Eight years ago I taught my first Living Classroom lesson, “Life Cycle of a Tomato” for a class of 24 second
graders. I could hardly believe my new job was to take students outside (during the school day!) to teach
environmental education lessons. That first lesson was a blur--anxiously I stumbled through the vocabulary
words, corralled the students through several activities, and ensured the parent volunteers were set up with
the necessary materials to assist. The hour flew by as the students squashed tomatoes with glee for seed
saving. Before I knew it, they were in a line to head back into the classroom.
I asked the teacher how she thought the lesson went. She said, “I think you need to slow down.”
I exhaled. She was right--why was I rushing the students through this experience? I had the opportunity to
let this hour together outdoors be truly meaningful, to let kids explore, discover, and feel joy. Here’s a
chance to bring what they are learning in their science textbooks to life through engaging, real world
activities.

One of our students said it best, “I like this program (Living Classroom) because a kid can go outside and get
dirty. Most of all, a kid can do the real stuff.” As environmental educators we get the unique opportunity, and
responsibility, to slow down with students and point out the “real stuff.” We get to say, “Look! THIS is nature,
and it’s right outside your door. See this leafy green top? Yes, you can pull it! You really have to yank it! Wow!
Can you believe it? That’s how carrots grow! Isn’t it like magic?” It’s understanding that an heirloom gets
passed down from generation to generation, an item to treasure, and seeds can be heirlooms too. They will
produce colors and flavors beyond our imaginations. It’s discovering that milkweed plants grow right outside
the classroom window and we walk by it everyday. That plant holds the secret for keeping an entire butterfly
species in existence. It’s noticing how your entire heart lifts up as you watch that Monarch land on the
milkweed, like there is some kind of order to our world. It’s how we plant tiny seedlings, how they only
measure up a few inches tall on our rulers, but we will troop back after weeks turn into months and they are
still there, only now proud and bursting, ready to be harvested. It’s patiently watching seeds sprout into green
spades of grass, into beds of wheat, that we will lovingly harvest, thresh, and grind into flour, that we will
bake into bread to understand what it means to be a producer, to be someone who creates.

Through Living Classroom I have met phenomenal teachers who have taught me how to engage students in
our curriculum. World class gardeners have taught me the importance of native plants and habitats. I will hold
all of this close in my next adventure, but what I will cherish most is the thousands of bright and curious
children who have helped me learn the importance of slowing down and appreciating the wonders that exist
in a seed, a leaf, or a beetle’s wing.
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Last week I taught my last lesson as a member of the Living Classroom staff, and it was “Life Cycle of a
Tomato.” The students and I took our time exploring the “real stuff” as we shared our favorite ways to eat
tomatoes, sketched out the plant’s life cycle with all of the glorious details, and explored varieties of
heirlooms. During my time at Living Classroom I hope to have planted a seed that will grow future
environmental stewards through the lessons we have created, the volunteers we have engaged, and what
the students discovered as they explored nature on their own schoolyards. Full circle, indeed!

Looking for some fun activities to do with your little ones this spring break? Spring is the perfect time to be outdoors and experiencing the new growth happening all around. There are many ways to encourage exploration and creativity all while learning about our environment! Here are a few example activities from the Living Classroom lesson archive. 

1. Newspaper Pots

In this activity children will create newspaper pots using a strip of newspaper, an aluminum can, some masking tape and a sharpie. You roll the newspaper around the aluminum can folding the paper at the bottom and then taping it closed to create a pot. Add soil, plant a seed in the center and water! Time for gestation depends on the instructions at the back of your seed packet. 

For more detailed instructions and for information on seed saving, please see our Newspaper Pot video. 

1. Nature Creatures

Go for a nature walk and be sure to collect all six parts of a plant. Roots, stems, leaves, flowers, fruit, and seeds. Grab a clean sheet of paper and move the parts around to make eyes, ears, a nose, a mouth, and hair or make an animal including whiskers and a body. Be creative and have fun! When you’re happy with your creation tape the plant parts to the paper. 

