1

THE OTHER SIDE OF POSSIBLE

PROJECT PROPOSAL
Project Title: The Growing Gardeners After-School and Summer Program
Student Investigators: Samantha Ballard, Simone McEwan, Spencer Chapman, Kaitlyn Jones
Current Address: 229 Main St., Keene, NH 03435; Holloway Hall
Professor: Dr. Porter-Utley
Emails: Kaitlyn.Jones@ksc.keene.edu, Spencer.Chapman@ksc.keene.edu,
Simone.McEwan@ksc.keene.edu, Samantha.Ballard@ksc.keene.edu

Introduction
Through extensive research, our group has found that the Early Sprouts Program here at
Keene State College has a lot in common with the plant-based diet; both emphasize the benefits
of healthy eating and incorporate more plant-based foods into the diets of youth. With the
support of Dr. Karrie Kalich, the director of the Early Sprouts Program, and Lynn Arnold, the
coordinator of the Early Sprouts Program, our group has developed a project idea that
encompasses the same healthy eating values as the Early Sprouts Program, while also
encouraging the exploration of natural sciences. The two ultimate goals of our project are to
instill healthy eating habits in children so that they can make appropriate food choices outside of
the classroom, and also to give children a positive experience learning about the natural sciences
so that they will look forward to learning more about them in the future.
Background
Americans today are consuming a diet that is far from natural. The typical American
meal has morphed, consisting mostly of highly refined grains, large amounts of meats and
poultry, and processed foods with many added sugars and fats. It has become extremely difficult
for people today to integrate the proper amount of fruits and vegetables into their diets. The
American diet is directly impacting the growing epidemic of obesity and chronic diseases such as
cardiovascular disease and Type-2 Diabetes in the United States.

There is an alternative way to feed the American population while also drastically
reducing if not eliminating the obesity epidemic. The solution is for Americans to go on a whole
foods/plant-based diet. Whole foods are foods that are unprocessed and unrefined, or processed
and refined as little as possible. They typically do not contain added salt, carbohydrates, or fat
(Fisher, 2013). A plant-based diet mainly consists of fruits, vegetables, tubers, legumes, nuts,
and grains. As well as severely limiting the intake of meats, dairy products, and eggs, and also
excluding processed foods with bleached flour, refined sugar, and oils. It seems that the general
American population is misguided and confused about what they should actually be consuming
in their diets which is why healthy eating habits need to be established at a young age.
The Early Sprouts Program is a program here at Keene State College that was established
by Dr. Karrie Kalich in 2006. The program is designed for preschool aged children to encourage
them to eat healthy and be active. It is believed that childrens eating habits are established
during the early years of their life. When young children spend a lot of time in group care
eating snacks and meals, early childhood educators also play an important role in childrens food
preferences and eating habits, (Kalich, et. al. 2009). The Early Sprouts approach engages young
children in gardening, sensory exploration, and cooking throughout the school year. The
program focuses on six target fruits and vegetables: carrots, Swiss chard, butternut squash, bell
peppers, green beans, and tomatoes (Kalich, et al. 2009). By growing and caring for these fruits
and vegetables, they are taking a seed-to-table approach, which helps the children understand
where their food is coming from and the process of producing it. Overall, this program provides
preschoolers with educational and engaging activities that increase their willingness to try new
things and make healthy eating choices.
Methodology
Curriculum
See Growing Gardeners Curriculum Outline in Appendix A
Participants
The participants in this project will consist of staff and students. The employed staff
must be educated, enthusiastic, tolerant, patient, and will be hired in accordance to the number of
children enrolled in the program. The class size(s) would be in even numbers so pairing would

work well for group activities, and to keep things sane, would total no more than two dozen. The
children admitted must fall between the ages of 5 and 10 years.
Procedure
Construction of Garden/Irrigation
Though a garden would give ample room for plants to be put in soil, some plants can be
detrimental to the growth of others if in too close of a proximity. There will be three garden beds
with each having dimensions of 39 x 96 and raised above the ground by 12. The garden beds
are separated from each other by a distance of 1 meter to provide a walkway to access the beds
from all sides. Each garden bed will be separated into three 32 sections for different types of
plants to have space to grow. The construction for the frame of the garden would be composed
of thick plexiglass panels to provide an elevated structure as well as to allow children and
faculty to view the roots growing beneath the surface. The plexiglass will be covered in felt
which children can flip up to see the bed beneath. This is primarily to protect the root systems
beneath from ultraviolet rays from the sun. -inch diameter PVC piping will be used for
irrigation and roughly 13 meters of PVC will have to be placed properly within the garden to
supply water to the plants evenly. A durable and lengthy hose will be used to connect the PVC to
the water supply (i.e. on-site water spout).

