Teacher Resources

Download a slideshow of common "plants out of place" found in the gardens at Cold Spring School. Kids who can reliably identify weeds can be enlisted to help maintain the gardens and protect the desirable plants. They are on their way to becoming gardeners.

Know Your Weeds

The demonstration gardens are intended as outdoor learning labs for the teachers and students. Here are some ideas for how the gardens could be used, from the Master Gardeners and Indiana Native Plant & Wildflower Society volunteers who maintain them.

The Gathering Garden

Combining Master Gardener savvy with a good dose of environmental sensitivity, we've come up with what K-6 students should learn to prepare them as future land stewards. Your ideas welcome at friendsofcoldspring@gmail.com.

Growing Gardeners

GardenABCs is a forum for those seeking guidance, resources, fundraising, networking, and teaching support to start and maintain learning gardens. Check out the lesson plans in the Teacher's Corner.

To be able to identify garden plants and weeds, you need to recognize their different characteristic. Here are some resources to help kids tune in to the differences. 

Know Your Leaves

Know Your Flowers

Use Plant ID Keys

NWF has created 1,000 lesson plans designed to introduce students to life science, ecology, wildlife biology, scientific identification and observation. All lesson plans are aligned to the National Science Education Standards.

Topics include Habitat, Energy Conservation, Ecosystems, and Wildlife. Find them here.

Here's a map with the names of all the gardens and landscaped areas around the school. We thought this would be helpful for PIE Day when giving instructions on where to meet.

Click on the image to enlarge it.

Download a PDF version: GardenNames The map is tabloid size (11 x 17 inches) but can be scaled to print on 8-1/2 x 11 paper.

A kid's garden club member found this detailed summary of composting techniques. Thanks, Bella!

https://www.apartmentguide.com/blog/basic-guide-to-composting-at-your-apartment/

National Wildlife Federation’s Eco-Schools USA program and its partners for the project—Earth Partnership for Schools (EPS), Earth Force, and DeHavilland Associates—are creating sustainable outdoor classrooms where students are directly engaged in "greening" their schools (inside and out) and improving their carbon footprints.

Students are able learn about STEM disciplines from working professionals and through real life applications on their school grounds. The program also provides opportunities to teachers to “green” the curriculum.

Living green and efficiently is a way to help ourselves save money while also saving the environment in the long run. Here are some useful links gathered by the librarians and media specialists at EducatorLabs.

Recycling Basics
http://www2.epa.gov/recycle/recycling-basics

Home Energy
http://www.improvenet.com/g/home-energy

Conserving Water
http://www.epa.gov/greenhomes/ConserveWater.htm

Reduce Waste and Save Money At Home
http://www.homeadvisor.com/article.show.Reduce-Waste-and-Save-Money-at-Home.17328.html

40 Tips To Go Green At Home

http://theartofsimple.net/tips-to-go-green-at-home/