Digging In

Soil, Weather and Seasons

In the Garden

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• It's Simple as One, Two, Three… Four (PDF, 62 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-6
• Soil Texture (PDF, 658 KB)
  Children’s Gardens
  Bremner, Elizabeth and John Pusey. University of California Cooperative Extension, 1990.
  Grade: K-3
  
• Temperature Hunt (PDF, 310 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-3
  CA State Standards: Science 1st Grade: 3a,b,c; 4b

In the Classroom

• Determine Your Soil's Texture (PDF, 374 KB)
  Success With School Gardens
  Guy, Linda, Cathy Cromell, and Lucy K. Bradley. Arizona Master Gardener Press, 1996.
  Maricopa County, AZ Home Horticulture
  University of Arizona Cooperative Extension 4-H Youth Gardening
  Grade: K-3
  CA State Standards: Science 2nd Grade: 3c
• Eat the Earth (PDF, 61 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-6
  CA State Standards: Math 5th Grade: 1.2
• Soil Detectives (PDF, 475 KB)
  Food for Thought: Lessons From the Land
  Sonoma Agricultural Literacy Project, 1995.
  Grade: K-6
  CA State Standards: Science 2nd Grade: 3c; 4a-g
• To Dig or Not to Dig (PDF, 292 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: 4-6
  CA State Standards: Science 3rd Grade: 3c,d, 5a-e; Science 4th Grade: 3b, 6a,c,f

Taking it Further

• Nutrient Cycle Song (PDF, 97 KB)
  Healthy Foods from Healthy Soils
  Grade: K-3
• Sensual Soil (PDF, 271 KB)
  The Growing Classroom: Garden-Based Science
  Jaffe, Roberta and Gary Appel. Addison Publishing Company, 1990.
  Grade: K-3

Resources

Children's Literature

• Darian, Shea. Grandpa's Garden. Dawn Publications, 1996.
  On Saturdays, Grandpa and grandchild work side by side in the garden. First hand, they learn of life and death, growth and change. (Grade K-3)
• Krupinski, Loretta. Tiny Green Thumbs. Hyperion Books for Children, 2000.
  Tiny Bun uses things in the garden shed to grow a vegetable garden with Granny Bun. (Grade K-3)
• Ludy, Mark. The Farmer. Green Pastures Publishing, Inc., 1999.
  Centered around the farmer, this hard working man shows the value of patience, perseverance, and faith. (Grade K-3)
• Rosinsky, Natalie. Dirt: The Scoop on Soil. Picture Window Books, 2003.
  Vivid illustrations and clear, fact-filled text explore the amazing science of soil. (Grade K-3)
• Tunkin, David. How Does My Garden Grow? National Geographic, 2003.
  Learn that plants in the garden need sunlight, water, and soil to grow. (Grade K-3)

For Teachers

• Take a look at Discovery Education's great website page "The Dirt on Soil." school.discovery.com/schooladventures/soil/soil_safari.html
• Bourgeois, Paulette and Valerie Wyatt. The Amazing Dirt Book. Kids Can Press, 1990.