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| Last Updated: 10/09 |
Home : School Programs :Natural Science
Garden and Natural Science
The WV Garden and Natural Science Program (GNS) offers its elementary students the opportunity to experience hands-on gardening in a real school garden and natural science activities with a curriculum that focuses on our Northern California environment and its plants, insects and animals.
This fun and valuable program is fully-funded by the PTA and run by parent volunteers. All classes may participate in the program, provided that there are 3-4 parent volunteers for each session. There are 7 one-hour sessions during the school year – 4 gardening and 3 science lessons. Teachers choose the dates and times for their monthly sessions. Parent volunteers may participate in all or some sessions and choose to teach gardening or natural science or both.
The Garden portion of the program provides each class an opportunity to plant, cultivate and harvest their own vegetables. The program begins with planting in September, followed by a harvest and “salad feast” in February, a second planting in March and a final harvest in April /May.
The Natural Science curriculum focuses on the natural world in California, on topics from acorns to worms and butterflies to minerals. Each lesson kit provided to volunteers contains concise, easy-to-read instructions and scripts, along with user-friendly materials and models.
The GNS program is coordinated by a committee of parent volunteers who also serve as the grade lead contacts:
1st Grade Lead - Alison Hlady 2nd Grade Lead - Candi Strong-Lapides 3rd Grade Lead - Tracy Gorelick
4th Grade Lead - Kathleen
Cordova 5th Grade Lead - Bill Lock
A Google Group site gives parent volunteers access to place to get information, program schedules, updates and lesson plans. Contact any of the committee members listed above for questions or concerns about the program.