The Latimer Garden & Outdoor Classroom supports student learning across a variety of subjects and it invites visitors to relax, observe, experiment and connect with nature.
Classroom Support
Latimer is a STEAM-focused school that uses Project Based Learning (PBL) as a key instruction method. We teach Common Core and Next Generation Science Standards through in-depth project study (e.g. lifecycle of the monarch butterfly), helping students to learn in an engaging, integrated manner. The Latimer Garden enhances PBL and other classroom lessons with hands-on learning opportunities.
Open Garden Wednesdays
Wednesdays are Open Garden Day at the Latimer Garden! Parents and guardians are invited to socialize, learn, and assist with garden tasks after morning drop off. Students are welcome to explore the garden during morning and lunch recesses. (We average 80 visits per day!) And families are welcome to drop by after school for a visit:
Student Garden Club
Extended Day students meet weekly to explore and work on projects at the Latimer Garden. Student Garden Club members also plant and help to maintain a flower bed at the school’s back entrance.
Latimer Green Team Volunteers — Join Us!
Parents, students, teachers and other Green Team volunteers meet monthly on weekend mornings to enjoy the Latimer Garden and assist with garden care and projects. These volunteers also help maintain other garden locations at Latimer School.
**Join the Latimer Green Team email list by contacting [email protected]**
**Follow the Latimer Garden on Instagram at @latimergarden**
What’s Growing at the Garden?
The Latimer Garden includes 13 raised beds, a variety of pots and containers, and in-ground planting areas. We grow fruits, vegetables, herbs, succulents and ornamental perennials year round. Students plant, care for, harvest and taste cool season crops (e.g. peas, carrots, potatoes, leafy greens) and warm season crops (e.g. tomatoes, peppers, beans, zucchini, cucumbers). They pick blueberries and strawberries, compare plants in scented and tactile sensory beds, and propagate succulents. Giant pumpkins are a fall favorite. Garden visitors help to water plants, pull weeds, deadhead flowers, collect seeds, and compost green waste. They search for rolly pollies and worms, spot ladybugs and Monarch butterflies, and learn about bees, aphids, spiders, praying mantis, lizards and other garden creatures.
Additional garden features include a mural and educational signage, shaded outdoor classroom space, compost system and worm compost bin, succulent wall, bean tunnel, six-variety grafted and espaliered apple tree, solar-powered water fountain, and grey water demonstration system built by middle school students.
Lessons from the Garden
The Latimer Garden offers many learning opportunities, including basic gardening techniques and a better understanding of where food comes from. Topics addressed include: healthy foods; parts of a plant; the importance of pollinators; pests and beneficial insects; food webs and ecosystems; wildlife habitat; water conservation; the benefits of native plants; biodegradation and composting; soil health; microclimates; reuse of plastic, glass and other materials; solar energy; environmental stewardship and sustainability. Observing, hypothesizing and experimenting. Measuring size, weight and temperature. Patiently, diligently caring for living things. Persevering. Sharing. Respecting nature and taking pride in something grown. These are all valuable lessons from the garden.
Garden Supporters
The Latimer Garden & Outdoor Classroom is a collaborative effort involving parents, students and community members, teachers and administrators, and school district officials. The garden was built by volunteers during the COVID-19 pandemic and welcomed students back to campus in spring 2021. Many individuals and organizations contributed to the development of this valued school resource. Thank you!