Go Virtual with Learning Through Gardening!
Teaching during the Covid-19 pandemic is an incredible challenge, and Learning Through Gardening is here to help! We offer options for many digital lessons for teachers who are teaching remotely either part-time or full-time. There is our children's book, From the Garden State to Your Plate, on New Jersey agriculture available in digital form and our video Food Doesn't Grow in the Supermarket. We also offer power point lessons on a wide variety agricultural topics illustrated with colorful photographs. Take a look at all we have to offer!
THE GARDEN STATE ON YOUR PLATE
FARMING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN NEW JERSEY
The New Jersey Agricultural Society's children's book From the Garden State to Your Plate, Farming Fruits and Vegetables in New Jersey is designed to give elementary school students information about agriculture, the state’s third-largest industry. And it's available online!
The book highlights ten important fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey, and includes a map showing the counties in which these crops are grown. A two-page spread on each fruit or vegetable explains where, when, and how it is grown, plus nutrition information. don't miss the fruit and vegetables jokes!
Click here to read the digital version of From the Garden State to Your Plate.
Click here for From the Garden State to Your Plate lesson plan and follow up activities.
FARMING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES IN NEW JERSEY
The New Jersey Agricultural Society's children's book From the Garden State to Your Plate, Farming Fruits and Vegetables in New Jersey is designed to give elementary school students information about agriculture, the state’s third-largest industry. And it's available online!
The book highlights ten important fruits and vegetables grown in New Jersey, and includes a map showing the counties in which these crops are grown. A two-page spread on each fruit or vegetable explains where, when, and how it is grown, plus nutrition information. don't miss the fruit and vegetables jokes!
Click here to read the digital version of From the Garden State to Your Plate.
Click here for From the Garden State to Your Plate lesson plan and follow up activities.
FOOD DOESN'T GROW IN THE SUPERMARKET
Where does your food really come from? This amusing and engaging 28-minute video from the New Jersey Agricultural Society shows children that their food doesn't start at the supermarket—it comes from farms!
The video features City Guy, who buys his food at the supermarket, never wondering how it got there. Dressed in suit and tie with briefcase in hand, City Guy is taken on a tour of a real New Jersey dairy farm, cranberry farm, and vegetable farm. At each stop, his tour guide is a young farmer who explains how food is produced on the farm and shows him all the work that must be done to bring it to him.
Download the video here.
Your students can learn more from the video with eight fun activities to do before, while, and after watching.
Click here to see the activities.
Where does your food really come from? This amusing and engaging 28-minute video from the New Jersey Agricultural Society shows children that their food doesn't start at the supermarket—it comes from farms!
The video features City Guy, who buys his food at the supermarket, never wondering how it got there. Dressed in suit and tie with briefcase in hand, City Guy is taken on a tour of a real New Jersey dairy farm, cranberry farm, and vegetable farm. At each stop, his tour guide is a young farmer who explains how food is produced on the farm and shows him all the work that must be done to bring it to him.
Download the video here.
Your students can learn more from the video with eight fun activities to do before, while, and after watching.
Click here to see the activities.
GOOD BUGS AND BAD BUGS IN THE GARDEN
Bugs aren’t necessarily bad to find in your garden. This lesson explains which ones are good and which ones are bad to see among your plants. Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the Good Bugs and Bad Bugs in the Garden power point presentation here. 
HAVE A CHEESEBURGER AND SEE
NEW JERSEY Students take a trip around the state to discover where the ingredients to make a cheeseburger are produced. This lesson accompanies our children’s on book New Jersey agriculture: From the Garden State to Your Plate, available in digital form in the Learning Through Gardening Teacher Tool Box. Grades: 3-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation Have a Cheeseburger and See New Jersey here. 
THE CLEANUP CREW:
WORMS AND OTHER DECOMPOSERS Worms always fascinate children. This lesson allows them to take a closer look at how worms live and how they help the environment. Included is an explanation of decomposition and a look at some other creatures that are decomposers like worms. Grades: PreK-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation: The Cleanup Crew: Worms and Other Decomposers here. 
WHERE DOES YOUR CANDY COME FROM?
Your students love candy, but do they know all the ingredients come from plants? This lesson introduces children to the plants that are the source of their sweets – chocolate, sugar, vanilla, mint – and how and where they are grown. Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the Where Does Your Candy Come From? power point presentation here. 
VIRTUAL READ-ALOUDS
The Missouri Botanical Garden has some great YouTube read-alouds of books about the garden and nature, including some of our favorites such as Tops and Bottoms by Janet Stevens, Talia and the Rude Vegetables by Linda Elovitz Marshall and Plants Just Can't Sit Still by Rebecca E. Hirsch. Find them at Missouri Botanical Garden Story Time . 
WHEEL OF FORTUNE NUTRITION GAME
In this fun Wheel of Fortune game, students learn the nutritional benefits of eating different colored fruits and vegetables as they solve a hidden message. Grades: PreK-5 Download the Wheel of Fortune Nutrition Game lesson plan and instructions here. Download the Wheel of Fortune Nutrition Game power point presentation here. 
CHRISTMAS TREES ARE GROWN ON FARMS
Do your students know that Christmas trees grow on farms? This lesson shows how Christmas farming is done, how coniferous trees grow, and reviews the history of Christmas trees in the United States, including that the very first Christmas tree farm started right here in New Jersey! Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation Christmas Trees Are Grown On Farms here. |
HYDROPONICS:
GROWING PLANTS INDOORS WITHOUT SOIL Hydroponics is a hot topic in agriculture these days. This lesson explains how hydroponics works and the benefits of farming indoors without soil. Grades: PreK-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the PowerPoint presentation Hydroponics—Growing Plants Without Soil here. 
DECOMPOSITION
HOW NATURE RECYCLES This lesson explains what decomposition is, why it is important, and shows the important creatures that aid in decomposition. Your students will learn how to make compost and why it is good for the environment. Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the Decomposition - How Nature Recycles power point presentation here. 
GROWING RICE:
A FOOD THAT FEEDS THE WORLD Rice is an important food for people all over the world. This lesson explains where and how rice is grown in flooded fields. We also explain the difference between brown rice and white rice. Grades: PreK-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation: Growing Rice: A Food That Feeds The World here. 
HUNGRY CATERPILLARS:
ENEMIES OF THE SPRING AND FALL GARDEN What are those caterpillars attacking your cabbage, kale, and broccoli? This lesson describes the different types of caterpillars found in the spring and fall garden and how to get rid of them. GRADES: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the Hungry Caterpillars, Enemies of the Spring and Fall Garden power point presentation here. 
SOY, THE SUPER BEAN
Your students probably have never seen a soybean, but they are in everything! This lesson introduces this super bean and all its nutritional and agricultural benefits. It’s packed with protein and it leaves extra nutrients in the soil for other plants when it grows. Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the Soy, The Super Bean power point presentation here. 
FROM DIRT TO SHIRT
THE WORLD OF COTTON Do your students know their T-shirt is made from a plant? This lesson explains how and where cotton is grown and how it is made into cloth. Grades: K-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation From Dirt To Shirt - the World of Cotton here. 
GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER,
THE PEANUT WIZARD The African American scientist George Washington Carver sought to make farming easier for poor sharecroppers. This lesson explains his achievements such as encouraging farmers to plant peanuts and other legumes to replenish nutrients in the soil and promoting crop rotation. Plus he made all kinds of things from peanuts! Grades: 2-5 Download the complete lesson. Download the power point presentation: George Washington Carver - The Peanut Wizard here. |