For more detailed instructions please see our Nature Creatures video. 

1. Quiet Leaf Tracing    

This is a great mindfulness activity to give yourself a brain break or a calming activity to do with your children. You will need blank paper, crayons or markers, and a few leaves. Get outside and go for a walk. Collect leaves along the way on your walk and try to see if you can collect different types of leaves.. If you cannot, a few of the same types of leaves will be fine for this activity. On a clean sheet of paper, place your leaves in a pattern on your paper and carefully trace around the edge of the leaves. Move the leaves to another pattern on the page and trace again. Do this until you have filled the entire paper. Don’t worry if you’ve gone outside the lines. Have fun and enjoy tracing!

For more detailed instructions please see our Quiet Leaf Tracing video.

1. Make a Bug Hotel

Encourage creepy crawly critters to visit your yard by building them a bug hotel. You will need a small box, and many sticks, rocks, leaves, or other organic materials you can find outside. You can also use paper towel rolls or egg cartons or other paper waste products. Find a shady spot to place your bug hotel because bugs can often be found under rocks and in dark shaded areas. Start building your bug hotel by adding your materials one row at a time adding a few spots that will help you to be able to see inside. Check the hotel daily to see which critters have moved in!

For more detailed information on bugs, specifically decomposers, check out our Bug Hotel video.

1. Plant a Seedling

The sun is out and the soil is beginning to warm up and it is a great time to get a small garden started. Planting seedlings is an easy way to start for the inexperienced gardener and children. You will need a small outdoor space or garden bed with fresh potting soil to get started. If you have a balcony or small patio you may consider container gardening. Be sure that the area gets plenty of sun so your seedlings will thrive! You will need to plant seedlings that are great for spring. In the San Jose, California area some examples include cantaloupe, cucumbers, pumpkin, rosemary, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, watermelon, and zucchini. To get specific seedling advice for your location check the Farmer’s Almanac website. 

Using a trowel, dig a small hole in your container or garden area about the size of a fist. Add a little water to the bottom of the hole. Gently pull the seedling from the pot gently taking care not to harm the root ball. Place the seedling into the hole and cover with soil. Water generously. 

To get detailed information on how to properly plant seedlings please see our Plant a Seedling video.

The foundation for every healthy garden is healthy soil. Healthy, nutrient dense soil will help your plants to thrive. Soil damage occurs from rototilling the soil frequently, using pesticides, and from monoculture or planting the same crop in the same place every harvest. These practices not only weaken harvests over time which can result in an increased reliance upon pesticides and can result in issues with erosion. Choosing practices that support soil health will not only improve harvests and help our environment, they will also support the health of the gardener! 

What is Healthy Soil?
A soil’s health can be defined as soil’s ability to sustain the living ecosystem. Healthy soil has a good combination of organic matter content, soil biology, soil chemistry, soil structure, and water filtration. 

 Soil is made up of four components: clay, silt, sand, and loam. Together these create a soil texture. It is important to have a balance of each to promote healthy drainage and optimal conditions for living organisms to thrive. If your soil is out of balance, it can be remedied by amending it with compost. 

Rototilling
Rototilling the soil is unnecessary under normal soil conditions. The process of photosynthesis feeds the plant and also stimulates chemical secretions which feed bacteria. These bacteria in turn protect the plant from disease and feed microbes who provide waste providing more nutrition to the plant. Microbes are also eaten by decomposers and arthropods. Decomposers tunnel through the soil creating air pockets which plants need and arthropods are predatory insects who will eat insects that may damage the plant. No-till plots have the highest yields as a result of supporting the ecosystem living beneath the soil!

The practice of rototilling is harmful to the environment because the soil sequesters carbon dioxide and rototilling releases the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By supporting the soil’s relationship with the living organisms that live there carbon dioxide is pulled into the soil. 

