Progress 09/01/04 to 02/28/08
Outputs
The Agricultural Education Outdoor Learning Environments have been completed and implemented into the curriculum and courses offered in the agriculture department. The courses most involved included landscaping and horticulture. The students created the designs and developed the plans for six outdoor learning environments around the high school. Once the designs were finalized and a list of supplies generated the gardens were installed one by one. The first garden to be completed was the vegetable garden since its location was right behind the agriculture classroom and it had been used in the past. The garden was expanded in size with a plan to control weeds. The second garden installed was the pond. This project involved the most labor and required the use of heavy equipment. The pond has been an evolving garden over the past couple of years as it has been rebuilt and restructured. The garden surrounding the pond has also expanded to include a patio and seating for
visitors. The third garden installed was the orchard. This garden was relatively easy to install, but maintenance has proven difficult since it is not easily accessible and the trees have been exposed to drought conditions and deer. The fourth garden installed was the raised beds. These gardens have also evolved to include constructed pathways for wheelchair accessibility and landscaping to provide shade and seating for visitors. The raised beds include one strawberry production bed and one sensory garden with textured plants and scented geraniums. The fifth garden installed was the bird garden, which is located near a wooded area behind the school to attract more birds. Some vandalism to the trees and kiosk have proven challenging, but the garden offers bird feeders, baths and houses as well as visitor seating to watch the birds. The sixth and final garden to be installed was the butterfly garden. This garden has proven to be a main attraction for visitors to the school and is a
focal point near the entrance to the Performing Arts Center. The students no more than finished putting the plants in and butterflies began to appear. A summer school class offered the past three years utilizes each of the gardens to teach kindergarten through sixth grade students about garden plants, crops and critters. The class has grown in size from 8-10 to near 20 students. Several students (5) have repeated the class as well, because they liked it so much the previous summer. The summer school class enjoys maintaining the gardens, harvesting the fruits and vegetables, and searching for garden insects, butterflies, frogs, and birds. The high school students also enjoy the class time they have in the outdoor learning environments. The small animal class has studied raising pond fish, the natural resources classes have observed the habitats and wildlife in the outdoor learning environments, and the horticulture and landscaping classes have learned to install plants and maintain
them in a garden setting. The Ice Age Trail runs around the high school so we expect many more visitors in the future.
PRODUCTS: Six new outdoor learning environments were created with purchased landscaping materials, including trees, shrubs, flowers, stone, gravel, pavers, weed barrier, edging, shredded bark mulch, rubber roof liner, water pump, gardening tools, decorative stone and landscape art. Lumber was purchased to produce two raised beds and 7 kiosks. Educational posters, diagrams, models, and lab supplies were purchased to enhance educational activities for summer school classes and high school courses. 10 Wireless laptops, wireless router, software, and laptop cart were purchased for the agriculture classroom to enhance students' classroom learning and to explore educational opportunities beyond the classroom.
