School Gardens in the News

It's harvest time in school gardens. It is also time to plant garlic bulbs and other winter crops. Many schools and after-school programs are finding that gardens are great cross-curricular activities, requiring science, math, organization, and other skills. Gardening also gets students outside and eating healthier.

Here are two examples from Moraga, CA, and Jefferson Co., KY.

Find curriculum on science, including two on horticulture, at the Consumers Guide to Afterschool Science Resources.

Are you looking for an amazing opportunity to promote your science and technology programs?

The Coalition for Science After School recently opened a national directory of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) learning opportunities. This directory will be widely marketed and can rapidly increase the visibility of your program! The best news? There is no cost involved, it is FREE! There is, however, a cost to not participating: missed promotional, funding, and partnership opportunities.

Sign up now!

Are you interested in increasing the number of kids participating in your programs?
The promotion of this Directory will increase interest in opportunities to participate in science after school and in other informal settings, and it will direct interested parents and students to the programs entered in our database.

Are your programs full? Do you need support - funding, volunteers, partners - to open up your programs to more students?
Our Coalition is committed to working with policymakers and funders and will ensure that the Directory is used for increased advocacy in support of informal science education.
All that is needed to become part of the Directory is to visit our website:

Sign up now!

Spend a few moments entering information on your organization and its programs and events. If you have any questions about the Directory, the Coalition, or informal STEM education, please contact our team at info@directory.scienceafterschool.org.

I would like to thank you in advance for your participation. The larger we are able to grow this database the more effective the Directory will become! If you know of any colleagues who might be interested in taking advantage of this opportunity, please feel free to forward this message along.

Young People Need to be Taught How to Argue (??)

While many parents may not think that their children have any difficulty with arguing, researchers have been studying ways to improve argumentation skills.  Making logical arguments is part of the critical thinking process and does not necessarily follow naturally from learning a lot of facts.  This is yet another role that out-of-school time experiences can play - offering students a setting to practice making logical, coherent arguments. 

Education Week article (Subscription required)

Science and Art "CreatureCast" on Squid Iridescence

This is one of the most entertaining and scientifically educational videos that I have ever seen.  A young person with an interest in art might find the connection with science very engaging!  This is apparently "Episode 1", so I look forward to future CreatureCasts.

CreatureCast Episode 1 from Casey Dunn on Vimeo.

Teen Scientist Finds Bacteria to Decompose Plastic

I just wanted to repost this article from Wired Science.  A teen from Ontario found bacteria that makes plastic decompose in just three months.  This is something that scientists have been working on for many years.