Figure 1: Diagram of the garden layout, designed by Kaitlyn Jones.

The blue structure indicated the irrigation system beneath, while brown circles indicate
posts around each garden bed to support the chicken wire fencing. The chicken wire fencing will
not be permanently attached to the posts so it can be easily removed for access to the garden, but

will be secured at night to prevent most animals from getting into the garden. While not depicted
in the diagram below, some crops such as cucumbers and tomatoes will require additional posts
to allow the plants to grow upwards.
Construction of Compost Bin
The frame of the compost bin will be composed of 12, three-foot long 2 x 4 planks of
wood. The bin will end up being 3 long x 3 wide x 3 deep, constructed by four thin pieces of
plywood that will be nailed together to contain the biodegradable scraps. The empty square
space at the top of the bin will be covered with chicken wire that will be able to be easily
removed by humans, but not animals. The height of the bin will be tall enough to ward off pests
looking for an easy meal, but short enough to be easily accessible.
Lesson Plans
See Growing Gardeners Curriculum Lesson Plans in Appendix B
Budget & Materials

Materials

Quantity

Total Price

Plexiglass

~466.00

Total Seeds & Plants

Individual packages and

70.00

plants
Chicken Wire ( 3ft. X 75ft. )

Posts (6 ft. Heavy Duty Bamboo

60.00
10.00

Stakes, 6 Pack)

Irrigation PVC Piping

70.00

Hose (50 ft.)

20.00

Hoe

10

100.00

Composition notebooks

25 Max

26.00

Biodegradable napkins
(Natural Value 100% Recycled

14.00
2

Fiber 1 Ply Napkins, 200 Count)

Utensils

25.00

Art Supplies (Markers, color

Individual packages per art

70.00

pencils, paint, brushes, tye-dyes)

supplies

Poster Board

Not determined

>1.00 per board

Cooking Supplies

N/A

100.00

Other Gardening Tools

N/A

150.00

Store-bought foods

As needed

100.00

Wood plywood boards

12

45.00

Earthworms

2 tubs

10.00

Retractable measuring tapes

10

50.00

950 Elastic Bands

6.00

T-shirts (Packs of 5 shirts)

35.00

Herb seeds

7 packages

18.00

Bottled Water

6.00

300 sheets of construction

7.00

Printer paper(500 Sheets)

6.00

Gardening Soil

35.00

Felt

12 X 810

57.00

(2x4x36 inches)

paper

Total Cost

$1,467.00

Appendix A
Growing Gardeners Curriculum
Outline

Time Period

Spring Session
April-June

Summer Sessions
June-July
July-August

Fall Session
August-October

Unit Name

Construction & Closing

Planting

Cooking

Lesson Plans 1.) Garden Construction

1.) Planting seeds
1.)
2.) Compost Construction 2.) Learning the stages of
3.) Learning the basics of
plant growth and 2.)
plant structure.
development.
4.) Implementing compost. 3.) Indoor Garden
3.)
Construction,
Planting, and
Maintenance

Meal
Preparation/Cooking.
Herb Garden & and
sensory exploration.
Fruit and vegetable
dissection and analysis

Kids will have

an
understanding
of

-The benefits of herbs

in cooking.
-Culminating varieties
of fruits and vegetables
into a cornucopia of
nutrition. (i.e.
cooking).
-The seed-to-table
concept.
-Plant/fruit structure
and lifecycle

-The purpose of a secure

growing space.
-Environmental factors
that can affect the
gardens prosperity.
-The process of
decomposition and why it
is beneficial.

-Basic plant processes

-What can be
detrimental/beneficial
to a plants growth.
-Identifying a healthy
garden.
-Measuring plant
growth.

