Great Programs For Your School

Use These Resources To Enhance Your School Garden Curriculum

Audubon Adventures

http://www.audubon.org/
Audubon publishes several Classroom Resource Manuals with Hands-On Activities

Campus Beautification

http://www.keepaustinbeautiful.org/programs
Keep Austin Beautiful is empowering and supporting schools, neighborhood groups and local businesses in efforts to beautify their communities and restore habitats.  Promoting environmental stewardship through presentations, hands-on activities and service learning projects.

Classroom Feeder Watch

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/
Great program run by Cornell University that allows classrooms to participate in ongoing research. Includes curriculum ideas and correlations to National Science Education Standards.

Double Digging/Garden Installations

http://www.greencornproject.org/gc/
The Green Corn Project is a grassroots, volunteer-run organization dedicated to helping Central Texans grow their own organic vegetables by installing organic food gardens for elderly, low-income, and disabled community members as well as for elementary schools, community centers, and shelters in underserved areas of Austin. We turn unused land into garden beds that provide food, education, and a sense of accomplishment and pride for all involved in their creation and maintenance.

Exploring Native Plants

http://wildflower.org
The LBH Wildflower Center publishes Exploring Native Plants, a 4-level curriculum for elementary students which can be used to supplement visits to the Center or as a stand-alone in the classroom.

Gardening for Wildlife

http://www.nwf.org/outside/
National Wildlife Federation inspires Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. They offer Green Hour, Gardening for Wildlife and and Play and Observe Outside.

Great Explorations in Math and Science

http://lhsgems.org/
GEMS develops and publishes over 70 science and math teacher guides, offers specialized workshops, and maintains an international support network. Developed by Lawrence Hall of Science, UC Berkeley.

Grow Local Program (Sustainable Food Center)

http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/GL_overview.html
Sustainable Food Center’s Grow Local Program offers classes about basic organic gardening, composting, and seed saving, as well as Teaching the Garden teacher trainings and School Garden Mentor volunteer trainings.  Grow Local also provides comprehensive information about planning, building, and using school gardens in The School Farm activity guide.  In addition, Grow Local can provide seeds, transplants, and compost for your garden through the Spread the Harvest project, and can match a School Garden Mentor to your school to help with your garden. 

Junior Master Gardeners

http://JMGKids.us
The international youth gardening program of the University Extension network with partnerships with Texas AgriLife Extension Service and the Texas A&M University System. Correlated to Texas TEKS, JMG's many curricula serves children in elementary and middle school grades.

Journey North

http://www.learner.org/jnorth
Free online program through which classrooms can track the spring migration of various animal species. Students share their information with other classrooms across the hemisphere and work directly with scientists.

KIDzANTS Fire Ant Curriculum for Youth

https://agrilifebookstore.org (search for "KIDZ")
This kit contains materials for school teachers, county agents and 4-H leaders to use in teaching children about red imported fire ants. It includes a Leader Guide and Student Fun Book, which have six lessons, plus a poster set, a game spinner, a matching card set and a fire ant model kit. Retail Price: $35.00

LBJ Wildflower Center

http://www.wildflower.org/teachers/
The Wildflower Center provides instructors with materials to use both in the classroom and in the field.

Monarch Watch

http://www.monarchwatch.org
Site has a great deal of information related to teaching about Monarchs in the classroom.  By tagging Monarchs, students can track the migration of the butterfly from Mexico to Canada.

Project Learning Tree

http://www.plt.org/
Project Learning Tree is an award-winning environmental education program developed by the American Forest Foundation designed for teachers, parents and community leaders working with youth from preschool through grade 12. Curriculum guides, terrific teacher training, and excellent funding opportunities.

Project Wild

http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/learning/project_wild
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department sponsors Project WILD - an environmental and conservation education program emphasizing awareness, appreciation and understanding of wildlife and natural resources from Preschool through the 12th grade. It is interdisciplinary and can be used to teach basic skills in science, social studies, language arts, math, art, music and physical education.

Sprouting Healthy Kids (Sustainable Food Center)

http://www.sustainablefoodcenter.org/SHK_overview.html
Through their Sprouting Healthy Kids Farm-to-School and Food-Systems Education Project, Sustainable Food Center works with schools and community partners to incorporate fresh, locally grown fruits and vegetables into school cafeterias and coordinates in-class and after-school lessons and activities.  Students learn about healthy food and food systems through hands-on gardening and cooking activities, classroom lessons, school visits by local farmers, veggie sampling, and farm field trips.  Each partner school has a school garden that is used extensively for after-school activities and can be utilized for in-class lessons, as well.

Sustainable School Campuses

http://www.upliftaustin.org/links.php
UpLift Austin provides a day program in local high schools that pairs students with professionals from the community. In each program, students design and implement projects to promote an environmentally sustainable campus.

Texas Commission on Environmental Quality

http://www.tceq.state.tx.us/assistance/education/k-12education/lessonplans.html
The TCEQ has published Lesson Plans for K-12 Students to promote awareness of environmental sciences through simple activities.

School Field Trip Ideas

Austin Farmers Markets

http://www.austinfarmersmarket.org/
Saturday 9 am - 1 pm, 4th and Guadalupe - Downtown
Wednesday 3 pm - 7 pm, 46th and Lamar - The Triangle
512-236-0074
www.sustainablefoodcenter.org

Austin Nature and Science Center

http://www.ci.austin.tx.us/ansc/
301 Nature Center Drive, Austin
Phone: (512) 327-8181

Boggy Creek Farm

http://www.boggycreekfarm.com/
A USDA-Certified-Organic Urban Market Farm
3414 Lyons Road, Austin
(512)926-4650
info@boggycreekfarm.com

Green Gate Farms

http://www.greengatefarms.net/
Farm Tours
8310 Canoga Ave, Austin
512-949-9830
greengatefarms@gmail.com

Hornsby Bend Bird Observatory

http://www.hornsbybend.org/
2210 South FM 973, Austin
Kevin Anderson, Monthly Fieldtrip Coordinator
coordinator@hornsbybend.org

LBJ Wildflower Center

http://www.wildflower.org/
4801 La Crosse Avenue, Austin
Information: (512) 232-0100

LCRA-Wilkerson Center for Colorado River Education

http://www.lcra.org/about/overview/redbud.html
The education center is open to the public to learn about the river and why it’s important to conserve and protect it as our water supply.
3601 Lake Austin Blvd, Austin
512-473-3535
To book a student tour, contact 512-498-1587

Nature Rocks Austin - Lets Go Explore

http://www.naturerocksaustin.org/findnature
Where is the nearest nature that would allow your child to experience the wonder and joy of the natural world? Search here to find parks, greenspaces and other places to explore and enjoy nature near you – from neighborhood parks to wilderness preserves.

Westcave Preserve

http://www.westcave.org/
Weekday tours for organized groups and school children are $4 per person. Teachers are admitted free for organized weekday tours.
24814 Hamilton Pool Road
Round Mountain, Texas 78663
830-825-3442
info@westcave.org

Zilker Botanical Garden

http://www.zilkergarden.org/
2220 Barton Springs Rd, Austin
512.477.8672
info@zilkergarden.org