OUTCOMES: Student outcomes include, incorporating landscape design principals in garden designs, completion of garden designs final drafts, analyzing garden installation and various methods of construction. Students have also developed and utilized problem-solving skills, evaluation and analysis skills, and teamwork and cooperation skills in creating these six outdoor learning environments. The students have completed the six outdoor learning environments and have utilized each of the environments to enrich their learning experiences in their agricultural education courses. In addition the maintenance of the gardens has created a number of problem-solving exercises for the students to minimize labor, materials, and costs. The students created six informational kiosks that are placed at each of the gardens as well. These kiosks include diagrams of the garden, information about the plants or animals that inhabit the garden and informational posters to educate the visitors about the
gardens. The students have experimented with the use of various types of mulches and weed barriers to help control weed invasion in the gardens. They have learned much about the placement of the weed barrier and which ones are most effective in keeping weed growth under control. The summer school students have learned to identify common garden weeds, common garden plants, tree planting techniques, and signs of tree injury. Summer school students, ages K-6, also conducted germination experiments comparing radishes, carrots and beans growth and root development as well as, germination requirements including, light, air, soil, and water. Summer school students developed their scientific inquiry and observation skills. One of the best outcomes from this grant project is the pride and respect the students show for the work they have completed and the difference they have made in improving the appearance of their school and their learning environment. The computers that were purchased with
the grant money have made the agriculture classes less dependent on the schools computer labs, which are always busy. The students are more eager to complete assignments and work independently when they are able to use the laptop computers for their class assignments. Students utilized the laptops to take advantage of a new online curriculum. The students are able to access and read their assignments on the computer. They were also able to do web searches for information. The students are using the laptops to complete their SAE proficiency applications as well. The availability of this technology for the students right in the classroom has opened new doors for my lessons and teaching strategies. The classroom doesn't seem so limited by the four walls surrounding us when we have access to the world with the Internet. The students can make connections outside the classroom and outside of Lodi while remaining in their seats. It has been a great experience to watch how much more capable
they appear to be in taking charge of their learning when they are provided with the technology they are so familiar with at home.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: Most of the dissemination activities have been in relation to my receiving the grant. The Lodi Enterprise has posted several articles about the grant. They have also printed pictures of the summer school students in the gardens. I have shared the grant and the outdoor learning environments with other agriculture teachers at the NAAE and WAAE conferences. I have also posted articles in the High School and District newsletters. These articles have attracted the attention of local garden clubs. The garden club members have toured the outdoor learning environments and in turn our students have helped the garden club members with their gardening work. The garden clubs and individuals from the community have made monetary donations to the agriculture department to assist with maintaining the gardens. Once the Ice Age Trail organization finishes their bridge we plan to host a combined community open house. The Ice Age Trail and agriculture students will share their
projects with community members.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: I have several future initiatives for the six outdoor learning environments. I already mentioned working with the Ice Age Trail Organization to host a community open house once their bridge is completed. The open house will educate the community about the gardens and share the student's work. In addition the businesses and individuals that made donations to the construction of the gardens will be recognized. The gardens will continue to be used for summer school classes for students in grades K-6. In addition I would like to find high school students or FFA members that would like to use the gardens as a SAE project for the summer months and during the school year. The gardens provide unlimited possibilities for creating hands-on learning experiences for the students and enhancing learning. I would also like to create a resource of possible lessons or ideas to share with other staff members in the high school to encourage implementing the outdoor learning
environments into their curriculum as well. These six outdoor learning environments demonstrate career opportunities and continued education possibilities for them to pursue in the future. Each of the six outdoor learning environments will become part of the agricultural curriculum tying into the thirteen different courses we offer in our agricultural program at Lodi High School. Another initiative of mine is to incorporate more online curriculum and to expand the course lessons beyond the classroom using the wireless laptops and the Internet. I attended a workshop at NAAE convention about box gardens and learned how students were sharing their gardens with other students around the world. This inspired me to initiate lessons for the students to make connections with other students outside of Lodi. The school district just allowed student email this year so I can begin work on developing these types of lessons.
