User:MaxGentino/sandbox

Here, this girl may be examining plant life to further her overall scientific knowledge and skills.

*Added this section under "Benefits of garden-based learning among children and youth" because i thought it was important towards children and youth.

Increased Education for the Disabled[edit]

Research has shown that Garden-based learning can help improve important aspects of learning for people with special needs. GBL is used with special ed students to improve memory and motor skills. Some disabled students are not able to learn outside, but GBL inside has just the same impact as it would outdoors. Hands on projects such as Garden-based learning have been used to access a higher learning level for some disabled or special ed students.

*Added under Academic Skills

• Teaching the biology of plant life and how it works.

*Added under Vocational and/or subsistence skills

• To produce crops for food and shelter

*Added under life skills

To involve students in voluntary beneficial situations.

Keys to successful garden-based learning programs [edit]

Research has indicated that successful garden-based learning programs demonstrate high levels of youth development and leadership, community development and involvement, and participatory evaluation as a regular program feature. Programs are considered to be more successful when children and youth are involved in the entire process of the school gardening program (planning, design, implementation, and evaluation).

8 unique features of garden-based learning programs that develop positive qualities in youth:

1. The program has a positive focus
2. Youth are viewed not as "objects" but as "resources," and have a voice in program planning, development, implementation
3. There is an emphasis on proactive behavior
4. Participants "own" responsibility for their own behavior
5. The program is inclusive ("involves everyone")
6. The program builds a vision
7. Cooperation is emphasized
8. "Hope" is a norm in the program environment or atmosphere NEEDS TO BE REPHRASED OR DELETED. CANNOT COPY AND PASTE!

NEW TEXT

Studies have been shown that children benefit from garden based learning programs. These benefits could include leadership growth, community involvement, and voluntary education which can lead to increased child development. Researched programs are more effective when one is to work through the entire process to understand how everything works in order. The orders involved in this education from beginning to end include planning, design, application, and review.

Some features of garden-based learning programs that develop positive qualities in youth

• Positive focus
• Children allowed to 'lead the way' in some aspects throughout the process.
• Proactive behavior
• Responsibility
• Availability to program
• Gives different view on education/academics or life itself.
• Participation
• Communication

Core uses for garden-based learning

Basic education uses

Academic Skills

• To support core academic training, particularly in science and math – real world hands on experiences
• Enrichment of core curriculum in language arts through introduction of new learning landscapes
• To support standards based education in countries with national or regional education standards
• Teaching the biology of plant life and how it works.

Personal Development (Mental & Physical)

• To add a sense of excitement, adventure, emotional impact and aesthetic appreciation to learning
• To improve nutrition, diet and overall health
• To teach the art and science of cooking with fresh products from the garden or local farms
• To re-establish the nature of a shared meal

Social & Moral Development

• To teach sustainable development
• To teach ecological literacy and/or environmental education
• To teach the joy and dignity of work
• To teach respect for public and private property

Vocational and/or Subsistence Skills

• To teach basic skills and vocational competencies
• To produce food and other commodities for subsistence consumption and trade
• To produce crops for food and shelter

Life Skills

• To teach about food and fiber production in the garden
• To engage children in community service and environmental care
• To involve students in lessons of leadership and decision making
• To involve students in voluntary beneficial situations.
• To improve problem solving
• To improve critical thinking.

Relationship Between Humans and Nature

It has been proven that children are spending less and less time outdoors as new technology is invented. This trend has been seen to impact educational and social aspects of the youth. Spending more time outside has been seen to improve test scores and overall concentration. Having green areas is important to increase a students interest in nature and further help them understand compared to learning in a classroom. It has been studied and proven that students learn more when studying 'hands on'. At the same time, teachers and parents begin to realize the ability of education through nature. Parents and teachers are suggested to give kids an hour of play outdoors for every hour indoors. Nature Provides a wide range of materials for creativity among the human race. It is the humans choice to utilize those materials or not, however using those materials will result in a benefit of education.

Student Health

Teachers also regarded the garden to be very effective at enhancing academic performance, physical activity, language arts, and healthy eating habits. Garden-based learning attempts to combat obesity by introducing students to healthy foods and providing opportunities to for outside experiential learning. Gardening intervention in schools may also aid in the improved health of children for the simple reason that students get 20% or more of their daily food intake from school depending on their socioeconomic backgrounds; families with lower income depending on school lunch even more than others.

ADDED PARAGRAPH UNDER STUDENT HEALTH - Students and teachers have also reported that using GBL programs reduce stress. Reducing stress can result in increased mental health and boosted immune system. A boosted immune system means that the human body is stronger and heals more efficiently. This could help patients recovering from all diseases, wounds, illnesses and more. Hospitals and Primary care facilities would be an ideal spot to incorporate garden based learning.