A&L 305 United
Garden & Cooking Afterschool Program
Fall 2024 meets every Monday, 2:40-4:30PM in the Stars of Hope Community Garden on Madison
3rd to 5th graders at Arts & Letters 305 United in Brooklyn, New York who sign up for this afterschool program will receive twelve interactive workshops in the garden and kitchen as part of the Upper Elementary School Garden & Cooking Club. Their garden experience begins with orienting students to the space, creating a shared understanding of expectations, and teaching them fundamental gardening, food preparation, and basic cooking skills. Over the 12 weeks of class, they will explore a number of food and garden subjects, including soil composition, flower biology, pickling, medicinal herbs, food safety and preparation, and more. Students will each receive a journal as part of class, and use it to record ideas, experiences, and recipes during each class session.
The purpose of this class is to teach our city students how to garden in the urban landscape and make simple dishes for their families using homegrown and easily accessible ingredients. In almost every class, students will eat their own homemade food and go home with food and skills to share with their community. They will also visit the vibrant community gardens in our neighborhood and form lasting relationships with the amazing gardens and neighbors who grow their food in these spaces.
The Garden & Cooking Afterschool Program is taught by Laena McCarthy, a food entrepreneur, educator, and community gardener who is certified in food safety, and Dara Eagle, a community gardener, massage therapist & certified yoga instructor, and head teacher of another amazing afterschool, Brooklyn Seeds. Laena and Dara are both parents at Arts & Letters United, and the co-chairs of the Garden Committee, working to build a garden at our school.
We were deeply influenced by the amazing team at Edible Schoolyards in developing this curriculum.
Garden & Cooking Afterschool Program | Fall 2024
Garden & Cooking Afterschool Program | Fall 2024
THE DETAILS:
This afterschool class will take place on Mondays from 2:40pm to 4:30pm at the Stars of Hope Community Garden on Madison, with field trips to the Hattie Carthan Community Garden on Marcy Ave.
We will walk our students the 1.5 blocks to the garden every class; pickup is at 4:30 pm in the garden or at the school blacktop.
Because this is a gardening and cooking class, it is essential that you include any allergies your child may have on the registration form.
Meet the Teachers
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Laena McCarthy
FOUNDER of EDIBLE ANARCHY, EDUCATOR, COMMUNITY GARDENER
Laena is a multidisciplinary entrepreneur and educator, dubbed "extraordinary" by the New York Times. She has helped launch over a dozen startups, from food brands to rooftop farms, and she remains an unwavering optimist dedicated to helping people live their best lives through tech, essential skills, and sustainable ecosystems.
She teaches gardening and food classes, and helped start a series of rooftop farms in NYC, and remains a lifelong community gardener.
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Dara Eagle
EDUCATOR, COMMUNITY GARDENER, CERTIFIED YOGA INSTRUCTOR, MUSICIAN
Dara is a community gardener, massage therapist & certified yoga instructor, musician & head teacher for another amazing afterschool, Brooklyn seeds.
Dara has been involved in her local Bed-Stuy commmunity garden for years, and is an avid gardener and native plant enthusiast.
A&L 305 United
Garden & Cooking Club
3rd-5th Grade Curriculum & Schedule of Classes
SUMMARY:
3rd to 5th graders at Arts & Letters 305 United in Brooklyn, New York will receive 12 interactive workshops in the garden and kitchen as part of the Garden & Cooking Afterschool Program. They will explore a number of food and garden subjects, including soil composition, flower biology, food preservation, safety, and preparation, seed starting, and more.
FALL
September 16, 2024: Respect and Equity in the Garden & Sticky Steps | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Garden Orientation, Classroom Culture, Behavioral Expectations; Observation, Garden Orientation, Garden Names | Dish We Will Make: Mint Lemonade
September 23, 2024: Compost, Mushrooms, & Soil Lab | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Decomposition, Compost, Living Soil, Mycelium | Dish We Will Make: Mushrooms & Garlic
September 30, 2024: Bees, Bugs, Pollinators, & Edible Flowers | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Bees, Pollinators, Insects, Plant Life Cycle, Flower Food | Dish We Will Make: Stuffed Nasturtiums, Cheese, and Honey
October 7, 2024: Herbs and Perennial Food | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Make pesto, Cooking with Herbs and Greens | Dish We Will Make: Pesto
October 21, 2024: Community Urban Agriculture and Farmer’s Markets | Hattie Carthan Garden | Lesson Objective: Sustainable Small Farming, Urban Agriculture in Bed-Stuy | Dish We Will Make: Tomato & Herb Salad
October 28, 2024: Pickles and Food Preservation | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Basics of Food Preservation, Teamwork | Dish We Will Make: Pickles
November 4, 2024: Medicinal Herbs & Tincture Making | Hattie Carthan Garden | Lesson Objective: Chickens, Medicinal Herbs, Medicinal Tincture Making | Dish We Will Make: Herbal Tincture with Apple Cider Vinegar Base
November 18, 2024: Apples & Apple Cider | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Seasonality, Harvesting, Teamwork | Dish We Will Make: Pressing Apple Cider
November 25, 2024: Roots & Rhizomes Garlic Planting | Garden Classroom | Lesson Objective: Planting garlic, eating and cooking with rhizomes, making ginger and herb tea | Dish We Will Make: Tea
December 2, 2024: Restaurant Tour and Cooking Class | Restaurant: Ursula, TBD | Lesson Objective: Food Prep, Kitchen Skills, Cooking; preparation from the pros, and how ingredients get from garden to kitchen
December 9, 2024: Restaurant Tour and Cooking Class | Restaurant: Brooklyn Blends, TBD | Lesson Objective: Food Prep, Kitchen Skills, Cooking
December 16, 2024: FEAST POTLUCK prep and presentation at School | Outside or cafeteria | Lesson Objective: Celebrate and Share! Everyone from school is invited!
