Mann Elementary kids plant community garden with Climate Action Grant

IOWA CITY — Students at Horace Mann Elementary School in Iowa City are learning to garden — and improving their community one vegetable at a time.

Teachers led students in brainstorming and voting for a project that would improve the school and surrounding community last year. The students decided on a community garden where they could learn outside and benefit from the fresh produce.

Temporary garden beds were in stalled last spring and the permanent beds were installed last month. Each class voted on what they wanted to plant. The result was carrots, kale, cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, basil, Swiss chard, green beans and even sunflowers.

During back-to-school night earlier this fall, students put their handprints on the permanent raised garden beds.

“It’s really great to look at when you come into school,” said Beatrice, a third-grader at Mann Elementary. “The plants are really calming, and it’s fun to do together.”

Over the summer, families and community members could stop by the garden to harvest what produce they needed. Earlier this fall, the remaining produce was harvested by students and the seeds were dried to be planted next year.

“It’s good because anyone can take from it,” Mann Elementary first-grader Ashley said.

Ben Smith, second grade teacher at Mann Elementary, said students are showing leadership in building, designing and taking care of the garden.

Earlier this month one of Smith’s students handed him a handful of orange seeds they had picked out of their orange at lunch to see if it could be planted, he said.

“That natural curiosity lends itself well to anything we do in the classroom,” Smith said.

On warm days, classes have the option of learning outside in the garden where there are logs for students to sit on during class.

In February, students will start growing seeds in the classroom to be planted in the garden once it gets warm enough, Smith said.

The majority of the funding for the garden came from the Iowa City Climate Action Grants, which is offered to inspire and promote public involvement in the implementation of the city’s climate action plan.

Projects should seek to increase energy efficiency, encourage low or no-emissions transportation, minimize waste and consumption of valuable resources, support and promote sustainable lifestyle choices and promote climate preparedness and resilience. The school won $1,400 in grant funding

The garden “provides nutrients and helps people,” fifth-grader Vonni said. “If we need more food, we can plant more and people can come pick it. We can feed the people.”

Sixth-grader Daphne said she would rather have “fresh food and know where it came from.” The produce can be used in school lunches. “It’s a great chance for everyone to help other people,” she said.

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com