Schoolyard Gardens Conference 2015
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28
Main conference page and registration

  
Keynote Address

Gardening Is Good Therapy - And You Get Tomatoes
  
Dr. Jean Larson, Manager, University of Minnesota Nature-Based Therapeutic Services Program, Minnesota Landscape Arboretum
  
Schoolyard gardens provide experiential learning opportunities that enhance children's essential academic skills. In her keynote address, Dr. Larson will present the latest research demonstrating another benefit: how exercise in an outdoor schoolyard garden doubles the benefits for children.

Studies show that exercise in outdoor, plant-rich environments fully engages the brain in complex and varied motion, strengthens muscles, boosts serotonin levels, focuses the attention of children with Attention-Deficit Hyper-Activity Disorders, and helps children simply cope with the everyday demands of student life. Dr. Larson will help you build the case for establishing a schoolyard garden, not only for the cross-over between academic subjects, but also for social and emotional learning opportunities. She will provide essential evidence to build support and legitimacy for school gardens as an important part of every school's whole-child approach to learning.
  

Saturday Agenda
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PLENARY SESSION
     • Youth Voices: Inspiration & Call to Action - Karen DePratto and Randy Gage

YOUTH VOICES
     • Growing to College and Career: Karen DePratto and Randy Gage
     • Cultivating the Next Generation: Stories from a Successful Youth Engagement Model -
       Rebecca Mino and David Rittenhouse

CURRICULUM CONNECTIONS
     •  K-12 Garden Curriculum Share - Bonnie Lohman and Brian Wheat
     • Integrating Existing Curricula to Benefit Students with Varying Abilities - Dr. Jean Larson and
       Heather Benson
     • Farm to School and Youth Leadership - A Perfect Match! - Erin McKee

INNOVATIVE CASE STUDIES & SUCCESSES
     • The Mad Scientist in All of Us: What's Your Next Creation? - Tom Frericks
     • Farm to Classroom in Five years and Twenty-four NutriMan Programs: The Story of the
       Little Garden That Could and the People Behind This Success Story - Amy Wyant
     • Edina South View Middle School Garden: Grant to Growing 2014 - Cathy Heller
     • Nay Ah Shing School Gardens - Deb Foye and Jeanene Gross

HORTICULTURE BEST PRACTICES
     • Plant Selection: Pollinator Friendly Annual Plants - Dr. Mary Meyer
     • Worms in Schools - Kirsten Saylor
     • Pop-Up Gardens and Season Extension - Xavier Porter and Larry Cipolla

SPECIAL TOPICS
     • Intermediate Strategies (Setting Goals and Output Maximization) - Jason Reese
     • Teaching Outdoors: Strategies for Maintaining a Positive Learning Environment - Sil Pembleton
     • Minnesota Schoolyard Gardens Coalition Presentation and Discussion

POSTER SESSION