Schools Add In-House Farms as Teaching Tools in New York City
Teachers at schools with their own gardens are bringing their classrooms to nature, encouraging students to plant, harvest and experiment with solar and wind energy.
Ángel Franco/The New York Times
By LISA W. FODERARO
Published: November 23, 2012
In the East Village, children planted garlic bulbs and harvested Swiss chard before Thanksgiving. On the other side of town, in Greenwich Village, they learned about storm water runoff, solar energy andwind turbines. And in Queens, students and teachers cultivated flowers that attract butterflies and pollinators.
Across New York City, gardens and miniature farms — whether on rooftops or at ground level — are joining smart boards and digital darkrooms as must-have teaching tools. They are being used in subjects as varied as science, art, mathematics and social studies. In the past two years, the number of school-based gardens registered with the city jumped to 232, from 40, according to GreenThumb, a division of the parks department that provides schools with
