Welcome to the "Gardening in PE" #ESPEChat My name is Bob Knipe and I will be moderating tonight's Elementary School Physical Education Chat - EveryBODY is Welcome to Join in the chatter
Hello #ESPEChat. I am Alex Adams, PK-2 PE teacher from Nashville TN. Supper excited for today's topic. My wife is starting a Farm at our school next year. Want to incorporate gardening into my curriculum. Great Life Skill.
Hello #ESPEChat - I am Hannah, representing West Virginia Univeristy. I am currently finishing up my doctorate here at WVU with a research focus on school garden programming in Washington, DC. Looking forward to hearing all of your feedback about PE and gardening!
A1) We used to. School construction necessitated it be removed though. I'm hoping to start a community garden/gardening club of some kind once all of our construction is done #espechat
A1 My school does not have a garden, we have space and the FACS and FFA teacher would be willing to help me get one started. We just have work out details bc they are only at my bldg for 1 semester and then go to another bldg. #espechat
A1. @UTElementary we have had a school garden for over 10 years. It is used as an outdoor classroom to both learn about and through the space #ESPEChat
Nope, we are smack dab in the middle of Winnipeg. Our school is attached to the parish and the extra room next to our gym is a blacktop. However, we are looking at a new playground sometime soon...garden maybe??? #espechat
A1. @UTElementary we have had a school garden for over 10 years. It is used as an outdoor classroom to both learn about and through the space #ESPEChat
It was there before I got to the district. I think it was started with grant money. The extra Ts are always brought up as possible cuts but the community won't let that happen. #ESPEChat
A1 - we do have a garden but I’m not sure if the school tends it anymore. We have a large Hmong population in the neighborhood and gardening is a major part of their culture, so I often see community members in it. #espechat
A2) Every summer since we bought our house. The previous owner had a big garden in front and in the backyard. Since then, my wife and I have learned many things about gardening and it's how I use many of my summer days! #timewellspent#espechat
A2. I have and do garden personally, taught gardening to elementary aged students, presented on school gardens at conferences and I have led trainings for teachers starting and implementing school gardens as tools for learning about nutrition and the environment #ESPEChat
A2) I would like to think I have somewhat of a green thumb. I have grown up planting small gardens in my yard as well as starting seedlings in the early spring. #espechat
@StephenRitz is my inspiration for having little to no gardening space! If you are going to @SHAPE_America this year, he is our keynote speaker. #ESPEChat
A2: I don't garden at home, I personally tend to kill all that I try to grow. At school, the classroom Ts sign up for the garden time, so I am not a part of it. #ESPEChat
A2: All my gardening experience comes from helping my wife. Want to learn more. Think it is important life skill to promote physical activity and healthy eating. #ESPEChat
A2: I have no experience with gardening although I admire those who do. I was big on maintaining a nice yard at my house which helped grow my plant life knowledge. #espechat
A2) Have grown lettuce, peas, strawberries, broccoli, kale, swiss chard, carrots, herbs, squash, green beans, cucumbers, melons, tomatoes and peppers over the years #ESPEChat
A2: I have helped with some of the labor stuff but haven’t been able to help grow much. We have parent volunteers and a teacher who are all trained as master gardeners and the kids get to plant most of the plants #espechat
A2: Very little! I've had some luck trying at home. Which is why I'm glad my FACS/FFA teacher is willing to help out. I love fresh veggies and would love to see the Ss grow and taste their own foods. #espechat
a2 we ALWAYS planted flowers and a few vegetables growing up... now not so much. wish we could have done more when we were at our house in NC #espechat
In today's day in age when they are bombarded by ads from the Food Industry, they absolutely need to know where real food comes from and how much investment it takes to go from seed to plate #espechat
A3) I personally think PE needs to morph into more of a "wellness" class where there is less focus on sport skills and more on gardening, nutrition and cooking. If we want to see the change, we have to be the change in order for the paradigm to shift #espechat
A3 I believe Physical Educators can use school garden leadership to change stakeholders perception of programs. I feel that in models like #CSH and #WSCC gardens play a nice centerpiece to the conversation #ESPEChat
A3: I think it could. The problem is I'm not sure I know how to implement it effectively enough to make worthy of the minimal time we get with our kids. I think there would be a lot of trial and error. #espechat
A3 Yes. Gardening requires physical effort. Their is science being growing a plant and the nutrition part of what nutrients are in the plants being grown. #ESPEChat
A3 - I think there is definitely a connection to be made with what choices we make in keeping our bodies healthy. Also, digging and managing a garden requires some skill and exercise! #espechat
nutrition has fallen on deaf ears in spite of of my energy, ideas, or currilculum. the only thing that ignites them is planting the seeds and eating the results. #espechat
Couldn't agree more. The money-hungry, corrupt Food Industry only cares about profits. Our kids deserve better and what better way to teach about real food than by getting dirty in the garden #espechat
Exactly! Just like #physicalliteracy! The kids I’ve worked with in our school gardens develop such a strong connection with food. They used to pick all the snap peas before we could harvest them, eating them right off the branch during recess!
