Garden Program

The Jefferson Garden Program cultivates a love for nature, health, and hands-on learning by creating an engaging outdoor classroom where Jefferson students connect with the environment, develop life skills, and foster community through gardening.

Our garden program includes:

• Teaching students the principles of sustainability and the importance of caring for the environment through hands-on gardening activities and school-wide initiatives to promote recycling and reduction of waste
• Encouraging healthy eating habits by involving students in growing and tasting fresh produce, while promoting physical activity, beneficial risk-taking with garden tools and planting, and mindfulness through sit-spots and scientific drawing in the garden setting
• Leveraging outdoor classroom space as a lab and creative space for teaching math, science, literature and art
• Student-led farmers markets two times a year selling handmade goods and produce from the garden
• Monthly family garden work days to foster community and care for the school’s natural spaces and grounds
• Special access for monthly field trips to the nearby Children’s Garden at the San Francisco Botanical Garden due to Jefferson’s proximity to Golden Gate Park

K-1st grade classes visit the garden once a week for 30 minutes and 2nd-5th grade classes visit every other week for 45 minutes. The Garden is also open at lunch recess for 3rd-5th graders.