our garden
About the CK Montessori Garden.
Children are motivated to learn when the classroom is designed to pique their interest. The Montessori Garden is an outdoor classroom dedicated to edible garden education and designed with elementary-age kids in mind. Gardening is a hallmark practical life skill in Montessori philosophy, especially as it connects to food preparation, plant biology, and both fine and gross motor skills.
It’s no surprise children are more encouraged to try new foods when they grow them themselves. In our garden, students are hands-on throughout a plant’s entire lifecycle. They start and care for seeds in the classroom, transplant them to the garden, and eventually harvest the food themselves, even saving seed for the next season.
Students have successfully grown a variety of vegetables, such as arugula, broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, cucumbers, green beans, kale, lettuces, peas, peppers, radishes, spinach, Swiss chard and zucchini.
The garden features fruit trees, an herb garden, flower boxes, compost piles and six raised beds—one dedicated to each Montessori class. The large garden shelter and four benches allow students to learn in the garden rain or shine. The harvested food is thoroughly washed and eaten “buffet style” at the picnic tables under the garden shelter.
All students in the Montessori program have a scheduled time in the garden with the Garden Chair, Lauren Wheeler. The garden is maintained by both Montessori students and parent volunteers with funding provided by the CKMPA and through in-kind donations to our program.
If you are interested in learning more about our garden or you would like to join our Garden Committee, please email lauren.kula.wheeler@gmail.com for more information.
Hawk Elementary garden creates special connection to food, learning for students
KITSAP SUN June 19, 2018
BREMERTON -- The Montessori program at Hawk Elementary in Central Kitsap has planted seeds — both in the overflowing garden beds and in the students who are learning about gardening concepts in the school's outdoor classroom.
The garden, conceived by teachers in the Montessori program at the school, began in 2014 with a few beds and a goal to teach students about plant life cycles and offer another form of experiential learning.
Now, in 2019, six garden beds are overflowing with produce that was planted, nurtured and eventually harvested by students. A newly completed garden shelter allows for year-round learning in a permanent outdoor classroom.
Beyond the learning opportunity, it’s a food garden, said Jennifer Emel, a Montessori parent and garden coordinator. Initially, many students were appalled by the dirty vegetables, she said.
But “now their hands are completely in the soil," Emel said. "Creating that connection to their food has been awesome."
“When they grow it themselves and harvest, it brings a whole new meaning to it,” she said.
Emel inherited the garden program in 2018. Former Montessori teacher Kathy Beckstrom conceptualized the garden back in 2014. The garden was dedicated in her honor after Beckstrom lost a six-month battle with glioblastoma in 2017.
In 2018, students had three beds to work with. Montessori teacher Liza Piper said parents volunteered hours to help build and the garden expanded by three beds. The new shelter, designed by community member Geoffrey Wentlandt and constructed by Montessori parent Matt Miller, was completed this spring (2019).
Emel and the program's teachers communicate weekly on the lessons so she can provide hands-on learning for the topics covered in the classroom.
“It’s a living learnscape out here,” Emel said. “When they are learning about the plant life cycle in class they can come see it before their eyes.”
The garden uses organic practices; students make their own compost from non-food materials found in their garden. Students are also learning entomology to reduce the aphid populations. Classes released praying mantises, ladybugs and butterflies in early June.
"Lessons pop up everyday," Emel said. "There was a kid asking why don't we just spray (the aphids), but you have to teach them that harms the good bugs and the crop as well."
The Montessori program includes a kindergarten class as well as multi-grade primary (grades 1-3) and intermediate (grades 4-5) classes.
Primary Montessori student Evan Skiles said he's excited that the garden has grown a lot.
“It’s fun to harvest and eat,” he said.
The flourishing garden offers outdoor experiential learning that is integral to the Montessori’s mission of offering a plethora of learning platforms that reach all students.
“You’ll find the kids who may be having a rough time in the classroom are leading peers in the garden,” Emel said.
Last month, a byproduct of the garden was shared with the community. After harvesting and drying seeds, the students donated seed packages to Seeds of Grace. The Bremerton-based nonprofit builds sustainable and organic gardens in local and global impoverished communities.
Ashley Armstrong, a parent and member of the program's board, said it brought the garden full circle.
“This is the ultimate goal, the kids get to do something fun in the garden and make a difference in the world,” Armstrong said.
