Fall Harvesting and Learning

The Learning Garden has been bustling with activity over the past few weeks. Students harvested vegetables,  and husked corn for Maine Harvest Lunch Week. Monarch butterflies were tagged and released for their migration journey southward. Apples were harvested and cooked into sauce. Cabbage and carrots were made into school garden slaw. We are enjoying the beautiful fall garden while we learn.....

2nd Graders picking flowers for the cafeteria.

1st grade corn husking

Mrs. Poliquin demonstrating corn husking

Ready for Maine Harvest Lunch

Corn husking with Jen Meserve

Angie Clark enjoying Harvest Stew

1st graders with Kate Bacon getting ready to harvest apples.

Separating eating apples from cooking apples very carefully.

Reviewing the School Garden Slaw Recipe

Teamwork!

1st graders releasing tagged monarch butterflies with Josh Olins

Laurie Winslow tags the monarchs for us!

Look carefully at the zinnia to see who is hanging out in the garden!

Welcome Back to Fall 2015/ Who Has been Seen in the Garden?

The Learning Garden is overflowing with vegetables, flowers, students and teachers who are enjoying the warm September days in the garden. Follow the pictures below to see how we integrate the school garden into our fall curriculum and cafeteria. 

Mrs. Bacon's first grade class harvesting tomatoes

Kindergarteners love the garden!

Observations of nature

Mrs. Farmer's Kindergarten basking in garden fun

Mrs. Paradis, Mrs. Mowatt & Mrs. Duncan 

There is so much to explore.

Picking tomatoes with Mrs. Grover while 2nd Grade Art with Mrs. Taylor is in the upper slope.

2nd grade Art with Mrs. Taylor

Mrs. Clay with her beautiful pollinator bed

Sisters and sunflowers

Ms. Conley instructing students how to harvest carrots

Rare sighting of a Monarch butterfly visiting the Learning Garden

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to the Learning Garden!

It has been 2 years since a group of dedicated staff, students and parents constructed our learning garden. Over the past few weeks we have seen the garden "spring" back to life once again. Perennials are blooming and spreading across the upper slope. Vegetables and annual flowers have been planted in the raised beds. New art projects adorn the pergola, the fence and the sensory bed. Plants grown by students and donated by staff/parents were sold at the Wellness Fair Plant Sale. We encourage all staff and students to visit the garden before summer vacation and say HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Donations for the plant sale

Plant Sale to benefit school gardens

Mrs. Gredler's students learning about seeds

Mrs. Clay and students observing the garden

2nd grade garden art

In the garden we grow and learn

The pergola is a perfect place to work

3rd graders planting cucumbers

Selecting seeds to plant!

New Garden Art from Mrs. Taylors' After School Club

Pumpkin growing though the chair

Spring perennials

Sensory Bed rocks and returns to life!

April Wellness at FES

April saw lots of Wellness activities at FES. At the beginning of April the USDA paid a special visit to Falmouth Elementary (see below for more information). The Special Ed staff promoted information on Autism Awareness School wide. Daffodils planted by students last fall are blooming in the learning garden. During the last week of April all Kindergarten students spent time in the learning garden planting spinach in the raised beds and sprouting sunflower seeds. 

The USDA is producing an eight-minute video about the importance of healthy school lunches. The video will contain four segments, offering perspectives from children, parents, administrators and physicians. Kevin Concannon, Department of Agriculture Undersecretary, is impressed with Maine’s school lunch progress and recommended interviewing Dr. Victoria Rogers. Dr. Rogers, Director of Let’s Go!, is one of two physicians to address how healthy meals impact children.

Falmouth Elementary School was chosen as the backdrop for part of this video due to our success in implementing the new healthier meal standards and our increased student participation in school meals, which is contrary to the current national trend. Credit goes to the entire kitchen staff who are committed to making and serving delicious, healthy meals to our students.

Bruce Alexander, the Director of Communications for the USDA's Food and Nutrition Science Division was extremely impressed with the focus on nutrition that was on display throughout the entire school. It is an incredible testament to success through commitment and collaboration - a true team effort.

The USDA is visiting only one other school, in Little Rock, Arkansas, for this project. Kudos to Martha Poliquin(food service director), Kim Walker (kitchen manager) for their dedication to our students and for this amazing recognition!

Dr. Victoria Rogers of Let's Go eating lunch at FES

5th grader being interviewed for USDA film

Special Ed staff promoting Autism Awareness

Autism education throughout the school

Daffodils planted last fall by Garden Club

Planting in Kindergarten with Mrs. Guerra

Working with Erin, our garden manager