Carpenter's Teaching Garden

Congratulations Carpenter Elementary

Carpenter Elementary recently received a $15,000 grant worth of product to install a Teaching Garden from the American Heart Association with financial support provided by St. Joseph's of Ann Arbor. The Teaching Garden also includes a curriculum as well as monthly parent newsletters. The garden beds arrived at Carpenter Elementary Thursday October 18th with the soil to come on October 25th. We will also be having a Planting Day Celebration in April of 2013.

Recently there was a Bulb Fundraiser that PTO sponsored to benefit the Teaching Garden. All Carpenter Students will be planting a bulb in the Teaching Garden which will be sold in the Spring to raise money for items on our wish list which will support the curriculum. 

The basis for the Teaching Garden is because according to the American Heart Association obesity is one of the most expensive health care problems in America. One third of U.S. children are overweight or obese putting them at higher risk of heart disease and stroke.
In the fight against obesity and heart disease the American Heart Association is taking a new approach called the Teaching Garden which targets helping educate children and their parents about eating healthy as well as exercising. The American Heart Association purpose in planting Teaching Gardens in elementary schools across the country is to provide real-life learning laboratories for students to learn what it means to be healthy. Kindergardeners through fifth graders will learn through hands on involvement how to plant seeds, nurture growing plants, harvest produce and ultimately understand the value of good eating habits. The garden-themed curriculum and lessons teach nutrition, math, science and other subjects such as art and music Through the lessons and student involvement the goal is to dramatically change the way children and parents thinks about and consumes food. According to AHA garden-based nutrition intervention programs can promote increased fruit and vegetable intake among children. Moreover, studies show that a healthy lifestyle positively impacts learning. Healthy students make better students.

Please visit the blog Carpenter's Teaching Garden for more information. If you are interested in volunteering please visit the http://carpentersteachinggarden.blogspot.com look on the right bar for Volunteer Opportunities or email me at giltnerm@aaps.k12.mi.us.