November 2015 Photo Moment of the Month

Learning Doesn't Stop at 3pm...

When school let out on Tuesdays this fall, 60 students came to our Blooming Classroom educational garden in Watsonville to connect with nature, science, healthy food and each other in academically enriched after-school programs. The children learned about and ate the six plant parts (*can you name them?), harvested popcorn - as seen in this month's photo - and explored garden habitats together. Students from H.A. Hyde, Amesti and Calabasas Elementary Schools all visited the garden multiple times for hands-on learning and inspiration. They are excited to do even more in their own school gardens now, and we're helping their teachers with that, too.

Soil, Soil,
You help us grow seeds,
and the seeds help us,
give us air, and you are soft and dirty
and odorless and brown,
and cool likes rocks and diamonds.

~ Soil song written by elementary students Luis, Christian, and José at the Blooming Classroom, 2015

* The six plant parts are Roots, Stems, Leaves, Flowers, Fruits and Seeds (see how we teach about them)