Developing Planting Area in Children’s School: Benefits & Methodology

This report explores the development of planting areas in children's schools, emphasizing the multifaceted benefits for children's mental and physical health, character development, and overall well-being. It reviews existing literature, highlighting various perspectives on incorporating gardens into the curriculum, providing pastoral care, and fostering community engagement. The methodology section outlines practical steps for creating and managing a school garden, including initial planning, design considerations, and maintenance strategies, addressing potential challenges like holiday care. The report concludes that school gardens offer a valuable resource for education, promoting pride, joy, and self-belief among children, while also serving as a means for fundraising and community involvement. The report provides insights into recent research and initiatives in England aimed at developing school gardens, underscoring the growing recognition of their positive impact on children's education and development. Desklib provides solved assignments and past papers for students.

Running head: DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
Developing planting area for the children
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author’s Note:

1DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
Table of Contents
Introduction............................................................................................................................2
Literature review....................................................................................................................2
Methodology..........................................................................................................................4
Getting started....................................................................................................................4
Design of the school garden...............................................................................................4
What to grow......................................................................................................................4
Managing of the school garden..........................................................................................4
Findings & Discussion...........................................................................................................4
References..............................................................................................................................6

2DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
Introduction
Recently, attention has been given to the learning outside the classroom for the children. The
reason behind this initiatives is that it’s give direct access of the outside experience for the
children (Murray and Milner 2015). Many publication published in international peer
reviewed journal in this research topic also argues with this point of view. They have
suggested different kind of learning method, perspective on the outdoor learning practice and
different theory regarding this subject (Dudley, Cotton and Peralta 2015). Many type of
activities have been suggested by the researchers for this outside experience like residential
and adventure trip, forest school and developing of planting area in school such as gardening
(Harris 2017). However, gardening have received least amount of attention in case of outside
teaching between the three of them. Although, United States of America is not amongst them
as there is many research going on in this regard. United States of America have passed a
legislation in the year 2004 with the aim to cover the initial investment cost of the gardening
in the schools (Passy 2014). In direct contrast with this point, England have relative lower
activity related this kind of initiatives. However, there are few initiatives have been take in
England which have a direct relation with the gardening in the children’s school in England.
Few examples of this kind initiatives in England are Sustainable Schools, healthy eating and
physical activity and Eco- Schools (Rios and Menezes 2017). Nevertheless, the number of
school garden is increasing in England due to various different initiatives and increased
public interest in garden in school. Therefore, this article will discussed about the researches
have been performed or going on in the area of developing planting area in children’s school
and their findings along with procedure of doing so in the following sections.
Literature review
Journals published in the area of developing garden in children’s school does not agreed on a
single particular way. Various different point of view and theories have been published

3DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
regarding this topic. In general, the different opinions and perspective can be segmented in
four broad sections (Passy 2014). The first of this section is to provide an open area to
children for different types of experience which can complement their total curriculum. In
this segment, most of the research performed have pointed to the planting of trees as the
preferred method for the other curriculum. Many schools have not only used the garden as
enriching medium but also used it as different medium such as development of literacy
(Wells, Myers and Henderson 2014). The second sections of the above mentioned segment is
to offer an inconspicuous area with the aim to enable pastoral care. Evidence from research
studies have reported that calm and serene environment of garden enables a respite for the
children from their busy, chaotic schedule of classroom. Peace, calm and serene environment
of the garden also allows children to reflect on their own which helps to handle their negative
experience better (Passy 2014). Academics have also pointed out that by handling their own
situation by themselves, their mental health and stability have been increased significantly.
The third section of the segments mentioned above is to help, encourage and support the
focus of the pupils, staff and parents. This also enables the engagement and contribution of
the local community in the school in increased percentage. Apart from the benefits of the
garden’s mentioned above garden can be a source of celebration as it offers beautiful flowers
and edible fruits (Berezowitz, Bontrager Yoder and Schoeller 2015). This helps the
community to engage in the school more. For example, one school asked the pensioners in
the community to come to the school’s garden and help themselves in the production of the
school’s garden (Passy 2014). Evidence also present is that one particular school used the
gardening as means for raising substantial fund for their school. Lastly, the final section is
that its offers the children in the school a source of pleasure, sense of pride and enhance their
self-belief. This is particularly helpful for their mental and physical health along with the
character development.

4DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
Methodology
Developing of planting area in children’s school can be executed by the following
methodology.
Getting started
Firth and most important aspect to consider is that to start small. To this aspect, containers
and planters for planting will be very helpful. Trees and plants can be planted directly into
them.
Design of the school garden
Next step will be to design of the garden according to the place available for gardening.
Children and students can be involved in to the process as it will encourage the students even
more.
What to grow
Next step will be to decide what to grow in the garden. There are many options available like
fruits, vegetables, plants, herbs and flowers. This will depend on the design of the garden and
choices made by the students.
Managing of the school garden
This will be most difficult task as managing a garden is much harder than the managing a
home garden. A duty and responsibility chart should be prepared and it should be clear from
the start who will be responsible for a particular task. Particular attention should be given to
the time during holidays and who will take care of them because long holidays like summer
holidays can totally ruin the effort the gardening initiative without attention (Bbc.co.uk
2018).

5DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
Findings & Discussion
Therefore, from the above discussion it is clear that gardening by developing a planting area
can be very much beneficial to the mental and physical health of the children and also helps
in their character development. This also provides a respite to them from their every day
schedule and also incorporated a sense pride, joy and self-belief in them. Additionally,
gardens in school can be used in various way like raising of funds and engaging the
community in the school more. Research in England regarding this area have been gaining
speed in recent year and many initiatives have been taken to develop garden in children’s
school. Various different approach and perspective have been brought forward by different
investigators. Despite of this, all of them agreed in the end product that gardens in school will
be beneficial for the children.

6DEVELOPING PLANTING AREA FOR THE CHILDREN
References
Bbc.co.uk. 2018. BBC - Gardening - Gardening with children:. Available at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/gardening/gardening_with_children/ [Accessed 28 Nov. 2018].
Berezowitz, C.K., Bontrager Yoder, A.B. and Schoeller, D.A., 2015. School gardens enhance
academic performance and dietary outcomes in children. Journal of School Health, 85(8),
pp.508-518.
Dudley, D.A., Cotton, W.G. and Peralta, L.R., 2015. Teaching approaches and strategies that
promote healthy eating in primary school children: a systematic review and meta-
analysis. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 12(1), p.28.
Harris, F., 2017. The nature of learning at forest school: practitioners'
perspectives. Education 3-13, 45(2), pp.272-291.
Murray, I.E. and Milner, H.R., 2015. Toward a pedagogy of sociopolitical consciousness in
outside of school programs. The Urban Review, 47(5), pp.893-913.
Passy, R., 2014. School gardens: Teaching and learning outside the front door. Education 3-
13, 42(1), pp.23-38.
Rios, C. and Menezes, I., 2017. ‘I saw a magical garden with flowers that people could not
damage!’: children’s visions of nature and of learning about nature in and out of
school. Environmental Education Research, 23(10), pp.1402-1413.
Wells, N.M., Myers, B.M. and Henderson Jr, C.R., 2014. School gardens and physical
activity: A randomized controlled trial of low-income elementary schools. Preventive
medicine, 69, pp.S27-S33.