Earth, Earth, Earth

The soil is studied through the vegetable garden, cultivating part of the garden. Attention is paid to seasonality, choosing plants and seeds suited to the climate and our soil so that excessive water consumption is not necessary. The activity covers Science and other subjects and Civic Education for soil conservation, respect for the environment and caring for the spaces around us. New this year: sowing of medicinal plants with the pharmacists of the municipal pharmacy, intervention by a nutritionist, involvement of the solidarity shop where products are brought for distribution to the poor.

Description

Age of pupils: 6-13 years

The soil is studied through the vegetable garden, cultivating part of the garden. Attention is paid to seasonality, choosing plants and seeds suited to the climate and our soil so that excessive water consumption is not necessary. The activity covers Science and other subjects and Civic Education for soil conservation, respect for the environment and caring for the spaces around us. New this year: sowing of medicinal plants with the pharmacists of the municipal pharmacy, intervention by a nutritionist, involvement of the solidarity shop where products are brought for distribution to the poor.

Target: It’s a recurring program and it’s dedicated to 6-13 years old students. 165 students of primary school/ 440 students of secondary school were involved.   

Activities

• The garden is a medium that allows us to involve all children and young people, to reflect on soil, to study the soil. Letʼs start by bringing the 5 senses into play by doing a sensory analysis: how does it feels (to sight and touch), how it smells. We show the different types of soil: clay, good for our 'sculptures', loam, useful for sowing and naturally occurring in the forest. We proceed with sowing in the greenhouse and we use soil products and seeds for our creative creations;
• Taking a cue from a contemporary artist, Richard Long, we ventured into painting with mud;
• With the older ones, we reflect on the various types of soil that can be cultivated, fertilisation, permeability and the need for plants and vegetation;
• Using  COMPOST to improve soil quality;
• The presence of puddles provides us with the opportunity to experiment with soil permeability even with young children;
• Sowing with soil, in a greenhouse, reflecting on the climate;
• The soil is worked, the seedlings planted, or direct sowing.
• We continue with the care of the seedlings by observing the growth, the development also the criticalities, the defeats we have to deal with and which allow us to reflect and scale back our 'power'.
• In addition to scientific skills, we learn to take care together of a space, of living beings. We also involve grandparents and friends who collaborate with us
• Chiara Carminati's poetry and her soundtrack allow us to also give our journey a musical not

Main Purposes

• CULTURAL: Fostering knowledge of the realities of the past especially related to food needs and their satisfaction and the care provided by grandparents. Safeguarding traditions, rituals and generational expressions that preceded us. Favouring a knowledge of the main officinal herbs, their use in pharmacopoeia;
• PERSONAL GROWTH: through work in the garden, encourage the ability to work in a group to practise patiently, to care for what one does and to take care of the youngest and involve pupils with disabilities and/or difficulties of various kinds;
• HEALTH: Promoting sensory education, food safety and hygiene, personal care. Understanding the origin of certain medicines and the use of phytotherapy;
• ECONOMIC: Accompanying children and young people in the conquest of a conscious and positive attitude towards food and nature. Promoting reflection on the meaning of the local economy, 0 km products and short supply chain, promote critical and evaluative reflection on the choices to be made and the risks that can be taken;
• SOLIDARITY: Educate the children to solidarity by sharing the resources of the garden with local volunteers (SOLIDARITY SHOP).