GNPS NativeSCAPE editor Mary Pyne Tucker has compiled a comprehensive list of Schoolyard gardening resources.
Following is a listing of some resources and organizations that are involved with educating children about nature, the environment, ecology, and gardening. It is divided into the following three sections: National Organizations and Resources; Georgia Organizations and Resources; and Books (Adult Publications on Gardening with Children Children's Books and Stories on Nature).
NOTE: Other resources that may be useful are the GNPS Reading List which lists numerous books on native plants and gardening along with some reviews and the Links of Interest page which provides web-based resource information.
Due to the wide range of resources available and the ever-changing nature of information, this listing cannot be complete or comprehensive. Nor is this meant as an endorsement by the GNPS of any of these resources or organizations.
This page contains National Organizations. Follow the links in color for the other resources.
| National Organizations | Georgia Organizations | Books for Adults | Books for children |
NATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS AND RESOURCES
Acorn Naturalists
PO Box 2423
Tustin CA 92781-2423
800-422-8886
Web site: www.acorn-group.com
This company offers resources for science and environmental education. A catalog is available either on-line or in a printed version. Offerings include educator guides, field guides, interpretive tools, toys, and numerous books on nature and the environment written for either adults or children.
Aggie Horticulture Just for Kids
Web site: aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/kindergarden
This site is a service of the Texas A&M University Horticulture Program. The site includes a variety of information for children's gardens in a school setting, including a step-by step guide to building a school garden ideas and curricula, nutritional benefits of school gardens, and building an indoor growing science center.
American Horticultural Society
7931 East Boulevard Drive
Alexandria
VA 22308-1300
703-768-5700 or 800-777-7931
Web site: www.ahs.org
The American Horticultural Society, founded in 1922, is an educational, non-profit organization whose mission is "to educate and inspire people of all ages to become successful and environmentally responsible gardeners by advancing the art and science of horticulture." The AHS holds an annual Youth Gardening Symposium, which is a national forum for youth gardens and gardening education. The Web site offers gardening guides and resource lists as well as books and gifts.
Center for Plant Conservation
P.O. Box 299
St. Louis
MO 63166
314-577-9450
Web site: www.mobot.org
The mission of the Center for Plant Conservation is to conserve and restore the rare native plants of the United States. One publication they offer for middle school educators is "Plants in Peril", a guide to exploring biodiversity and rare native plant conservation. This handbook provides educators at the middle school and high school levels with background information about biodiversity and plant conservation as well as ideas for related problem-solving activities.
Cornell Lab of Ornithology
159 Sapsucker Woods Road
Ithaca
NY 14850-1999
800-843-2473
Web site:
This organization offers educational material and projects for classrooms and individuals. They sponsor such projects as the Great Backyard Bird Count (which is held every February), Classroom Feeder Watch for schools (curriculum description at http://birdsource.org/cwf), and Project Feeder Watch for residences.
EPA Landscaping with Native Plants
Web site: www.epa.gov
This U. S. Environmental Protection Agency site promotes landscaping with native plants in urban, suburban, and corporate environments and discusses the environmental benefits of using native plants. Some of the topics covered are lawn alternatives, attracting birds and butterflies, weed laws, maintenance techniques, and case studies. Available at the site is the "Wild Ones Handbook", a compendium of practical information for the native plant landscaper and wildflower gardener.
Gardens for Growing People: Resources for Garden Based Education
P.O. Box 630
Pt. Reyes
CA 94956
415-663-9433
Web site: www.svn.net/growpepl
A resource to help with youth gardening projects. The site offers for sale child-sized tools, books, habitat gardening kits, seed packs, videos, etc.
Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
4801 La Crosse Avenue
Austin
TX 78739
512-292-4100
Web site: www.wildflower.org
This organization was founded in 1982 to educate people about the environmental necessity, economic value, and natural beauty of native plants. Numerous articles regarding landscaping with native plants are available. The site has a children's link as well as many links to native plant organizations in North America, including gardens and arboreta and state native plant societies.
Let's Get Growing
Web site: www.letsgetgrowing.com
Let's Get Growing is an on-line catalog of materials for environmental science in the classroom. Sections include: Butterflies, Field Study, Garden Books, Habitats, Indoor Gardening, Internet Resources, Weather & Climate, and much more.
