Growing Good Kids: Making a difference via Horticulture

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Growing Good Kids Making a difference via
Horticulture

• Dr. Kathryn Orvis
• Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
• Dept. Youth Development and Ag Education
• And
• Dept. Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
• Purdue University
• EMAIL orvis_at_purdue.edu

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Welcome!
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• All the lessons of life are in the garden.
  Birth, nurturing, growth, joy, sometimes
  heartbreak, and ultimately a sense of hope.
• - gardening columnist Lee May

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Why Horticulture?

• Because plants are cool, of course! And
• Relatively safe and simple way to allow youth to
  have an experience with a living organism
  other than themselves
• Provides opportunity to interact with world
  around them
• Plants involved in almost every aspect of life

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Why gardening?

• Involves additional aspects of natural world
• Allows for connections to many (if not all)
  academic areas
• Provides an easy way for people to get involved

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Why youth?

• Future workforce
• Caretakers of the Earth (and each other)
• Gardening, horticulture and plants provide an
  opportunity for youth to experience hands-on, or
  experiential learning

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Youth Gardening

• Youth gardening is an extremely powerful teaching
  medium!

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Garden Based Education Research

• Growing plants and gardening is good for kids.
• We've always known it - now research proves it!
• How can you make an impact on those youths in
  your community?

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Research shows the Importance of Childrens
Gardening

• Children participating in gardening programs not
  only benefit form greater self esteem but are
  more likely to gain better nutritional habits as
  well, in addition to many other benefits.

(Babcock, 1909 Cronin-Jones, 2000 Joyce
Ferenga, 1999 Kahtz, 1995 Lineberger Zajicek,
2000 McGinn Relf, 2001 Waliczek, Bradley,
Zajicek, 2001 Waliczek, Mattson, Zajicek,
1996 Waliczek Zajicek, 1999)
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Gardening and Nutrition Exercise

• Use of school gardens has been shown to increase
  fruit and vegetable consumption with
  participating children
• (Zajicek Lineberger, 2000 Cavalier, 1987
  Gwynn, 1988 Morris Zindenberg-Cherr, 2002).
• Gardening is a physical activity, encourages kids
  to be outside and active

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Social Benefits -

• Gardens help increase self-esteem, provide
  economic and physiological benefits and are a
  place for social interaction.
• (Waliczek et.al, 1996)

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Additional benefits

• Gardens as living laboratories for science
  discovery (Klemer, 2002)
• Experiential learning develop critical thinking
  skills (Byerly, 2001)
• Learn applied academic skills such as math used
  to determine plant spacing (Wotoweic, 1979)
• Awareness of the natural world and relation to
  own well-being (Relf, McDaniel and Butterfield,
  1992)
• Gardens provide interdisciplinary learning
  environment (Sheffield, 1992 Monk, 1995)

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JMG - A 4-H Youth Gardening Program

• Designed to be flexible use audience
• Curriculum integrated across subject areas
• Activities are hands-on for both group and
  independent learning
• Matched to academic standards
• Integrates service learning and life skill
  development

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JMG

• The sound academic standards of the JMG program
  coupled with a creative hands-on teaching
  delivery, capitalizes on the strengths of all
  youth. The program cultivates personal
  leadership, volunteerism and character education.

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Youth involved in the JMG program

• 2003 39,606 registered youth
• which equals 1242 groups
• Estimated 1 million youth impacted annually
  nation-wide
• National 4-H enrollment for 2003 7.1 million

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Indiana JMG stats

• Several counties (30)
• Thirty-six officially registered groups, many
  many others using
• Started March 2001
• Success in different settings and with
  different audiences
• Crosses over between Extension program areas
  (ANR, 4H, CFS)

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Ways to reach out

• Partnerships
• Grassroots efforts
• Media and PR
• Think outside the box!

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Partnerships

• National Program Partnerships Include -
• Cooperative Extension Service, Land-Grant
  University System
• AmeriCorps
• National Wildlife Federation
• Learn Serve America   
• Schools to Careers
• Master Gardener Associations
• Children's Better Health Institute 

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JMG Grassroots

• Join the JMG grassroots efforts and let
  teachers  youth leaders in your town know about
  Junior Master Gardener and the benefits it offers
  for children!

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Community connections and program cross over an
example

• Think outside the box!
• Example using gardening to teach nutrition,
  improve eating habits, increase physical activity
• Did you know gardening is a good workout!

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Health and Nutrition from the Garden

• Did you know?
• Seeds can be purchased with food stamp dollars
• Research has shown that kids who grow their own
  fruits and vegetables are more likely to eat them
• JMG HN teaches healthy eating habits, growing
  own food, economics, food safety
• Works well with Federal Food Nutrition Education
  Programs (ex FNP/EFNEP)

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Health and Nutrition from the Garden

• Can be a way for teachers and leaders to easily
  introduce better eating habits and healthy
  lifestyle skills
• Community connections are broad
• Extension areas, community groups, hospitals,
  government agencies, schools, etc.

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Health and Nutrition from the Garden

• Partnership with faith-based not-for-profit group
  affiliated with hospitals in Illinois and Indiana
• HealthVisions Midwest
• Mission is educating high-risk
  populations in nutrition and healthy
  living
• Saw JMG HN as a way to get kids interested,
  eating healthy, and active
• Fostering relationships with community partners
  Extension, YMCA, YWCA, Boys Girls Clubs,
  Community Centers, etc.

