Planting Seeds – A School and Community Partnership for English Learners and Refugee Youth

Community partners chaperoned students on a field trip to Tucson Village Farm, while other students participated in the  school’s gardening and greenhouse activities. The project became a way to integrate math, science, English-language learning, and social-emotional learning goals. Each student was responsible for a planting container, growing their own food, recording observations, and sharing produce with the school’s community. The project also included discussions about healthy food that led to a plan to publish a booklet with students’ observations entitled “Healthy Families”.

One key outcome was that some students who have struggled academically in more traditional settings  discovered a new way to successfully engage with the content. In particular, this type of experiential learning opened doors of communication for students who are just learning English.

Project length

3 months

Resources

None

  • "My students are new to this country, so I want to expose them to a variety of experiences that teach valuable life skills, and promote their social and emotional development."

    Katherine Engel Teacher
  • "My family now has a garden!"

    Student

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