Gaining knowledge through gardening? John Adams Middle School proves education can grow in many ways.
The school’s garden continues to flourish as an outdoor classroom for students. This student-led program, supervised by MESA instructor Dennis Linton and Dr. James Platt, has transformed the garden into a hands-on learning space. The garden now features fruit trees, vegetables, and flowers.
Entering its second successful year, the program continues to expand. Students actively care for and develop the learning garden.
Community support helps drive the garden’s success. Thanks to a shade structure donated by Lowe’s Home Improvement, students now have a more comfortable area to work and learn.
Walmart contributed seed packets. The Home Depot provided plants and garden tools and Baca’s Trees donated wood chips used for weed control and defining garden paths.
Walmart contributed seed packets, while The Home Depot provided plants and garden tools. Baca’s Trees donated wood chips for weed control and garden path development.
The garden supports classroom learning in meaningful ways. Students study pollination by learning flower parts and observing bees collect pollen and nectar. A pollination garden with perennials has also been developed to support this work.
Learning Comes Alive in the Garden
This year, the program adds three raised beds divided into 2-by-2-foot plots. Each student chooses seeds from a seed library, plants them, and cares for their own plot. These individual spaces let students explore concepts like photosynthesis while building ownership and responsibility.
The main garden features a mix of flowers and vegetables. Students apply math skills by measuring spacing and planting depth using seed packet instructions.
Additionally, students maintain the garden through hands-on tasks, such as watering, weeding, and spreading wood chips. As the project progresses, learners show strong engagement and willingness to contribute to the garden’s success.
Educators say they find it rewarding to see students take pride in their work. They already look forward to continuing the program next year.