Pesticides and Synthetic Fertilizer
Pesticides damage the soil because it not only kills the garden pests that eat the crop, it also kills the living organisms vital to the ecosystem within the soil. Synthetic fertilizer dependence results in high nitrogen input and affects the carbon present in the soil. In effect it affects the microbial health of the soil. High nitrogen input also attracts pests like aphids and whiteflies. Testing your soil chemistry can assist decisions around which nutrients can be amended into the soil to prevent pests. 

If pesticides or lawn chemicals have been used in your garden you may need to test your garden’s PH. Plant varieties can be chosen based on the soil PH and will improve the soil quality long term. Soil can be amended with organic matter such as compost and balanced by using organic fertilizers. There are several alternatives to pesticide use such as companion planting, interplanting, and releasing insects that will eat the pests off your plants. 

Switching to sustainable pest management practices will not only serve the soil, it will also serve the gardener. According to PlanetNatural.com studies have found a link between pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease, autism and child cancers, neuroblastoma, leukemia, chronic infections, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, infertility, neurological disorders, aggression, and depression. 

Monoculture
Planting the same plants in the same place in your garden fails to feed the ecosystem a balanced diet and over time depletes the soil of necessary nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants and crops should be rotated annually to best serve the soil. Ground cover crops will help feed the ecosystem when a crop has been harvested and maintain the soil for the next rotation. 

Healthy Soil = Healthy Gardener
Many studies state that gardening is an effective way to support the overall health of the gardener. According to an article by Permaculture College, the chemicals in healthy soil release serotonin, a natural antidepressant in the human body. Harvesting vegetables and fruits releases dopamine and creates happiness in the gardener. The use of pesticides and chemicals in the garden will hinder these natural responses and have the potential to create negative health conditions. Therefore, support the soil in your garden and it will in turn support you. 

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While the global response to the Coronavirus has caused a great deal of disruption to our economy and way of life, the shelter in place order has created a positive impact on our Earth. Atmospheric pollution has reduced drastically. Wildlife has been reported to be exploring deserted streets. Seed and gardening retailers struggle to keep up with the demand for seeds and gardening materials as people are turning to their gardens to cope with crisis. 

Atmospheric pollution in the San Francisco Bay Area and other cities that are sheltering in place has reduced drastically since the order began. According to an article by UC Berkeley, air quality researchers found that one key pollutant, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) dropped by half one week after the shelter in place order began. Additionally, the EPA reported a one third year drop in significant pollution levels around San Francisco. According to an article by Forbes.com,  Stanford Earth Systems professor, Marshall Burke, found that this decrease in atmospheric pollution could result in saving the lives of many who would have died of complications resulting from air quality. 

The decrease in human activity is not only impacting our atmosphere, but also wildlife. According to an article by
Newsweek, animals have been braving excursions to abandoned city streets. Boars snuck into Barcelona, Kashmuri goats have moved into the Welsh town of Llandudno, and lions were seen sleeping on roads in South Africa. While many generalized species thrive when human activity declines, some species who are more specialized and require human conservation efforts to maintain their habitats are suffering. According to an article by Wired Magazine, not only are those species protected by conservation efforts at risk but also those who are in danger of poaching. Conservation efforts have been able to protect the environments of many types of wildlife, and with the current lockdown many animals are at risk.

In our own homes, many of us are looking to our yards to help us through this crisis. After dealing with shortages of one thing or another at the supermarket many people have started their own edible gardens.  According to an article by Huffpost, seed sales are up 300% and people are flocking to nurseries and hardware stores to start their own gardens. According to One Green Planet growing your own food creates independence from transporting using fossil fuels, reduces pesticide use, and avoids monocultures which all result in a reduced carbon footprint. If you are interested in container gardening, please go to our website for detailed instructions. 

