Date of Award

2014

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelors

First Advisor

Henckell, Karsten

Keywords

Education, Nature, Children, Public Schools, Urban Gardening

Area of Concentration

General Studies

Abstract

Urban public school education has become increasingly decontextualized from the natural world over time. This causes a division within students that impacts how they learn, what they learn, and their mental health. Children's knowledge is increasingly devoid of environmental awareness. In addition ADHD, depression, and obesity have been linked to this separation. These problems are exacerbated by a culture of standardized tests motivated by financial concerns, and the gearing of education toward career preparation. Children learn to fear nature and reap none of the benefits that immersion in nature can foster. School gardens, especially in urban areas, can provide a practical bridge between students and nature. They enhance the curriculum by providing occasions for hands-on learning and complex sensory immersion. They affect children on deeper levels as well, by fostering a sense of wonder, community, and lifelong concern for the environment. These assertions are explored in four cases studies: 'The Edible Peace Patch Project' at Lakewood Elementary School in St. Petersburg, Florida, 'Grow to Learn' in New York City, 'The Edible Schoolyard Project' in Berkeley, California, and my own 'Orange Blossom Community Garden Project' in Sarasota, Florida.

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