Standard 5:  Literate Environment

 

[Educators] create a literate environment that fosters reading and writing by integrating foundational knowledge, instructional practices, approaches and methods, curriculum materials, and the appropriate use of assessments.

Literacy Event #5:  Plant the Seed and Read

 

IRA Standard 5:  Element 5.2- Candidates design a social environment that is low risk and includes choice, motivation, and scaffolded support to optimize students' opportunities for learning to read and write.

 

Annotation/Details of the Event

Students of all ages and neighborhood community members will be invited to help plant fruit, vegetables, and flowers in our community garden.  Volunteers, including local gardeners, will be there to provide not only the seeds and/or plants, but also books and other reading materials about what they will be planting, how to plant, how to care for them, and recipe books that include some of the fruits and vegetables planted.  Students and adults will work together and meet twice a week to maintain the garden.  When the fruit, vegetables, and flowers are ready, students will pick them and prepare a few for everyone to eat (flowers cut and put in a vase on a table).  If any are left over and as the harvesting season progresses, students will be able to take the fruits, vegetables, and flowers home for their families to enjoy.  Recipes from different cultures will be provided for students to take home as well.

 

Literate Environment

This hands-on gardening experience will provide students the opportunity to actually help grow fruit, vegetables, and flowers.  This casual atmosphere will create a low-risk environment for students to read the resource books and recipes because they will be highly motivated about the gardening and will have plenty of adult support available.

 

                                                                                                210 words by Wendy A. Smith