| Purpose of the Learning GardenThe John Muir | | | | variety of neighborhood partners. San Francisco |
| Learning Garden is designed to give San Francisco | | | | area businesses, organizations, and volunteer |
| Schools students a change to take learning | | | | groups have all played a role in establishing the |
| further outside of the classroom. The Garden | | | | Learning Garden. Located in Daniel E. Koshland |
| builds on the fundamental curriculum concerns of | | | | Park, the Learning Garden has benefited from the |
| the elementary school and provides an | | | | dedication of two part-time garden mentors |
| opportunity for students to gain real life | | | | provided by the Hayes Valley Neighborhoods |
| experience that complements their academic | | | | Parks Group. These two women, Rebecca and |
| studies. San Francisco school students are able to | | | | Aubrey, have become part of the local |
| integrate classroom literacy, mathematics, science, | | | | community as they organize activities that raise |
| history, and language arts instruction through their | | | | local awareness about the environment.Further |
| participation in activities in the Learning Garden.The | | | | assistance has come from the San Francisco |
| Learning Garden reaches out to the community in | | | | League of Urban Gardeners, the Center for |
| providing outreach services for parents, neighbors, | | | | Ecoliteracy, the Recreation and Park Department, |
| and interested volunteers. Mentor gardeners work | | | | the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, and the San |
| with teachers and students to design educational | | | | Francisco Zen Center. All of these organizations |
| opportunities. One of the interesting projects going | | | | have devoted time and money to helping the |
| on now is the sustainable composting program | | | | John Muir Learning Garden become an |
| that takes organic waste from San Francisco | | | | environmental center for the San Francisco |
| school lunches and uses it for fertilizing garden | | | | community, especially the children that attend |
| projects instead of filling landfills. This is just one | | | | John Muir Elementary School. In particular, the |
| of many projects that combine garden training | | | | John Muir Learning Garden is indebted to the |
| with practical real world environmental concerns. | | | | Buddhist Peace Fellowship, which donated the initial |
| The events organized in the park help students | | | | funds to start the Learning Garden and remains |
| and the community learn about how to protect | | | | an active community partner with John Muir |
| the local environment while studying nature in an | | | | Elementary School.A Look at John Muir |
| urban setting.Partners of the Learning GardenThe | | | | Elementary SchoolJohn Muir Elementary School |
| Learning Garden would not be possible without the | | | | has a unique place within the San Francisco Public |
| support in terms of time and money from a | | | | School System. |