Garden / Outdoor Learning

In 2012, a committed group of teachers and parents began to draft plans for a school garden and outdoor classroom on the FSK campus. Due to their hard work, the gardening program was successfully launched – the school became a greener space with endless outdoor learning opportunities. Today, the gardening program at Francis Scott Key is a collaboration between Climate Corps, a program of SEI,  and the students and families of FSK. Our full-time garden instructor conducts weekly lessons in our beautiful outdoor classroom, serving all K-5 classes. Students participate in engaging, hands-on, experiential science investigations aligned with their class curriculum. They become scientific thinkers and environmental stewards, learning to care for and protect the natural world around them.

Topics include:

• Worms and decomposition
• Plant adaptations
• Renewable energy systems
• Garden-to-table cooking
• Ecosystems
• Bees, birds, and other garden creatures
• Plant life cycle
• Ethnobotany
• Animal habitats
• Garden planting and maintenance
• Wood and trees

We host several garden work days per year to help keep our garden clean and beautiful as well as implement projects. The more hands the merrier! Keep an eye out for upcoming events through our blog posts, the FSK discussion list, or on the FSK Facebook page.

We are always looking for volunteers to help maintain our garden spaces as well as assist in lessons. Volunteer opportunities include:

• Weekend watering and weeding
• Class-time support
• Materials prep for classes
• Volunteer outreach
• Assisting in garden workdays

Any help is greatly appreciated!!