APPENDIX B
Growing Gardeners Curriculum
Lesson Plans
Table of Contents
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Fall Session
Spring Session
Summer Session
Day One (Fall/Spring/Summer)
Parent Night
Program Costs and Times

Fall Session
Each week, we will focus on one to two different vegetables or fruits. Each time we
introduce a new fruit or vegetable, we will ask them, Do you like it a lot, a little, or you dont
like it yet? If they dont remember what they think about it, they will be able to try them later
on after the dissection, as discussed later. If students refuse to try a food, we will not force them
to eat it. Whether or not the children try the food, we will encourage them to try new things but
will let them know its okay to not eat it so they dont feel guilted into it.
We will be meeting two times a week--Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Tuesdays, we will
be dissecting each vegetable or fruit, and having the children explore the contents as well as
draw what they see in a journal that we will provide. Colored pencils, markers, and crayons will
be provided for the children. As they explore, we will teach them the parts of the fruit. Take the
example of an apple: if a child is looking at a cross-section of an apple, we can show them the
skin, the flesh of the apple, the core, the stem, and the seeds. They can label these parts in
their journals. We will also ask them to write descriptive words that they associate with the
fruit/vegetable: crunchy, juicy, smooth, rough, etc. The manner in which the fruits and
vegetables will be dissected will allow for the students to eat the fruit after the dissection.
On Thursdays, we will cook with the kids using that fruit or vegetable. This will be their
afternoon snack, but it will also engage them in meal preparation and give them a chance to
compare the taste of the raw fruit or vegetable versus the fruit used in a recipe. What recipes we
will prepare and what we can do with them depends on the food. We can dehydrate them (ex.

banana chips), bake them, and prepare them in other ways. Whatever we do, we will make sure
that the school has the necessary equipment or that we can easily bring in our own. For example,
if the school doesnt have a stove we can use, we could bring in a griddle. The amount we make
will be enough for everyone to have a taste, and maybe a little more. We wont make enough for
everyone to have whole portions.
Either the Tuesday or Thursday of each week, when there is spare time, we will bring the
students out to the garden to make observations. From week to week, they will go out to the
garden to tend to it as well as draw what they see, a continuation of what the summer group
started. However, the fall kids will not be able to see the change in growth that the summer
group did, and thus making observations would be a one-time thing. On the side they will be
able to write qualitative and quantitative data, such as how tall the plant is. The children will be
able to see the roots of the plants through the clear outside of the garden beneath.
In the fall, with permission from the parents, we will be taking the kids on a field trip to
go apple picking and pumpkin picking at a local orchard on a Saturday in October. We will
make sure that we have enough chaperones to manage the kids. On the permission slip being
sent home, there will be a section looking for parent volunteers for chaperones. If we do not get
enough parent volunteers, we will find faculty volunteers. We will let the kids go around and
pick the apples and pumpkins. We will cover the costs of the apples and pumpkins. Some
orchards offer hay rides, which we would absolutely love to do with the kids. The following
week, we will be cooking with the apples, eating raw apples for snacks, and scooping out the
seeds in some spare pumpkins to cook the pumpkin seeds. This week will also focus on
dissecting the apples and pumpkins to see their insides, although these arent part of our garden
vegetables.
The following is a week by week schedule showing when vegetables and fruit will be
harvested and used for dissection, cooking and consumption:
Harvesting Schedule for the Fall Semester (First week of September to end of October)
Week

Vegetables/Fruit Harvested

N/A

Green beans

10

Bell peppers

Tomatoes, carrots

Cucumbers, Strawberries

Apples*, Pumpkins*

Butternut squash, Swiss chard

N/A

*Apples and pumpkins are not grown in our garden but will be picked during a weekend field
trip between Weeks 5 and 6

Spring Session
For the spring session, students will be completing a variety of activities. Each day, we
will have already prepared snacks for them. These snacks can range from trail mix made from
dehydrated fruits to strawberry jam we made ourselves, and other examples. For snack time, we
will provide biodegradable napkins for the kids. These napkins can be put in the compost. In the
spring, the students will start the compost pile. Kids will help construct the compost box, and
each week as there are appropriate vegetable and fruit scraps or biodegradable napkins to be
disposed of, the students will add to the compost. Other items that may be added to the compost
pile include weeds, grass clippings, leaves, etc. It is important that the children understand the
process of composting. We will bring in earthworms and teach the students about their role in
compost and soil. The staff will make sure that the compost gets properly cared for (aerated,
shoveled, wormed, etc.). The students will construct the garden with our supervision and help,
but they will not be planting the seeds.
We will teach the kids about vitamins, how they affect their body, and what fruits and
vegetables are good sources of these vitamins. Kids will also be learning about environmental
factors that affect the prosperity of the garden and the ecosystem. These factors will range from
weather to impact by humans (deforestation, pollution, etc.).