A3: It def has a place in my health curriculum, but I can see gardening as a lifetime activity. When I've helped my gma, I def burned some calories! #espechat
A3) Nutrition and heavy focus on what you put into your body has always been a topic in the health world. I think this is an important life skill that all students should know and learn. #espechat
Besides genetics, what you put into your body is the next biggest factor in your overall health...much more so than exercise. We need to shift more towards a model within schools that reflects this #espechat
A3: If our goal is to have students be able to lead physical and HEALTHY life's then the question must be how can you be successful installing competency without valuing gardening. At the very least teach students the value of eating organic and local. #ESPEChat
A3: I think they go hand in hand it does also steer students towards better food choices which is perfect for helping students make connections to nutrition content in our standards and lifelong healthy choices. Also adds tools for growing their own healthy food #espechat
A3 I do certainly think there’s a place for it. Tying it into nutrition when talking about food groups or developing a healthier breakfast, lunch, dinner plate option using the food/herbs we are growing in our school garden #espechat
Right, diet makes or breaks your health routine. I used to work with personal trainers that reminded everyone that “abs are made in the kitchen”! #espechat
A4. Depending on the size of the garden it could contribute to PA so National Standard 3 and it also contributes to Standard 5 which speaks to valuing a healthy and active lifestyle #ESPEChat
A4) If you've ever tilled by hand, you know its hard work that gets your HR up...that's Standard 3. Gardening teaches values such as personal responsibility, challenge, teamwork, which all tie in to Standards 4 and 5 #espechat
Agree that’s why I’m greatful that the parent volunteers do a lot of the garden work with the kids. I can harness what they learn there in class. #ESPEChat
A4: Mathematics: area, volume, spacing, Stats, 80/20 principal. Computer programming: use to introduce algorithms and debugging concept. Not sure what standard hard work falls under. #ESPEChat
A4)Must be able to see the future as I stated in my previous answer for Q3 that it teaches personal/social responsibility, standards 4 and 5, which are often overlooked compared to other standards #espechat
Oooh go Alex with the cross curricular idea! Perfect! Could you imagine working with your math department and science department to do a joint project?! #espechat#dreams
A4: a lot of NCSS standards as well as all state or national health and PE standards regarding nutrition. If students reflect and write about experiences more standards can be harnessed #espechat
A4 Looking at specifically standard 3 & 4 in the CA standards for grades 7/8. Interweaving it with one week fitness plan as well as how it effects your performance which in turn impacts your goal setting #espechat
In MB Science Curriculum: Gr. 1 - Characteristics & Needs of Living Things & Daily/Seasonal Changes; Grade 2 - Air & Water in the Environment; Grade 3 - Growth & Change in Plants & Soils in the Environment; Grade 4 - Habitats #espechat
I think they need to live it to truly change their values. Ideally, if we could have Ss and Ps doing the gardening together somehow, that is the biggest win-win to change habits and behaviors #espechat
Truly the only parent comments I ever received about nutrition, food, groceries, and cooking started when their child planted. 14 years-not a word. Planting a seed-floodgate the last 3 years #espechat
A5 - community connection. Making a direct and tangible connection to nutrition concepts that are abstract. Working hard to grow something and literally seeing the results. #espechat
A5: Our garden program allows Ss to see where food comes from, take home and share w families what they grew. They actually ask where food comes from! #ESPEChat
Ss need to know that developing a fitness plan isn’t enough, they should also make dietary changes. Why not start with tracking their intake and evolving it into developing food plans that will help them obtain their fitness goals. I don’t know if that made more sense #espechat
A5 Children will eat what they grow, they will respect food more, the garden is a community asset that all take care of so it helps build community, it also helps with Science and Health Standards so other teachers can utilize it as a classroom space #ESPEChat