While this has been a challenging time for everyone, the lockdown has given us pause to reflect on the human impact on our Earth. Satellite images confirm the atmospheric changes without traffic pollutants, conservation and efforts for specialized animal habitats and protections for endangered animals continue to be needed, and home based gardening reduces our carbon footprint. We find that our impact is both harmful and helpful to our Earth and those who share it with us. It is up to us to reflect on our own personal responsibility and where we go from here. ​

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With times as they are now, many people are wanting to start growing their own vegetables. But, they only have a balcony or patio. Many vegetables can be grown in containers! There are many reasons why growing in containers is actually easier than growing in the ground. 
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There are fewer pests such as grubs, snails, slugs and many more. Pests are easier to control in containers. It’s easy to provide a soil blend that fits the needs of each type of vegetable. The containers can easily be moved to fit the cultural needs such as sun and shade. Growing in containers is not as labor intensive. It’s fun to mix different vegetables with like needs in one container. Plant the taller ones in the center or to the back of the container and shorter ones in front. Best of all, you can try new and different vegetables, the ones you can’t readily get in the grocery store.

What to Consider
The amount of sunlight is the most important thing to consider. Most vegetables need between 4-6 hours of sunlight a day. If there isn’t enough sunlight, many of our favorite vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, squash, cucumbers and melons can’t be grown. The best location is a south-facing spot but if that isn’t available, shade-lovers like lettuce and spinach can be grown.

Be aware that containers will need more water than in-ground gardens. They can be hand watered or a drip system can easily be set up.

How to Pick Containers
I prefer terra cotta containers but they do dry out quickly. Wood is an attractive alternative but it will rot. Be sure not to use pressure treated wood. I also like using wine casks but they can be expensive. I don’t like plastic containers but they are cheap, retain water better and are long lasting. I do recycle the plastic pots that nursery plants come in. I have a very large nursery pot that I grow potatoes in. 
What Soil to Use

I use organic potting soil and it works well. Choose a soil that is well-drained, retains water and a pH close to neutral. I don’t use garden soil in my containers.  Garden soil will compact in containers, leading to poor drainage and air circulation.
Good Choices for Container Gardens

Tomatoes:  Patio Princess, Bushsteak, Sweetheart of the Patio, Marglobe, Baxter’s Bush Cherry, Sweet Baby Girl, Gardener’s Delight, Stupice, Tumbling Tom Yellow

Lettuce:  Most

Pepper:  Most

Radish:  Cherry Belle, Icicle, Champion, Scarlet Globe

Squaash:  Scallopini, Baby Crookneck, Creamy, Golden Nugget, Gold Rush, most zucchinis

This article was written by Patti Berryhill, Garden Manager at Living Classroom. Patti has been working with Living Classroom for 6 years. She holds a Bachelor's of Science in Agriculture and an Associate's Degree in Environmental Horticulture and Design. In addition to working with Living Classroom, Patti owns a landscaping business. 

This October prepare for spring by planting bulbs and winter crops. Now is the time to dig up bulbs and perennial flowers to prepare for superior growth. Place bulbs in a paper or mesh bag in the refrigerator for 6-8 weeks, storing them away from apples to prevent early sprouting. Bulbs should be planted once temperatures have cooled down, late October or early November here in the Bay Area. Be sure to plant them in full sun in an area with good drainage. Plant them three times deeper than your bulb is tall with the pointy side up. Organic compost placed inside planting holes ensures good blooming. Now is also a great time to plant winter crops! The Bay Area, California has the perfect autumn climate to plant winter crops such as onions, garlic, broccoli, carrots, spinach, beets, chard, and lettuce. You need less space for your winter garden and can plant seedlings closer together to prevent erosion from rainfall. 

This fall Living Classroom's first grade students will plant winter vegetables while learning about photosynthesis in a lesson called "Powerful Plants". Students will plant their own seedling and will measure the growth during planting and throughout the seedling's growth to harvest. The children will harvest these vegetables during their winter "Growing Vegetable Soup" lesson. During this lesson they will make a delicious soup with the vegetables that they harvested from their own vegetable garden! 

