The Edible Peace Patch Garden

The Edible Schoolyard

Just ten minutes from Eckerd College, Lakewood Elementary School hosts one of Eckerd College's most unusual classrooms. Here, professor Kent "Kip" Curtis, Assistant Professor of Environmental Studies, has helped Eckerd College students turn their interest in growing organic food into an innovative approach to elementary science education.

The Edible Peace Patch Garden is a cooperative effort between Eckerd College Environmental Studies and Lakewood Elementary School to develop and implement a standards-based elementary science curriculum in an organic garden that was built by Eckerd College students in January 2009. "Eckerd students get to grow food and cultivate young minds at the same time," Professor Curtis says of the project. "We're working now to develop grade-appropriate curriculum and assessment tools."

Since January more than 30 Eckerd College students have had an opportunity to work in the Lakewood schoolyard garden, named The Edible Peace Patch by Lakewood students, and teach Lakewood students about organic food and science concepts. Participants have been blogging about their progress since the project began. For photo updates and regular posts, visit The Edible Schoolyard page.

The Edible Schoolyard