants and their interactions with light and seasonal climates. Students at this age enjoy harder work that is more complicated and involves a lot of math and planning, in the end they feel greatly rewarded at seeing a patch of grass become an edible forest landscape. In this Blog you will find reflections of STEM in the Garden being taught at the Middle School Level, ideas for going further with the basic components given in the curriculum as well as the students stories of their own success in transforming a barren corner of the school into a wonderful garden!