Washington Park Students Learn Gardening

By MARIA BROWN

and TREY GAFNEA

Students in the third grade STEAM class at Washington Park Elementary School (WPES) are participating in Jasper County Charter Systems Junior Master Gardener Program® (JMG).

Maria Brown, STEAM lead teacher, and Trey Gafnea, Jasper County Extension Agriculture Agent, collaborated at the beginning of the school year about the program. The STEAM class executes the district’s mission and incorporates innovative techniques and high yield learning strategies to build the learning capacity of students.

STEAM activities that the class participates in as part of their instructional plan includes environmental science, chemistry and math. The unique approach to experience hands on discovery through JMG lessons is different. Many schools across the nation conduct JMG club meetings for select students, as a club, camp activity.

“The activities that we use occur during the school day as a part of the students’ science, math, and literacy instruction. The students enjoy the time they spend learning about the impact of their action on the environment,” said Dr. Shawne Holder, Principal at WPES.

This year, the Junior Gardeners have established an indoor garden at the school, cleared and planted a bed of daffodils, set up a wildlife food plot and trail cameras near the school’s outdoor classroom and established the school’s koi pond.

Last week, the class helped plant two raised beds just outside the indoor garden.

A generous grant from Ellis Lamme and Don Wardlaw made the beds possible. The two not only donated the supplies, materials and treatments but they spent two and a half hours drilling nails and planting with the children. WPES has a full sized vegetable garden where a class of 20-25 students can visit and learn that life begins in the earth.

Susan Haynes, Master Gardener, and other volunteers from the Monticello Garden Club also work to support their studies. Gardening helps students connect to the idea that making the world a better place begins in each child’s own backyard. Mr. Gafnea, shared that he “was impressed with the way the students worked together in the garden, like a family.”

Currently the children are studying the mysteries of seed germination and plant propagation, to experiment with soil composition and to harvest and protect seeds. The students are looking ahead to growing foods that can be taken to the farmers’ market and shared with members of the community.

Students are looking forward to spending even more time in the garden and showing other students and the community their experiments and findings. Janne Childs, the WPES Instructional Coach, suggested “that students consider starting some plants in the indoor garden and then transplanting them to the outdoor garden.”

“The JMG program helps children see the world through organic eyes and offers children an exciting way to learn how to grow local fruits and vegetables,” said Mrs. Brown.

Looking forward, all students entering the third grade will be exposed to JMG, fourth graders will use the wildlife food plot and fifth graders will maintain the school’s vegetable garden, “The Victory Garden.”

In May, WPES will host STEP up day when the current second graders will visit the school for a tour and to participate in their first JMG experiment.

The JCCS JMG program is a part of the county’s Master Gardener program which is a cooperative effort of the University of Georgia and 4-H. Future plans include allowing students in third grade to complete specific gardening, science and math lessons to enable over 100 students, per year in Jasper County to become certified JMGs.

Learn more about JMG at www. jmgkids.us/.