Life Lab
Web site: www.lifelab.org
Life Lab, a non-profit organization founded in 1979, is a developer and provider of hands-on garden-centered educational programs that integrate life
earth and physical science in a meaningful context. Life Lab assists educators by providing professional development, instructional materials and technical assistance.
National Audubon Society
700 Broadway
New York
NY 10003
212-979-3000
Web site: www.audubon.org
The mission of the National Audubon Society is to conserve and restore natural ecosystems, focusing on birds and other wildlife for the benefit of humanity and the earth's biological diversity. Founded in 1905, the National Audubon Society is named for John James Audubon (1785-1851), famed ornithologist, explorer, and wildlife artist. The Web site features a section on Kids and Education, with a listing of educational materials and workshops; bird species profiles; and bird-related topics and links.
National Gardening Association
1100 Dorset St.
South Burlington
VT 05403
802-863-5251
Web sites: www.nationalgardening.com & www.kidsgardening.com
Founded in 1972, today the nonprofit NGA is focused primarily on children and the ways that gardening enhances education and helps build environmentally responsible adults. Primary efforts include the Web site Kidsgardening.com, a place where teachers, parents, and community organizers can find gardening resources
horticultural expertise, networking opportunities, and an on-line store featuring innovative items that support gardening with kids; GrowLab: Activities For Growing Minds, a curriculum utilized in classrooms across the country to help students learn about science and the environment; and Youth Garden Grants, a program that provides valuable grants of gardening tools and supplies awarded annually to schools, youth groups, and community organizations.
National Garden Bureau
1311 Butterfield Road #310
Downers Grove IL 60515
630-963-0770
Web site: www.ngb.org
The National Gardening Bureau (NGB) disseminates accurate information to the public on behalf of the home garden seed industry. It provides information and resources to garden communicators, such as teachers
co-operative extension agents, plant organizations and clubs. The NGB partners with the National Gardening Association to promote gardening education for children and offers resources to teachers for classroom projects. Various materials are offered at the Web site.
National Wildlife Federation
8925 Leesburg Pike
Vienna VA 22184
703-790-4582
Web site: www.nwf.org
For more than sixty years the National Wildlife Federation has been involved in environmental education. This site includes information on conservation of wildlife and plants and their habitats. It also offers many resources for education at various levels. Features include the Schoolyard Habitat program and the Backyard Wildlife Habitat program.
Nest Box
Web site: www.nextbox.com
This site has information on backyard birding, field birding, a section devoted to bluebirds, information on feeders and nest boxes, and links to other birding sites.
Plant Conservation Alliance
Bureau of Land Management
1849 C Street NW
LSB-204
Washington DC 20240
202-452-0392
Web site: www.nps.gov/plants/
The Plant Conservation Alliance is a consortium of ten federal government Member agencies and over 145 non-federal Cooperators representing various disciplines within the conservation field, including biologists, botanists, horticulturists, habitat preservationists, nature lovers and gardeners. The organization works to solve the problems of native plant extinction and native habitat restoration. The Web site includes a "Celebrating Wildflowers" section, which discusses the importance of plants and plant communities. The site also offers educational materials and programs and links to other Web sites.
Project WILD National Office
5555 Morningside Drive
Suite 212
Houston TX 77005
713-520-1936
Web site: www.projectwild.org
Project Wild provides instructional material designed to support state and national academic standards for grades K-12. The activities can be adapted to meet learning requirements for academic disciplines ranging from science and environmental education to social studies, math and language arts. It is a joint project of the Council for Environmental Education (CEE) and the Western Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies (WAFWA). Numerous materials and guidebooks are offered on the Web site, including the publication "Wild School Sites: A Guide to Preparing for Habitat Improvements Projects on School Grounds." The Web site also lists other educational resources, including Web links, agencies and organizations. Project WILD also has state organizations.
Wild Ones
Web site: www.for-wild.org
Wild Ones - Natural Landscapers, Ltd., is a non-profit organization with a mission to educate and share information with members and communities to promote biodiversity and environmentally sound practices. The emphasis is on using native species in developing plant communities. The Web site includes the following sections: Journal & Handbook, Chapters, Native Landscaping Conferences, Weed Control Laws, Links to Other Sites