OKC Harvest
OKC Harvest is the school garden support program of OKC Beautiful. Our goal is to empower students to experience hands-on learning through the transformative experience of gardening at school. To do this we involve students in the preparation of garden soil, planting, growing and eating healthy foods. Our current partner schools are Bodine Elementary, Cleveland Elementary, Esperanza Elementary, and Wilson Elementary, in partnership with OKC Public Schools District.
Why is OKC Beautiful investing in school gardens? Because a child who has experienced nature can learn to care about it.
The Garden Educator Program
Our garden educators coordinate weekly maintenance and provide garden lessons regularly to students. Our garden-based and health-centered curriculum ties into state academic standards and emphasizes Sciences, Math and Language concepts. Health, Social Studies and Art are also consistently woven in.
OKC Harvest Lesson Plans and Resources:
Are you an educator who wants to incorporate garden education at your school or organization? We have lesson plans, resources, and more to share with you - at no cost!
See us in action!
Students study germination and learned about the parts of a seed.
Students helped to plant seeds during the September lessons, then learned how the process of germination works.
Students practice recording what they observe in the garden.
Worms open doors to Earth Science and Biology.
Kindergarten students act out germination.
Watering in seeds with Kat
Bodine Elementary student explores the luffa gourd trellis
A student examines a monarch caterpillar up close
A student grabs a second bowl of veggie stir fry
Students harvest lettuce from their garden
Garden Educator Micah Stover guided students in seed planting during lessons.
Science journals are a natural feature of garden-based learning.
First hand knowledge of the natural world is part of the school garden experience.
Students taste a winter veggie stir fry during Veggies & Vitamins Lessons.
Carrots are yummy!
Cleveland Bulldog garden in action
Bodine Elementary students harvest onions
A student harvests sugar snap peas from the Bodine Elementary garden
Planting gardens is family fun!
Students practice diagramming seed parts in their garden journals.
OKC Harvest Garden Educators facilitate year-round gardens.
Pre K students test their five senses on flowers in the garden.
Kindergarten students practice organizing and sorting while exploring garden seeds.
A student records observations in the Compost Corner at Cleveland Elementary.
Planting with students.
Putting in tomato cages
Reading about plant care
Enes Kanter & Steven Adams plant veggies with The Boys & Girls Club