Impacts
All of the students involved in the outdoor learning environment project were exposed to careers in landscape design, landscape construction, landscape maintenance, nursery sales, nursery plant production, plant identification and care, landscape materials supply. Over the duration of the past three years that we have been working on these gardens over 150 students have been involved in some part of creating, designing, constructing or installing the six outdoor learning environments. In addition over 30 primary and elementary school students have utilized the gardens during summer school session. The students have learned about creating six different habitats including the types of plants that can coexist and the kinds of wildlife that the gardens will attract. The outdoor learning environments have also taught the students involved the construction and maintenance of various styles of landscape design, landscape construction techniques, proper tree and shrub
installation, laying pavers, and proper mulching techniques. This project has also impacted the 150 students involved by teaching them persistence and perseverance when projects don't go well or when reconstruction and maintenance of damaged areas needed to be addressed. All of the students that worked on the outdoor learning environments exhibit great pride in what they accomplished.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 10/01/04 to 09/30/05
Outputs
At this time three outdoor learning environments have been completed. The pond is installed, but is waiting for information from the city zoning committee about fencing requirements. The orchard is in and the trees are staked and mulched. The vegetable garden was expanded and planted. The landscaping class in the fall designed preliminary plans for all six of the outdoor learning environment gardens to be installed. Twenty-five students worked in small groups to measure, design, and draw plans for each of the gardens. The spring landscaping class, which included 28 students also worked in small groups to design plans for each of the gardens. The students plans were evaluated and suggestions were made to improve the plans. The students drew two preliminary plans before submitting a final design for the gardens. The plans the students drew were used to install the pond, orchard, and vegetable garden. The raised beds were constructed and put in place, but were not
planted. The bird garden and butterfly garden were designed, but are waiting for the completion of a bridge along the Ice Age Trail. The Ice Age Trail committee met with me to discuss the placement of the gardens so that they would benefit not only the students, but the Ice Age Trail hikers as well. The orchard, butterfly, and bird gardens were relocated to serve students and visitors to the Ice Age Trail. This fall the landscaping class will continue to install the gardens and maintain those in place. A summer school class was offered during all three sessions this summer for students in grades K-12. The students held one class session in the orchard, two in the vegetable garden and one in the pond. The summer school students maintained the gardens and learned about vegetable and fruit crops growing in the gardens.
PRODUCTS: The products produced at this point in the project include landscape designs for each of the gardens, a bog pond and garden, a vegetable garden, an orchard (16 fruit trees), two raised beds constructed. All funds have been used to purchase equipment, materials, and supplies needed to construct the gardens.
OUTCOMES: Student outcomes include, incorporating landscape design principals in garden designs, completion of garden designs final drafts, analyzing garden installation and various methods of construction. Students have also developed problem-solving skills, evaluation and analysis skills, and teamwork and cooperation skills. The summer school students have learned to identify common garden weeds, common garden plants, tree planting techniques, and signs of tree injury. Summer school students also conducted germination experiments comparing radishes, carrots and beans growth and root development as well as, germination requirements including, light, air, soil, and water. Summer school students developed their scientific inquiry and observation skills.
DISSEMINATION ACTIVITIES: The dissemination activities conducted thus far have been mentioned in the publication section. I have conducted presentations at the NAAE and WAAE conventions about SPEC grants and the gardens we are installing at Lodi High School. The local paper, The Lodi Enterprise as well as the Lodi School District newsletter have also printed articles relaying details and information about the grant and the gardens. The summer school program was designed to not only aid in maintaining the gardens, but to also inform more people in the community and students in lower grade levels about the gardens.
FUTURE INITIATIVES: In the future I plan to host a field day event at the high school to educate the community about the gardens. The students will be involved in sharing how they designed, installed, and created experiments and activities for all six gardens. The event will also give recognition to businesses and individuals that have donated materials or their time to help complete the project. It is my hope that other teachers in the district will use the gardens to enhance their curriculum and to encourage students to develop an interest in the career opportunities and continued educational opportunities each of the gardens represents. The gardens will become part of the agriculture curriculum tying into the 13 different courses we offer in our agricultural education program at Lodi High School.
Impacts
The impact this project is planned to make will focus mostly on promoting agricultural science and business opportunities that students can pursue in their post-secondary education and future career. The outdoor learning environments will enhance the agricultural curriculum and provide opportunities for students to develop their scientific skills and explore career options.
Publications
- The USDA Grant for these gardens has been published in the local paper, The Lodi Enterprise. I also presented the grant at the NAAE convention in Las Vegas, NV in December 2004. During a reception I had brochures available about the gardens as well as the students plans they had completed at that time. This summer at the Wisconsin Association of Agriculture Education (WAAE) I presented a workshop about SPEC grants and presented my brochures and student garden designs. I do not have any citable publications at this time.
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