A5: Just as @Mr_C_PE said, I agree that it's more important to teach about healthy eating choices above all else; finding out where food comes from, being informed #espechat
A5) So many benefits...teaches perseverance and problem solving, caring for something besides themselves, increased PA, health concepts, science concepts, math concepts, etc... #espechat
A5: Ss would begin to appreciate the hard work it takes to grow food, learn to grow food for themselves, and possible how to use what is grown in cooking (another cross-curricular connection). #ESPEChat
A5 cont) Also, gardening is a great hobby that helps with many different life skills - decision making, research, outside PA, patience (lots of it) #espechat
Absolutely hands on makes a difference! They will try anything that grows in our garden. We also have a salad bar option on Wednesday’s and it is a popular choice for students. We are not an affluent school so the access to and excitement over a salad bar is awesome #ESPEChat
A6 - I think building one is a huge barrier. Second is building a community that values gardening and will use it. Too often I see gardens die when a teacher leaves a school because he/she was he only one invested. #espechat
A4 We’ve definitely eluded to this, there’s so much more to food than Takis and red fingertips. It allows for a sense of value to wellness in all of its realms and how it affects a lot of aspects in our lives! #espechat
A6) Red tape from school district. "Powers that be" worried about students eating food from a garden grown on school property for liability reasons. Funny how they have no problem approving junk filled with high fructose corn syrup for the kids to eat at lunch though... #espechat
A6. Regionally weather doesnt permit in ground gardening during the school year, Teachers arent trained on how to bring learning alive in the garden classroom, Money to build it, Space in urban settings, but its worth it when you see a kid experience the it #ESPEChat
A6 long term investment. Ss and Ts buyin May be there initially, but not sure what happens when they move on to new schools or the next batch of Ts come in #espechat
A6. For me it would be timing. We are not in school for most of the growing season. We would need to focus on spring crops like lettuce and spinach. #espechat
@Mr_C_PE: Bet you’re wondering where @coachfoe is! Unfortunately, he has a district @IAHPERD meeting tonight. He’ll be sad he missed this. Our family benefits all year long from his hard work in the garden! Nothing better than fresh veggies, rasp., cherries, etc. #espechat
In reply to
@Mr_C_PE, @PEplanter, @kniper1, @smartintahoe, @Mr_C_PE, @CoachFoe, @IAHPERD
A6: Traditional soil obstacle>barely enough warm, sunny days in a school year in Michigan. I looked for other ways and do indoor vertical growing too. #espechat
A6: support from parents, the community (grants built ours) , partnerships ( we have a partnership with @DPSS_CalFresh and the @UCDavis ‘s extension program) without our that it can be difficult to start and maintain #ESPEChat
A5- a worthwhile participation trophy. All Ss, with the appropriate help from a T, could be successful and earn the rewards properly and with just cause #espechat
A6 Having the means, if it weren’t for our grant I’m not sure that we would have one. Also, there’s some passion behind it— that one person or -s on campus that has the knack for it and wants to implement it #espechat
Oy, killer autocorrect. Yes, aquaponics. We built tabletop ones during a summer program one year. STEM, gardening, collaboration - amazing fun! #espechat
A6) Time, money, support, and space. Gardening does take a lot
of time and care. Schools that only run for 9 months out of the year will need someone to commit over the summer season. #espechat
A6: Figuring out the logistics, maintaining year round, planning similar but dif areas so all hours have a chance to be apart of each aspect. #espechat
A7 I say collaboration, collaboration and some more collaboration! Work on a project together with the teacher or staff member in charge of the school garden to build some wheels for the relationship between both subject matters #espechat
Great pic! All of the above are options. I personally don't like canned veggies...I guess I'm a fresh veggie snob lol. I usually give all of my surplus harvest away #espechat
.@smsandino So true. its this community that can help build a school that is health minded. A healthy community where kids can grow and learn. A place to experience a healthy and active lifestyle #ESPEChat
Awesome chat tonight everyone. The great ideas and discussion have me ready to go plow my garden plot...good thing the weather is warming up here in MD! #espechat