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Whats New?

• JMG leader discussion group by Yahoo!
• Lots of info and resources on-line
• Curriculum
• Wildlife Gardener released last spring
• Literature in the Garden piloted fall, release
  scheduled for summer 2005
• Now..a preview.

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Newest Golden Ray Series

• Wildlife Gardener
• A partnership between NWF and JMG

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Wildlife Gardener

• As Wildlife Gardeners, children will
• gain understanding and appreciation for wildlife
  that is part of their local community
• enjoy novel, hands-on project-based learning as
  they have fun gardening for wildlife
• build components of wildlife garden habitat
• while participating in an integrated curriculum
  that strengthens skills in math, science,
  language and social studies.

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A sneak preview...
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Literature in the Gardensm
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Literature in the Gardensm

• Hands on garden content inspired by great
  childrens literature

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Literature in the Gardensm
Teaching Concepts 1 Garden Basics 2-7
Selected Literature 8 Life Skills
Career Exploration Service Learning/
Leadership Skills
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Literature in the Gardensm

• Brings literature to life

• Integrates gardening across all subject areas

• recognizes youths with
  certification

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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
6 Growing Good Kids Award Winners
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Literature in the Gardensm
Available June 1
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(No Transcript)
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Impact and Evaluation Demonstrating Results

• examples of JMG evaluation and impact
• examples of success stories and ways to use

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Studies with JMG Demonstrate

• Improved science achievement scores
• Increased environmental awareness and positive
  attitudes
• Improve nutritional knowledge, attitudes and
  eating behavior
• Develop leadership skills, including self-esteem,
  problem solving and communication skills
• Students share information learned with others
• Following the program, teachers and students
  indicate interest in further gardening activities
  
• (Meyer et al 2001) (Zajicek et al,
  1998-2000)
• (Skelly, S., Zajicek,
  J., 1998) (DirksOrvis, 200x)

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JMG National Leaders Survey

• The majority of respondents (75) were school
  teachers, Cooperative Extension employees and/or
  volunteers, and home school educators
• Findings indicated that
• adults noticed their students had increased
  interest in science, teamwork skills, personal
  responsibility, and enthusiasm for learning
• the program boosted the general classroom
  environment, increased community service
  projects, increased awareness of nutrition, and
  caused students to try new foods
• (Boleman and Cummings, 2003)

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Indiana JMG study

• Minnesota also investigated JMG positive
  results
• Investigated gardening as a teaching tool for
  science achievement and attitudes in 3rd grade
  classrooms
• Knowledge Gain (Multiple Choice Questions)
• Overall significant gain for all classrooms - 14
  increase in scores over base line
• Attitude (Likert-type Scale Questions)
• Overall significant gain for all classrooms -17
  in attitudes (1/2 point increase on 3 point scale)

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Results Teacher Evaluation

• Teachers indicated attitude or behavior changes
  observed in students.
• Majority reported liked/loved the program
• Suggested areas of improvement
• Time - not finishing or being rushed
• program expenses
• Teaching techniques
• Use of outdoors, Engaging students, Time
• Student Interest - important observation

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Results Student Evaluation

• one thing I learned listed
• Cannot live without plants
• How to plant seed/flowers/plants
• About insects
• Worms and composting
• Community Service project performed
• Cleaned up area/picked up litter and
  Planting/gardening
• Majority shared learning with others

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Results Summary

• Use of JMG in the classroom indicated
• increased knowledge gain in areas of science
  and the environment.
• positive attitudes towards science and the
  environment.
• ease of use in the classroom by teachers.
• students had fun participating in the program.

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Ways to document impact

• So what if you arent a researcher?
• Examples of JMG evaluation tools from others
• Adapt and use as needed
• Pre-post type evaluations or single post program
  evaluations
• Investigate what they learned, how they feel,
  attitudes, what they think or remember, etc.
• Observations by teacher or leader
• Simple is good!

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Examples of JMG Success Stories

• Juvenile Detention Centers
• Urban areas
• Home School Groups
• Community partners
• After School Programs
• Traditional Classrooms
• 4-H or Garden Clubs

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JMG Success Stories

• Indianapolis Juvenile Correctional Facility
  a.k.a.Girls School
• 3 classes, 30 students Ages 14-18
• Works well with reading abilities
• Girls wanted to do ALL activities!
• Community service beautify campus grounds and
  housing units

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JMG Success Stories

• Eden Keepers
• Adopted by Gibson County Master Gardeners
• Completed certification activities in 2 months,
  first group certified in Indiana
• Great community service work
• Gardening get-well cards for terminal cancer
  patient
• Worked with elderly couple in community
• Landscaped local Nature Center and Gibson County
  Animal Shelter

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Graduation!
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Additional Support in Indiana

• State website with downloadable forms, links to
  other resources, helpful hints
• Linked state academic standards to curriculum
• Provide training to groups on-demand
• Carry JMG curriculum in Extension Media
  Distribution Center (volume discount)

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Youth Gardening and JMG

• Youth gardening is an great way
  to teach and inspire youth!
• Why horticulture
• Why gardening
• Why youth
• Also provides community connections and
  involvement!

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One who plants a garden, plants
happiness. -Chinese proverb