The Ultimate Community Garden

                            
My classroom is known as Room 102 ~ With the Garden View!  We see everything that goes on in the garden.  Mothers with young children in wagons and strollers stop to admire the colorful zinnias and sunflowers.  Senior citizens stop by and often pick the abundant  cherry tomatoes.  The school district's yard crew also snack on the tomatoes.  All of the classrooms have been observing the garden on a regular basis.  One class whipped up a batch of pesto using the basil.  Visiting author Ron Hirschi did some field work and research in the garden.  There are beautiful butterflies, insects and birds using the garden in food chains and lifecycles.  Over the summer, the Mid Ohio Food Bank and other local food pantries received some of the fresh vegetables.  My class and our Kindergarten Buddies,  Mrs. Williams' morning class  signed up to put one of the plots to bed for the winter.  We look forward to next Spring!
      I introduced my students to another community garden.   Rabbit Hill by Robert Lawson.  This book won the Newbery Award in 1945.  It was written at the end of WWII.  The theme is renewal, compassion and hope for the future.  It is a reflection of how our country felt at that time.
      I have a personal connection to Rabbit Hill.   It was my mother's favorite book.  I grew up with references to the story.  One summer a young rabbit was a regular visitor in our family garden.  He became our Little Georgie.  In 1981  my parents moved to a lovely country home with a few acres and a woods.  They planted several large gardens.  It became their Rabbit Hill complete with a statue of St. Francis of Assisi.
      I oversee two gardens at school.  Our Tremont Community Garden growing outside and my garden of students growing intellectually inside.  I look forward to spending time in each garden everyday.

 Enjoy this poetry book too!