Del Mar Elementary School

Description

The educational garden at Del Mar Elementary School, located in the Live Oak area of Santa Cruz, provides K-5 students an outdoor curriculum-based garden experience. Students learn various components of the organic gardening from vermicomposting to seed germination to water-cycles. The garden program is based upon the concept of age appropriate, hands-on learning. It attempts to provide a holistic approach to healthy food systems and experiential knowledge of the food-based natural world. The gardens serve as interactive, productive, food growing sites that enable a unique environmental education. Whether it is identifying insects on a "bug search" or turning freshly made compost, having fun and learning in the garden are essential.