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.
During even the most basic gardening experiences, students benefit physically, mentally and emotionally.
Why is OKC Beautiful investing in school gardens? Because a child who has experienced nature can learn to care about it. We want to help nurture the next generation of environmental stewards who will be involved and active in helping to make Oklahoma City a beautiful, safe and healthy place to live.
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The Garden Educator Program
The 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.
We are committed to continuing the garden educator model in both of our pilot program schools permanently and ultimately replicating the program throughout the district and beyond.
Become an OKC Harvest Sponsor!
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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
OKC Harvest Lesson Plans
Whether your school site has a garden or not, the concepts in our OKC Harvest program can be used in a variety of settings. Below are lessons plans available for your use in the classroom or at home! OKC Harvest curriculum is for grades Kindergarten through 4th Grade.
Additional lesson plans are being developed for public use. If you would like additional lesson plans in draft format, please contact Kasey Meek.
Lesson One: Growing Seasons and Weather
Lesson Two: Seeds & Fall Planting
Lesson Three: How Plants Grow & How Seeds Travel
