Books in Bloom
Children’s books are a lovely way to introduce lesson topics. There are many books with garden-related themes creating connections across the curriculum with opportunities to take the learning outdoors.
Books in Bloom, by Mark Lubkowitz and Valerie Bang-Jensen, provides connections to the classroom with 17 different children’s books. Complete lesson plans with hands-on activities are also included. Here is an example of one of the lessons written to accompany the children’s book Compost Stew:
https://kidsgardening.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/12/BooksinBloom-lessonsample-compoststew.pdf
Life Lab
Based in Santa Cruz, California, Life Lab has been providing garden-based education resources for decades. There are many lesson resources available to garden educators on their website as well as opportunities for professional development through virtual and in-person workshops. If you’re in need of some inspiration for your educational garden, this is a great site to spend some time exploring. https://www.lifelab.org/