*We now have a mechanism in place to accept checks from schools or nonprofits. Use the Pay Later option at checkout in Reporter and you will receive an invoice for payment to mail in with a check. Course access will be available as soon as payment is received and recorded.

Course enrollment is open! Course Fee: $20

Through the course, Amy Bowman and Doug Vernon walk participants through the steps of establishing a school garden and utilizing it as an engaging outdoor classroom. In addition to basic site preparation and crop considerations that will help you build a garden, we’ll look at behavior management, curriculum connections, and building a school culture that supports building minds. Our goal is to meet teachers where they are in their school garden journey and to help them become comfortable and confident in moving forward.

The course includes 12 asynchronous, self-paced online modules, which allow you to earn up to 2.5 CEUs upon completion.

Target Audience

• K-8 teachers
• School counselors
• School nurses
• Anyone involved in a school garden effort
  • Extension agents
  • 4-H club leaders
  • Master Gardeners
  • Community volunteers

Course Outline

• Module 1: Benefits of School Gardens
• Module 2: Before the Build
• Module 3: Designing and Building your Outdoor Classroom
• Module 4: Crop Selection and Planning
• Module 5: Planting
• Module 6: Maintenance
• Module 7: Safety in the Garden
• Module 8: Student Management
• Module 9: Teaching in the Garden
• Module 10: Harvesting
• Module 11: Tastings and Nutrition
• Module 12: Garden Sustainability and Growing Your Program