A food garden program that has helped build gardens in schools across the region is now working to create a formal curriculum for teachers.

The Waterloo Region School Food Garden (WRSFG) program has been key in establishing and expanding more than two dozen food gardens in elementary and secondary schools since 2017.

"We think garden-based learning is an incredible opportunity for students and communities," program coordinator Allison Eady said.

WRSFG acts as a facilitator to schools and educators interested in building a garden in their school by providing the funds and resources they need.

With more and more interest from educators and schools, Eady said it was time to create a formal curriculum teachers can use alongside the gardens. The project is a partnership with the Cambridge Self Help Food Bank.

"We're trying to fill in some of the gaps," Eady said. "There's some really great work being done by individual teachers and it's hard for them to share that around the region."

WRSFG have put out a survey asking educators for feedback on the curriculum.

Eady said feedback so far points to having more resources for older students and how to weave garden-based lessons into different subjects like art, math and science.

She hopes to meet with teachers in the coming weeks to start brainstorming ideas and resources.

WR School Food Garden team from left to right: Allison Eady, Rimal Raul, Rayna Almas, and Jill Byers. (Submitted by: Allison Eady)

A different kind of learning tool

The gardens have become a valuable teaching tool for teachers. Some use them in their environmental studies classes, science classes and even art classes, Eady said.

"In some schools, it's a little flower bed that students help take care of and some of them have incredible green classrooms," she said.

The gardens also give volunteer opportunities for students in the summer months by helping maintain the gardens and prepping them for the fall.

Eady said teachers who are interested in getting a garden can start by having a conversation with their school. Finding an ideal spot for the garden, whether indoors or outdoors, also goes a long way.

Through the Ontario Trillium Foundation, WRSFG provides grants to schools to help get the resources they need. Eady said they have 12 grants available for schools this year.