Cityfarm Little Green Thumbs Program
Update on Little Green Thumbs Program 2010
With the help of enthusiastic volunteers, six new indoor gardens are sprouting and growing in Edmonton
schools and agencies this spring. Soil bags and seeds were also delivered to a number of Little Green
Thumbs participants from previous years.
Our six Growing Assistants received training from Cityfarm in February and have been busy helping teachers
hang the grow lamp, set up garden boxes and germinate seeds with the students. Seedlings have been
transplanted into the soil bags and some cucumbers are already climbing up on bamboo supports.
The feedback from teachers has been very positive and includes comments such as ‘We’re keeping our
volunteer; she’s just great. I can’t believe how well this project works!’ The volunteers are also
enjoying their time gardening and spending time with the children. The gardens will continue to provide
important learning opportunities across the curriculum until the end of June and again in the new school year.
Register Now for the 2011 Program
Overview:
How to Participate
The Cityfarm Little Green Thumbs Program is a powerful tool to engage students in learning
and caring about the plants and the environment that sustain us. Hands-on, experiential learning gives children a
direct and personal understanding of how living things thrive.
Cityfarm provides Edmonton schools or agencies with indoor gardens and support, such as classroom sessions,
technical and horticultural advice and program resources for the duration of the program.
The indoor garden consists of four grow boxes, soil bags and a grow light, as well as seedling trays and fertilizer.
The grow boxes hold approximately 40 litres of water and therefore the plants do not dry out over the weekend or
during a short holiday.
Over the years working with local schools and after-school agencies, we learned that children have a fascination with living plants and
a need for multi-sensory experiences and real-life projects that give them a sense of belonging and control of
their environment.
The beauty of this indoor garden system is the opportunity for children to experience personal growth, acquire a wide range of skills and knowledge during the complete growing cycle of plants. The children participate in:
- Planting seeds and transplanting seedlings;
- Caring for plants on a daily basis (i.e., watering, fertilizing, pruning, staking, checking for problems, etc.)
- Watching the plants’ growth and help solve problems, such as the lack of natural pollinators;
- Harvesting vegetables and herbs;
- Preparing and enjoying the fruits of their labour.
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The garden is a springboard for a wide range of activities related to the teacher’s learning goals. Taking
care of a classroom garden fosters social development, healthy living, science and math skills, and
environmental and local food awareness.
Click here to see the photo journal
of our test garden at the office. Questions?
Frequently Asked Questions
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“…having the students learn the joy and fulfillment of actually watching our food grow from a tiny seed to food
they can eat and learn the value of healthy food choices and how much better food tastes right from the indoor
garden.”
Karen, Grade 2/3 teacher
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Description of a transplanting day at one of our participating schools.
Want to see what other schools are doing? Click on the following link and select "Special Projects".
"Seeds to Salad" project at Riverbend Junior High School
A similar program is also very successful in Saskatchewan.
Little Green Thumbs Saskatchewan
The sponsors for Cityfarm Little Green Thumbs for the 2010-2011 school year are TD Friends of the Environment;
and the Royal Alexandra Hospital Employees Fund.
Follow this link to our application information.
For further information, contact Cityfarm.
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