Junior Gardener Curriculum specifically teaches children the beginnings of horiculture, agriculture, and botany utilizing real gardens and hands on activities to teach these concepts. As a result, we have common vegetable gardens that are built, planted, maintained, and harvested by the children. Growing and harvesting vegetables teaches the basics of nutrition. The students are more likely to try foods they grow themselves!
Nature Hikes- Students take from one to two nature hikes in the wooded acres each week. Classes often pair up with their buddies from other classes, walk to the pond to study nature, find rocks when studying geology, use their nature journals to record observations or paint landscapes.
Project Wild is a ‘wildlife focused conservation education program.’ The curriculum offers cooperative games and projects to help teach children about the environment, animals, the food chain and how human activity can affect the natural balance.
ADS incorporates into the gardening program through our Discovery in Gardening and Science, or DiGS Program. See what they are up to this year!
2005-2006
ADS followed a Bird Curriculum, culminating in a weekend community-based, public event we called OneFest. This event offered student-run games and activities for children focused on sharing the knowledge the children learned about birds. The school acquired a chimney swift house and purple martin houses.
2006-2007
ADS followed the Aquatic Curriculum. Our culminating celebration, Onefest, showcased a pond the children designed a pond and activities to share their aquatic knowledge.
2007-2008
ADS followed a Forest Curriculum. The children designed and built a color wheel labyrinth and the Parents help complete a rammed earth chicken coop to house our chickens. Onefest celebrations showcased plays about the forest. The children worked together to create the sets and costumes, write scripts, compose music, and perform their plays.
2008-2009
This year the entire school studied a shared theme: Prairies. The children studied bird and animal migration, the conservation of the remaining prarie-land, and initiated campus wide conservation efforts. The children created a prarie on campus. Onefest provided a showcase of various dance, drama, and academic skills as well as a fun time for the whole family.
2009-2010
This year the shared theme is Perspective. With the addition of a new building, 6 th grade, and many new families and staff we have a wonderful opportunity to learn from one another and deepen our sense of perspective!
