OBJECTIVE

Understand the seasons’ impact on the garden space

ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS

What happens in our garden in the Fall?

MATERIALS NEEDED

• Oat & Field Pea seeds for cover cropping
• Little cups for students to hold seeds in
• Garden tools
• Compost

PROCEDURE

Introduction

Ask everyone what the season is, and whether plants can keep living as it gets colder. Explain that it is time to put the garden to sleep for the winter. We will add food/nutrients/compost back into the soil so that next year’s plants are stronger. We will also put down oats and peas to hold our soil in when it gets windy and rainy.

Activity

Give everyone an oat and pea seed to look at. Ask them what they notice about the seed. Explain that oats are a grass. These peas are similar to the ones we planted in Spring, except we won’t eat them and they will feed the soil. Once outside, clean out garden beds of old vegetables and weeds. Have everyone add in compost. Scratch up the soil with hand rakes to mix in the compost. Give everyone a small container with oats. Explain that they need to hold them very carefully and wait for directions. Ask someone who is gentle to demonstrate how to “sprinkle” the oats on the bed, and explain that they should go all around the bed. At the very end, pat the oats into the garden bed. Then, hand out peas and have someone demonstrate poking them into the ground. Walk around the bed and poke peas in.

Wrap up

Cover with a layer of seaweed and/or straw for extra protection. Explain that oats and peas will die when it gets really, really cold. Have students predict when this might be and graph predictions.