Guadalupe’s

Garden

Orientation

Welcome & Thank You!

We are so grateful for your time and dedication to our students and school community. Your hands-on support makes it possible for our children to enjoy such a unique and meaningful experience through Guadalupe’s garden program.

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This program is made possible entirely through community donations and thrives thanks to parent volunteers like you. Together, with clear communication, flexibility, and positivity, we can ensure its continued success.

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Working in the garden can be messy and fun. To keep things running smoothly for everyone, we kindly ask that you clean up after yourself and your students, arrive a little early and finish on time so the next group can begin promptly, share any needs, highlights, or concerns with the Garden Coordinators.

Volunteer’s Information

Danielle, Abigail & Phoenix

Garden Coordinators (garden.ghsc@gmail.com)

Garden website: ghsc.net/

• Each grade level has the opportunity to complete 2 projects per year- one in Fall and one in Spring. But they are free to keep going to the garden to check progress (we recommend this) and do some activities!

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• Each Project requires about 1 hour of time and some preparation; we suggest 3 volunteers to be involved in each Project.

• Typically, small groups of students take turns planting in rotations with the Garden Lead, and the remaining time is spent enjoying free play in the outdoor learning area with the additional volunteers.

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• Each grade level is assigned 1 bed, and each teacher can use 1/4 of the space for their class plantings. Spaces are already marked with teacher’s names. Please only plant in your designated space, and please do not allow children to touch/eat anyone else’s plants!

Garden General Process

1) Garden Lead works with the teacher to schedule time in the garden/outdoor learning area, and books time on the calendar: Calendar Link. Times can be scheduled before lunch and after lunch.

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2) Garden Lead & teacher review the planting instructions to understand what types of seeds to plant during the season.

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3) Garden Lead & teacher review the Learning Stations to select their favorites to complement the activity.

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4) Garden Lead schedules additional volunteers to assist with plantings and any Learning Station activities desired.

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5) On the scheduled date/time, the Garden Lead & volunteers access the teacher's shed and prepare all items needed for planting (seeds, instructions, gloves, shovels). The shed also contains all Learning Station activity supplies for the volunteers to set up at desired stations.

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6) Garden Lead & volunteers clean up all activities, and return seeds/supplies to the teachers shed and lock up. Please keep items tidy in the shed as you found them.

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Scheduling Garden Sessions

Please contact the Garden Coordinators if you have any changes on your scheduled session!

Garden Map

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There are 9 areas available in the garden. You can set up several Learning Stations which helps divide the kids into smaller groups. This way a small group of kids can be planting while others are enjoying the stations.

• Geoboard and Puzzles
• Planting with a Purpose
• Reading Nook
• Water Station
• Acknowledge the Past
• Art and Activities
• Sensory Garden
• Weigh Station
• Investigation Station

Garden Tour

Garden Lead & volunteers access the teacher's shed to find all items needed for planting (seeds, instructions, gloves, shovels) and all Learning Station activity supplies for each station.

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The shed is organized in bins that contain all the material necessary for each activity.

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Please be sure to return everything to its place, and lock up!

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Teacher's shed lock combination is 0442.

Teacher Shed

Shapes, fine motor skills and fun!

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Puzzles, patterns and rubber bands are in labeled bin.

1. Geoboard Fun and Puzzle

Here, the students can plant, grow, and harvest.

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Each class has its own designated space already labeled. Please do not touch other classes plants or spaces.

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Please check the Planting Instructions & Planting Schedule for more information.

2. Plant with a Purpose

Planting Calendar

Fall Planting

Spring Planting

Books and cushions are located inside the Teacher’s Shed.

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Set up the space and let the kids enjoy!

3. Reading Nook

Perfect to explore different topics such as density.

Fill a bucket with water and bring to the table. Ensure the table plugs are in place before pouring water in.

Water toys are available in the shed.

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This is a favorite area for younger grades (Tk-2nd)

4. Water station

The Ohlone Way - located in the left corner of the Garden, here the kids can use the mortar & pestle to create “acorn flour” and learn about the people native to Santa Clara County known as the Ohlone:

Acorn Teachings

Ohlone Cafe using Bay Leaves, Acorn Flour

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All materials can be found in the Teacher’s Shed inside a labeled bin.

5. Acknowledge the Past

Let’s create environmental art. Kids can use garden materials such as leaves, rocks and more to create some art! They may also just color & draw freely on blank paper. All supplies (paper, glue, etc) are in labeled bins.

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Kindness Rock Painting

Leaf Man Art

TK/Kinder Butterfly craft

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6. Art and Activities

This area is designed to see, touch, taste, smell, and learn!

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The kids can explore around the different plant boxes, discover textures, smells, and watch pollinators at work.

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There is a dig pit that they can use for imaginative and sensory play.

7. Sensory Garden & dig pit

Outdoor scale provides a hands-on way to learn math concepts by measuring weight and comparing different objects found around the garden (pine cones, acorns, rocks, etc).

8. Weigh It

This area is designed for the kids to participate and see progress in some experiments.

Some experiments are for viewing (i.e. carrot roots growing beneath soil, ant terranium).

Other experiments invite participation such as feeding plants with water vs milk and documenting the changes in plant growth.

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9. Investigation Station

Make ups

If something occurs and you schedule session can not be completed, you can contact the Garden Coordinators to schedule a new date.

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Planting calendar is open for 1 month during Fall and 1 month during spirng.

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Any other activities can be scheduled during the year, but they need to be approved by teachers and lead by Garden Volunteers.

Thank you

garden Team!

Danielle, Aby & Phoenix