Summer Session

11

One of the activities we will do with the summer session will be tie-dying with the kids.
The shirts will have words printed on them saying Growing Gardeners. Then, the kids will tiedye their shirts using natural stains such as beet juice (a very strong fuschia color). They will
wear these shirts when they come to the program, although it wont be mandatory.
The garden will already be built for the summer kids, but now the summer kids will plant
the seeds. The kids will be planting cucumbers, bell peppers, tomatoes, butternut squash,
strawberries, Swiss chard, lettuce, green beans, and carrots. From week to week, they will go out
to the garden to tend to it as well as draw what they see.
As the plants start growing, they will draw the little sprouts when they pop up. As the
weeks go by, they will draw them again and make other observations. Has the plant started
producing leaves yet? Flowers? On the side they will be able to write qualitative and
quantitative data, such as how tall the plant is. Further into the program, the children will be able
to see the roots of the plants through the clear outside of the garden beneath.
For the older kids, there will be an indoor garden for them to tend. With this garden, they
will plant herbs and manipulate different variables to see how they affect plant growth. The
herbs that will be grown are basil, cilantro, mint, sage, parsley, dill, and rosemary. The variables
include water amount, sunlight amount, and soil quality. As the plant grows from week to week,
like the outside garden, they can draw what they see for each variable and write down their
observations. Which plant looks the healthiest? At the end of the summer sessions, the best
herbs will be stored for the fall semester when students are preparing vegetables and fruits in
recipes.
The summer session will be held at the school, just like the fall and the spring sessions.
The following is the planting schedule by summer session and week:
First Summer Session (Last week of June until mid-July)
Week

Vegetable/Fruit Planted

N/A

Butternut squash

Bell peppers, Green beans

Tomatoes, Carrots

12

Second Summer Session (Last week of July until mid-August)

Week

Vegetable/Fruit Planted

Strawberries

Cucumbers/Lettuce

Swiss chard

N/A

Day One (Fall/Spring/Summer)

This day will be the welcoming day for students. We will provide the students with
paper, paint, paintbrushes, scissors and glue. We will ask them to paint their favorite fruit or
vegetable. For the kids who need or want some extra help, we will print out an outline of their
favorite fruit for them to paint in. As the kids are painting, we will walk around with a camera to
take pictures of each childs face. These will be swiftly printed out so the children can cut out
their faces using the scissors (with supervision). Once they have completed painting and the
paint has dried, they will glue their faces onto the fruit and write their first name underneath the
fruit or vegetable. We will assist them in cutting around their painting and their name. These
paintings will be displayed on the wall or on the door, given we have permission from the school
to do so. In the case that we dont, we will purchase a poster board to display the childrens art.
We will have made our own fruit with our faces and names prior to the lesson to give students an
example to look at. Before the kids tape their art to the door, wall or poster board, we will go
around and introduce ourselves, showing each other what weve done.
At the end of the day, we will give each child a document to give their parents, which
they will return the next time we meet. For the summer session, permission will be given to
parents before the start of the program and should be in the first day. This document covers
information such as the childs allergies, restrictions, emergency contact information, etc. This
information will aid us for future activities so were aware of the students needs.

13

Parent Night
At the end of each session (spring, summer, and fall), we will bring in the parents of each
child for a Parent Night. At this time, the parents can walk around and see all of the things the
children have made or accomplished (artwork, garden, etc.). Well make a slideshow of various
pictures and videos of the kids from throughout the program. Well provide snacks, some of
which the kids will have helped prepare with our fruits and vegetables (for the fall semester).
One of the most important learning outcomes for this program is for parents to be able to see a
noticeable difference in their childrens willingness and interest in eating foods that were
introduced throughout the program. The goal is for the child to take and use that interest outside
of the classroom setting at his or her own will, where other (not as healthy) foods may be
available and yet healthy foods are still chosen.

Program Costs and Times

Spring Session
-

$75 for the program

Parents have the option to pay $75 up front or pay $10 each week for the first seven weeks, and

then $5 for the last week

8 weeks in the spring, every Tuesday and Thursday
Summer Sessions

$150 for the program

Parents must pay up front
Two sessions offered, 4 weeks each, Monday through Friday

14

Bibliography
Fisher, Cathy. (2013). What is a Whole Foods Diet?. Received from
http://www.straightupfood.com/blog/2013/10/29/what-is-a-whole-foods-diet/
Kalich, K. et al. (2009). Early Sprouts: Cultivating Healthy Food Choices in Young Children. St.
Paul, MN: Redleaf Press.