Session 1: Respect & Equity In The Garden
PLACE OF LEARNING: Stars of Hope Community Garden | DURATION: 2:40-4:30pm | GRADE LEVEL: 3 – 5
Part 1: Respect & Equity, Intro to the Garden and Each Other
SUMMARY:
In this first orientation, we will bring props and visual aids into the garden as a way to introduce the expectations for their upcoming afterschool garden and cooking class and instill clear behavioral boundaries with a shared language. We introduce United 6C’s as they pertain to the garden: Community, Courage, Compassion, Creativity, Curiosity, Clarity. We ideally lead this short orientation as a way to clearly communicate expectations, while getting them comfortable and prepared for this very hands-on class in the community garden.
Student Learning Goals & Objectives:
After this lesson, students will be able to:
Use the 6C’s poster as a guide to explain the behavioral expectations in the garden
Comprehend the school garden rituals and routines, cleanliness and cooking rules
Prepare for their semester of hands-on classes
Assessments:
During this lesson, students will:
Share real-life examples while reviewing and using the language in the 6C’s poster
Communicate the values intrinsic in the garden and kitchen: collaboration, equity, respect and teamwork
Materials & Prep:
MATERIALS
Assorted garden tools
Herb plants
“Respect in the Garden” Visual Aid Poster that is displayed in our garden
United 6C’s Poster
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Create the visual aid
Collect and prepare all the materials
Print the United 6C’s Poster
Procedure Steps:
IN THE GARDEN: 75 MINUTES
INTRODUCTION
Introduce yourself as one of the garden committee members or chairs and ask students if they know the school’s 6C’s. Point out the visual aid, and explain that this is what the 6C’s look like in the garden. Have students introduce themselves and share their favorite food.
COMMUNITY & CLARITY
Ask if there is a volunteer that is willing to read this section of the visual aid to the group.
Ask if anyone has an example of why we ask students to ask before picking. Explain that asking before eating garden crops is critical to students' safety.
Explain that the kitchen classroom needs to have enough food for planned lessons.
All crops taste best when they are ripe and ready to eat.
Point out that some seasonal herbs are exceptions to this rule: these are things that students are allowed to pick and eat without asking.
COURAGE & COMPASSION
Ask if there is a volunteer that is willing to read this section of the visual aid to the group.
Ask students to volunteer ideas of how they can show respect to insects, plants, and each other. Ask students for suggestions on how they can be an ally in the garden and clarify as needed.
Introduce the values that are especially applicable in the garden: teamwork, collaboration, and open-mindedness. Ask students how they can demonstrate these in the garden.
Demonstrate the safest way to harvest an herb plant.
CREATIVITY & CURIOSITY
Ask if there is a volunteer that is willing to read this section of the visual aid to the group.
Demonstrate how to use the tools responsibly and safely. Ask students what some of the possible consequences of using tools incorrectly or irresponsibly could be. It’s also fun to demonstrate what NOT to do in your demonstration and ask students to give you feedback. "What’s wrong with the way I’m holding this tool?"
Encourage students to explore what creativity looks like in the garden and kitchen.
CLOSING
Ask students to contribute other ideas that could be included on the "Respect in the Garden" poster.
Encourage students to look for ways to demonstrate the 6C’s in the garden.
Explain that this is our contract together and ask students to sign their name (in the air) saying we all agree these 6C’s in the garden setting.
Vocabulary:
Teamwork
Open-mindedness
Collaboration
Teaching Notes:
It’s really exciting for students to meet you and get excited about the year to come.
After we present our behavioral expectations, students are ready for the hands-on experience of their first garden class.
Part 2: Sticky Steps, Intro to the Garden and Each Other
SUMMARY:
In part 2 of this first session, students tour the garden, learn the basic systems and routines of the garden classroom, and are introduced to the expectations for learning in an outdoor setting. Students work together in small groups to explore the garden, pose questions, and make discoveries.
Student Learning Goals & Objectives:
After this lesson, students will be able to:
Find their way around the garden
Identify the teachers and each other by name
Describe the garden, its basic infrastructure, and its basic routines
Assessments:
During this lesson, students will:
Tour the garden by participating in the Sticky Steps activity
Play the Garden Name Game
Materials & Prep:
MATERIALS
Respect in the Garden Visual Aid
Job Board
Sample sticky notes for the Sticky Steps
Prompts for Closing Circle activity
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Create and hang the Respect in the Garden poster in the opening circle location
Create the Job Board, listing "Sticky Steps" as today's only job
Create and set up the Sticky Steps activity