Garden Based Learning

Garden-based Learning Programs

What is Garden Based Learning? Find out by clicking here.

K-5 Lessons

Collective Roots provides year-round lessons to all K-5 classes (264 students) at the East Palo Alto Charter School (EPACS).  Each day, students are engaged in a science lesson and then move to the outdoor classroom to participate in hands-on organic gardening and other activities connected to the lesson, such as bird watching, insect exploration, planting, and mulching.  Lessons are based on the California State Science Standards, and are available online.  Please sign up for a username and password to view the curriculum.  Questions can be directed to Bryden Johnston (bryden@collectiveroots.org). 

Middle School

Collective Roots' Middle School Elective (MSE) is a garden-based learning course available to 6th, 7th and 8th graders at EPACS.  Sixth graders are introduced to the principles and practices of organic farming; 7th graders explore nutrition; 8th graders delve into issues of justice and food access.  Each grade level attends exciting field trips to an organic farm or garden.  Collective Roots has also partnered with the San Francisco 49ers Academy to provide garden-based lessons to the 6th grade class. Collective Roots is in the process of developing Middle and High School garden-based learning curricula.  Please contact Eron Sandler (eron@collectiveroots.org) with questions regarding middle school programming. 

After-school Programs

Collective Roots offers after-school programming to K-5, Middle and High School students.  Collective Roots has partnered with Girls to Women, College Track and the San Francisco 49ers Academy in the 2008-2009 school year to create three new successful after-school programs. Students in Collective Roots after-school programs participate in all aspects of maintaining an organic garden, organic meal preparation featuring produce they have grown, and garden related arts and crafts.  

Summer Day Camp in Development

Community partners have expressed interest in developing a summer science day camp that uses the EPACS garden as a base, and explores the adjacent Baylands through environmental science and habitat restoration activities. Stay tuned!

Thank you very much to our volunteers and supporters!  If you are interested in volunteering or supporting our programing in other ways, please contact Bryden Johnston (bryden@collectiveroots.org) or Eron Sandler (eron@collectiveroots.org).

What is the impact of Collective Roots' garden-based learning program?

"The school-based sustainable garden developed by Collective Roots is one of the community’s greatest assets. One step into the garden and you are transported to a magical place, full of lush greenery, fluttering birds, and a collection of produce lovingly grown by children from this community. We recognize that the garden not only symbolizes a sustainable healthy food source in this community, but it also represents a peaceful place where children can connect with nature and find a tranquil respite from the challenges and chaos that plague the lives of many of the children in EPA. From the pediatrician’s perspective, working in this positive environment has an immeasurable impact on the mental health and wellbeing of these children—a health and social benefit that these children will carry with them for years to come."

-Lisa Chamberlain, MD, MPH and Janine Bishop, MPH, Pediatric Advocacy Program at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford.

Collective Roots is part of the soul of the school. When you walk through the garden, you are surrounded by beauty, life and miracles. The programs Collective Roots offers have brought meaningful science instruction into our classrooms and increased our students' value of nutrition.

-Allison Leslie, EPACS Principal

Our extensive school garden is a critical part of what makes EPACS such a successful school for both teaching and learning. Teachers have the opportunity to work with the knowledgeable, friendly, and talented CRGP staff to involve students in hands-on learning, and the students reap the benefits of seeing and experiencing first-hand work in the garden. Whether it be a grade-level garden job, a multi-grade service learning project taking place in the garden, or just going out to enjoy the garden to use it for a learning center, everyone who comes into the garden feels lucky that it is on our campus.

-Angela Devencenzi, First Grade Teacher

Collective Roots Garden Project provides my students the opportunity to connect their academic skills to real-world situations. Using grade-level math and science standards, students had the opportunity to design, plan, and work to create a garden that produced enough food to serve salad to the entire school

-Nick Romagnolo, Middle School Teacher

For my even my most troubled students, the garden was a sanctuary.

-John Rethans, Fifth Grade Teacher