Proposal+Draft

//“A child’s world is fresh and new and beautiful, full of wonder and excitement. . . it would last throughout life, as an unfailing antidote against the boredom and disenchantment of later years, the sterile preoccupation with things that are artificial, the alienation from the sources of our strength.”// -- Rachel Carson – “Sense of Wonder”

Like grain in frozen soil waiting to be called forth by the sun and season, several of us at Westmeade have been waiting for the right moment to help children and community connect to our earth and to each other through a garden.

We have watched as our children become more comfortable in a virtual world than a real one. Richard Louv, author __of Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder__, suggests that we may be raising the first generation of “indoor children.” In response children’s advocates, environmentalists, teachers, nonprofit agencies, and political leaders began a national grassroots initiative called **“Leave No Child Inside.” **

According to a University of Illinois study children with access to green outdoor spaces play more creatively and score higher on tests of self-discipline. Gardening with a child is a great way to learn and grow together. Jane L. Taylor, founder of the Michigan 4-H Children’s Garden, says gardening will enhance, enrich, educate, excite, and entertain kids. It will provide enjoyment, and more importantly it will provide for their eating pleasure, health, and for the health of our environment. (http://www.illinoistimes.com/gyrobase/Content?oid=oid%3A6794)

Our own Mayor, Karl Dean, created a Green Ribbon Committee. Dean said, // “Nashville needs to be a leading city for sustainable living with clean air, clean water, and plenty of preserved open space.” //  Now we hope to help our children reclaim the glorious experience of soil and spirit that we had planting rows in our small sections of family turf. Our children will reap benefits beyond those listed below.

We will learn along with the children and parents who participate – Teachers have lesson plans that incorporate living growing things in each grade level’s Tennessee State Standards. This would be
 * What We hope to Accomplish 10 points **
 * Science; learning in an authentic way,
 * Nutrition and healthy living in that same authentic way relating to Physical Education curriculum.
 * Environmental awareness as it relates to science and health, and caring for our planet.
 * Entrepreneurship as part of social science curriculum, (we might sell produce at a stand?)
 * Social skills (team building, leadership development, community support and service learning) related to guidance and government
 * Cooking/food prep and health for parents and children as a means to involve parents in education and to build strong family ties.


 * Focus on Funds 10 points **

Following are the things we may need to spend money on. We are however, asking parents and neighbors for donations of equipment that they may no longer use.

Place to store equipment Deer garden fencing -- 100 ft $79.95 http://www.gardeners.com/Lightweight-Deer-Fence/YardPests_FencesBarriers,11331,default,cp.html

Shovel - $24.95 Spade - $24.95 [|http://www.homedepot.com]

Trowel -- $7.97 [|http://www.homedepot.com]

Cultivators - $220.00

Wheelborrow $69.99 http://www.homedepot.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10051&langId=-1&catalogId=10053&productId=100325960&categoryID=501674

Hydrogrow hose --- $14.99 for 50 ft. http://www.gardeners.com/HydroGrow-Hose/GardeningSale_Watering,11864,default,cp.html

Digital water timer -- $39.95 – http://www.gardeners.com/Digital-Water-Timer/Watering_Accessories,33-868,default,cp.html Lumber for beds Steril (no live seeds in it) fill dirt

Often programs do well while certain parents are involved, then those people move on and a program languishes. We hope to avoid that by have staff people and community people involved along with parents in our garden enterprise along with the parents and children.
 * The Future 10 points **

Professional partners and Advisors Marcus Kerske – Gardens of Babylon Martha Stamps – Martha’s at the Plantation Metro Assistance – Julie Berglia Bill Timmis, Parent Candace Sone, Parent Amy Rugaard, Teacher-Parent Nancy Harrison – Teacher Martin Kennedy, PhD - Parent Darlene Nall, Health & Physical Education Teacher Karen McIntyre, Library Media Specialist The standards that our Garden will address at each grade level Standard Content Standard 5 – Nutrition – understands the relationship between health and nutrition. Standard 4: The student will understand the value of activity and rest to healthy living. Standard 14: The student will recognize environmental practices, products and resources that affect personal and community health and promotes healthy living. A physically educated person participates in physical activity and rest to healthy living. Standard 5 -- relationship of nutrition to healthy living
 * People on our Committee **
 * P.E K-2 **
 * 3-5 **

** Science ** Content Standard 1. 0 Cell Structure and Function __ Content Standard: __ 2.0 Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/grade_1.shtml __ Content Standard: __ 1.0 Cell Structure and Function __ Content Standard: __ 2.0 Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/grade_2.shtml __ Content Standard: __ 1.0 Cell Structure and Function __ Content Standard: __ 2.0 Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment Content Standard: 3.0 Food Production and Energy for Life http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/grade_3.shtml __ Content Standard: __ 1.0 Cell Structure and Function __ Content Standard: __ 2.0 Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment Content Standard: 3.0 Food Production and Energy for Life 4th Grade
 * Kindergarten ** http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/grade_k.shtml
 * 1st Grade **
 * 2nd Grade **
 * 3rd Grade **

http://www.state.tn.us/education/ci/sci/grade_4.shtml Content Standard: 1. 0 Cell Structure and Function Content Standard: 2.0 Interactions Between Living Things and Their Environment**.** Content Standard: 3.0 Food Production and Energy for Life Content Standard: 4.0 Heredity and Reproduction