MAINE APPRENTICE GARDENER PROGRAM

The St. John Valley SWCD is collaborating with the New Sweden Consolidated School to implement an elementary school curriculum that teaches children agricultural concepts through an experiential learning approach. The curriculum, titled Maine Apprentice Gardener Program, consists of a yearlong series of classroom lessons, experiments and activities for third and fourth grade, with extensive teacher support materials. The aim of the program is to educate students about the importance of agriculture and the environment to their daily lives, and apply what they learn to develop a school garden. This agriculture-based curriculum is not an add-on, meeting many of the Maine Learning Results requirements. It is cross-disciplinary and provides practice not only in science, but also in language, creative arts, health and mathematics. Made possible by a grant from Maine Ag in the Classroom.

to order the curriculum in print or as a CD.