School Garden Toolkit
Many schools throughout Baltimore City Public Schools have gardens of all shapes and sizes, ranging from plants on the windowsill to year-round greenhouses. Some schools even keep chickens! This site will help you connect with resources and ideas to get started or expand your garden.
Watch the School Garden Video Tour for the inside scoop on four successful school gardens at Baltimore City Public Schools.
School Garden Video Tour - Elementary Middle.mp4School Gardens At City Schools
As versatile educational spaces for all subjects and for students of all ages and ability levels, school gardens are valuable resources for enriching student learning and may provide fresh fruits and vegetables to school communities. Gardens at City Schools align with the district's Blueprint for Success and support its efforts to promote outdoor learning.
Benefits of School Gardens
Research has shown that garden-based learning can have wide ranging positive impacts on students and staff, including:
Opportunities for hands-on experiential learning;
Increased student engagement and motivation to learn;
Reinforcement of academic topics and improved outcomes in STEM fields;
Opportunities for social emotional learning, with increases in students' self-esteem, and teamwork;
Opportunities for engagement for students with different learning styles;
Behavior and mental health benefits; and
Enhanced physical activity and healthier food choices.
For more on the benefits of school gardens, see this fact sheet from the National Farm to School Network, or browse the research library of the Children & Nature Network.
Gardens of all sizes! Upper left: 7th graders at Thomas Jefferson Elementary/Middle show off their newly planted boxes at the school entryway. Lower left: Students at Belmont Elementary plant container gardens to bring home. Right: A student at Midtown Academy waters a lettuce seedling in the school's raised bed garden.
Get in Touch
Great Kids Farm, City Schools’ educational farm in Catonsville, is a resource for schools interested in Farm to School programming. The farm offers curriculum-aligned field trip programs and serves as a hub for information and resources for gardens at all stages of development. If you are interested in starting a new garden at your school, reaching out to the Farm to School team is a great first step. Email: farms@bcps.k12.md.us.
For general information regarding school sustainability and greening programs as well as the Maryland Green Schools program, contact Joanna Pi-Sunyer, Analyst – Sustainability at Green@bcps.k12.md.us, and review City Schools’ Sustainability Plan. Also see the Guide to Green Partners and Resources for gardening and other greening partners, programs and ideas.
OTHER FARM-TO-SCHOOL TOOLKITS
All the tools you need including food safety tips, lesson plans, and recipes to start cooking in the classroom.
Find best practices, safety tips, and activity ideas for incorporating outdoor experiences into your educational practice.
Get started with classroom agriculture! All the information you need to sign-up and use one of Great Kids Farm free classroom Ag-Tivity Kits.