WHAT WE OFFER
consultation
garden builds
workshops
support
PARTNERS WITH SCHOOLS
GUO partners with individual schools to establish vegetable gardens on school grounds as the basis for experiential education at all grade levels. We develop and deliver garden-based workshops that are linked to the Ontario curriculum.
Follow the steps below and contact us for more information!
consultation
GUO consults free of charge with schools considering adding an organic vegetable garden to their schoolyard landscape. A school’s garden team ideally includes principals, teachers, custodial staff, parent and/or community volunteers. Once such a team is formed, GUO can help set the stage for success by meeting with the team to discuss and implement the first steps. Important elements of this discussion can include everything from schoolyard vegetable gardens, site selection, teacher roles and parent involvement, curriculum connections, summer maintenance. These first meetings are important opportunities for GUO to share our expertise in answering any questions or concerns before a garden is established.
garden builds
School gardens are living classrooms. In Ottawa, GUO partners with schools to support the establishment of school garden programs as the basis for experiential education at all grade levels. We provide the support to start these initiatives with confidence thanks to interactive, hands-on workshops to help schools build their own educational garden-based educational gardens. Interested in working with GUO to set up an organic garden at your school?
Check out our criteria for new schools and contact us for more information.
Simply need guidance in starting and building your own school garden?
See GUO’s ‘An outdoor classroom’ guide.
workshops
A successful school garden is one that is used and maintained continuously by students and teachers alike. GUO offers a series of Spring and Fall garden-based workshops, each connected to grade-specific curriculum objectives. In addition, these workshops incorporate necessary garden tasks such as starting seedlings and transplanting, ensuring that students are exposed to every single step linked to building to maintaining a garden.
support
As the years go by, schools become more and more independent in delivering and sustaining their garden programs and connecting the garden to classroom lessons. All along the way, however, GUO remains committed to providing support services to schools whether it be for advice on things such as vandalism, supplies, or what to grow. GUO also supplies its schools with diverse resources for connecting the garden to the classroom, including workshop materials. Finally, as a member of a broad network of individuals and groups working towards enhancing garden-based education and getting healthy food into schools, GUO is often also able to connect schools to members of their community with distinct expertise.
garden build workshop
INCLUDES
– coordination of deliveries
– preparations
– communications
– lumber, soil, workshop facilitation
We help you and your students assemble 3 simple rectangular raised garden beds made from untreated cedar (3ft x 8ft) and fill them with healthy organic soil!
$1,500 – 120 minutes
educational workshop
INCLUDES
– coordination
– preparations
– communications
– workshop material
– facilitation
We bring everything required for the workshop! All our educational workshops are hands-on and directly linked to the Ontario curriculum to best integrate your students’ learning!
$385 – 60 minutes
*Growing Up Organic is based in the Ottawa St-Lawrence Outaouais area therefore in person workshop delivery is only reserved to this area. We also choose to work with schools who demonstrate that they’re ready for this type of programming at their school. See our criteria here:
