5th Grade Math, Science, and Gardening Program
A 5th Grade Gardening Day
Oak Forest Elementary School in Humble, Texas, began an innovative program incorporating a school garden for 5th graders in 2003. Its garden is registered as an affiliate school garden of Urban Harvest in Houston.
Each class of a 5th grade math and science teacher's two classes will have its organic gardening class Thursday morning or afternoon. Whole-class instruction of about 30 minutes by OFE Growers volunteers precedes gardening of about 30 minutes outside. Students work in teams and are supervised by adult volunteers. A team might prepare raised beds for planting, cut green matter for compost, plant seeds or young plants, weed or thin plants, water, mulch beds or natural areas, harvest, or distribute produce into sacks to be taken home by students.
Cultivated Organic Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits
Fifth graders take home about 2,600 pounds of organic produce a year. Vegetables, herbs, and fruits that can be grown in the Atascocita area are likely grown in the OFE school gardens. Vegetables include sugar snap peas, yard long beans, bush beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, tomatillos, squash, gourds, cucumbers, okra, carrots, radishes, onions, garlic, eggplant, lettuce, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, spinach, kale, kohlrabi, turnips, Swiss chard, bok choy, artichokes, and collard greens.
Herbs are grown and regularly harvested to be sent home with students. Herbs that may be cultivated in the OFE school gardens include arugula, winter savory, garlic and onion chives, mint, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, oregano, French sorrel, fennel, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, rosemary, sage, thyme, Vietnamese coriander, celery leaf, parsley, epazote, and basil.
Fruits are grown and harvested mainly in the school orchard and include grapes, oranges, lemons, kumquats, figs, pears, jujubes, bananas, and loquats. Fruits that ripen during the school year are sent home with the 5th graders.
Preserves as a Means To Support OFE Growers, Inc.
Fruits and some vegetables that ripen after the school year ends generally are now being made into preserves---jellies, jams, butters, pickles, relishes, and salsas---that are offered to the community for suggested donations that help fund the OFE Growers program each year. Donations make possible the purchase of fertilizer, mulch, compost, seeds, plants, tools, gloves, building timbers and cement blocks, paving stones, fence materials, canning supplies, student prizes, student handbooks and other printed materials, and some science materials for classrooms.
Invitation to 4th Graders and Graduating 5th Graders
At the end of the school year 4th graders and graduating 5th graders are invited with an adult to come back to work in the school gardens each Thursday morning in the summer. Workers are invited to take home produce. The school gardens are maintained by volunteers during the summer.
A Ton of Compost
In addition to cultivation of plants each year, OFE Growers produces more than a ton of compost from bags of grass clippings and pine needles and other leaves that are dropped off at the school by parents and other members of the community.
An Outdoor Classroom
In November 2017 an outdoor classroom of wooden benches and teacher's station were relocated to the school's annex, which is near the little red shed and main and annex student gardens. A plaque on the annex wall honors OFE Growers volunteers Jo and Ken Sanders for their work in establishing the outdoor classroom. This classroom area may be used by all OFE students and teachers.
Oak Forest Elementary School in Humble, Texas, began an innovative program incorporating a school garden for 5th graders in 2003. Its garden is registered as an affiliate school garden of Urban Harvest in Houston.
Each class of a 5th grade math and science teacher's two classes will have its organic gardening class Thursday morning or afternoon. Whole-class instruction of about 30 minutes by OFE Growers volunteers precedes gardening of about 30 minutes outside. Students work in teams and are supervised by adult volunteers. A team might prepare raised beds for planting, cut green matter for compost, plant seeds or young plants, weed or thin plants, water, mulch beds or natural areas, harvest, or distribute produce into sacks to be taken home by students.
Cultivated Organic Vegetables, Herbs, and Fruits
Fifth graders take home about 2,600 pounds of organic produce a year. Vegetables, herbs, and fruits that can be grown in the Atascocita area are likely grown in the OFE school gardens. Vegetables include sugar snap peas, yard long beans, bush beans, tomatoes, bell peppers, banana peppers, tomatillos, squash, gourds, cucumbers, okra, carrots, radishes, onions, garlic, eggplant, lettuce, sweet potatoes, white potatoes, lettuce, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, mustard greens, spinach, kale, kohlrabi, turnips, Swiss chard, bok choy, artichokes, and collard greens.
Herbs are grown and regularly harvested to be sent home with students. Herbs that may be cultivated in the OFE school gardens include arugula, winter savory, garlic and onion chives, mint, cilantro, dill, lemon balm, oregano, French sorrel, fennel, marjoram, Mexican mint marigold, rosemary, sage, thyme, Vietnamese coriander, celery leaf, parsley, epazote, and basil.
Fruits are grown and harvested mainly in the school orchard and include grapes, oranges, lemons, kumquats, figs, pears, jujubes, bananas, and loquats. Fruits that ripen during the school year are sent home with the 5th graders.
Preserves as a Means To Support OFE Growers, Inc.
Fruits and some vegetables that ripen after the school year ends generally are now being made into preserves---jellies, jams, butters, pickles, relishes, and salsas---that are offered to the community for suggested donations that help fund the OFE Growers program each year. Donations make possible the purchase of fertilizer, mulch, compost, seeds, plants, tools, gloves, building timbers and cement blocks, paving stones, fence materials, canning supplies, student prizes, student handbooks and other printed materials, and some science materials for classrooms.
Invitation to 4th Graders and Graduating 5th Graders
At the end of the school year 4th graders and graduating 5th graders are invited with an adult to come back to work in the school gardens each Thursday morning in the summer. Workers are invited to take home produce. The school gardens are maintained by volunteers during the summer.
A Ton of Compost
In addition to cultivation of plants each year, OFE Growers produces more than a ton of compost from bags of grass clippings and pine needles and other leaves that are dropped off at the school by parents and other members of the community.
An Outdoor Classroom
In November 2017 an outdoor classroom of wooden benches and teacher's station were relocated to the school's annex, which is near the little red shed and main and annex student gardens. A plaque on the annex wall honors OFE Growers volunteers Jo and Ken Sanders for their work in establishing the outdoor classroom. This classroom area may be used by all OFE students and teachers.
If you would like to know more about our organization or would like to volunteer you may directly contact OFE Growers Board President Mr. Eric Vogl at egvogl@gmail.com