Edible Schoolyard

Edible Schoolyard is a comprehensive educational program that integrates organic gardening and seasonal cooking into the school curriculum. The program aims to teach students about the connections between food, health, and the environment through hands-on learning experiences.

History

The Edible Schoolyard project was founded in 1995 by Alice Waters, a renowned chef and food activist, at the Martin Luther King Jr. Middle School in Berkeley, California. The initiative was inspired by Waters' vision of transforming the way children understand and interact with food.

Objectives

The primary objectives of the Edible Schoolyard program are:

• To provide students with practical knowledge about sustainable agriculture and nutrition.
• To foster a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the environment.
• To encourage healthy eating habits and an appreciation for fresh, locally-grown produce.
• To integrate garden and kitchen activities into the academic curriculum, enhancing subjects such as science, math, history, and language arts.

Program Components

The Edible Schoolyard program consists of several key components:

Garden Classroom

The garden classroom is an outdoor learning space where students engage in activities such as planting, tending, and harvesting crops. The garden serves as a living laboratory for lessons in biology, ecology, and environmental science.

Kitchen Classroom

In the kitchen classroom, students learn to prepare and cook meals using the produce they have grown. This hands-on experience teaches them about culinary arts, food safety, and nutrition. It also emphasizes the importance of seasonal eating and food waste reduction.

Curriculum Integration

The Edible Schoolyard curriculum is designed to be interdisciplinary, incorporating elements of various subjects to create a holistic learning experience. For example, students might study the history of agriculture in their social studies class, calculate the area of garden beds in math, or write reflective essays about their experiences in language arts.

Impact

The Edible Schoolyard program has been widely recognized for its positive impact on students' academic performance, health, and well-being. Studies have shown that participation in the program can lead to improved academic achievement, increased consumption of fruits and vegetables, and greater environmental awareness.

Expansion

Since its inception, the Edible Schoolyard model has been replicated in schools across the United States and around the world. The Edible Schoolyard Network provides resources and support for educators and communities interested in starting their own programs.

See Also

• Alice Waters
• Organic gardening
• Sustainable agriculture
• Nutrition education
• Environmental education

Related Pages

• Alice Waters
• Organic gardening
• Sustainable agriculture
• Nutrition education
• Environmental education