Want to see what we do where we do it? Please join our Garden Tour on Wednesday, Oct 30, at 1pm at Landels School  to see our "Powerful Plants" lesson in action.
Space is limited, so please sign up at gardentours@living-classroom.org

The foundation for every healthy garden is healthy soil. Healthy, nutrient dense soil will help your plants to thrive. Soil damage occurs from rototilling the soil frequently, using pesticides, and from monoculture or planting the same crop in the same place every harvest. These practices not only weaken harvests over time which can result in an increased reliance upon pesticides and can result in issues with erosion. Choosing practices that support soil health will not only improve harvests and help our environment, they will also support the health of the gardener! 

What is Healthy Soil?
A soil’s health can be defined as soil’s ability to sustain the living ecosystem. Healthy soil has a good combination of organic matter content, soil biology, soil chemistry, soil structure, and water filtration. 

 Soil is made up of four components: clay, silt, sand, and loam. Together these create a soil texture. It is important to have a balance of each to promote healthy drainage and optimal conditions for living organisms to thrive. If your soil is out of balance, it can be remedied by amending it with compost. 

Rototilling
Rototilling the soil is unnecessary under normal soil conditions. The process of photosynthesis feeds the plant and also stimulates chemical secretions which feed bacteria. These bacteria in turn protect the plant from disease and feed microbes who provide waste providing more nutrition to the plant. Microbes are also eaten by decomposers and arthropods. Decomposers tunnel through the soil creating air pockets which plants need and arthropods are predatory insects who will eat insects that may damage the plant. No-till plots have the highest yields as a result of supporting the ecosystem living beneath the soil!

The practice of rototilling is harmful to the environment because the soil sequesters carbon dioxide and rototilling releases the carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. By supporting the soil’s relationship with the living organisms that live there carbon dioxide is pulled into the soil. 

Pesticides and Synthetic Fertilizer
Pesticides damage the soil because it not only kills the garden pests that eat the crop, it also kills the living organisms vital to the ecosystem within the soil. Synthetic fertilizer dependence results in high nitrogen input and affects the carbon present in the soil. In effect it affects the microbial health of the soil. High nitrogen input also attracts pests like aphids and whiteflies. Testing your soil chemistry can assist decisions around which nutrients can be amended into the soil to prevent pests. 

If pesticides or lawn chemicals have been used in your garden you may need to test your garden’s PH. Plant varieties can be chosen based on the soil PH and will improve the soil quality long term. Soil can be amended with organic matter such as compost and balanced by using organic fertilizers. There are several alternatives to pesticide use such as companion planting, interplanting, and releasing insects that will eat the pests off your plants. 

Switching to sustainable pest management practices will not only serve the soil, it will also serve the gardener. According to PlanetNatural.com studies have found a link between pesticides and Parkinson’s Disease, autism and child cancers, neuroblastoma, leukemia, chronic infections, bronchitis, asthma, sinusitis, infertility, neurological disorders, aggression, and depression. 

Monoculture
Planting the same plants in the same place in your garden fails to feed the ecosystem a balanced diet and over time depletes the soil of necessary nutrients it needs to thrive. Plants and crops should be rotated annually to best serve the soil. Ground cover crops will help feed the ecosystem when a crop has been harvested and maintain the soil for the next rotation. 

Healthy Soil = Healthy Gardener
Many studies state that gardening is an effective way to support the overall health of the gardener. According to an article by Permaculture College, the chemicals in healthy soil release serotonin, a natural antidepressant in the human body. Harvesting vegetables and fruits releases dopamine and creates happiness in the gardener. The use of pesticides and chemicals in the garden will hinder these natural responses and have the potential to create negative health conditions. Therefore, support the soil in your garden and it will in turn support you. 

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