WEB SITES ON GARDENING FOR STUDENTS AND TEACHERS

Access these sites through your computer’s Internet connection. Open the underlined address (URL). Information can be printed or downloaded to your computer. Be sure to follow links to other sites and find your way back with the "Back" button. Note that a gateway site is one that is mostly links to a very large number of other sites on the topic. Also, we note where we found broken links in our sampling of links within a site. Teachers will need to replace these links with their own.

All of the sites listed were active as of March 12, 2003. The evaluation is by the AVA Center staff according to the amount of information given, the general appearance of the site and its potential use in the classroom. This list is also sent through email if you have a school email address. Let us know if you would like to be added to our mailing list.

 

 

Note: Several of the sites have commercial sections. We do not endorse any product. The sites are included if their non-commercial content is good.

THE BUTTERFLY ZONE
http://www.butterflies.com/
Tips on creating a butterfly garden where plants are chosen specifically because they attract butterflies. Tells how to attract butterflies to your garden, even in a urban setting. The Butterfly Guide shows the types of butterflies you might find. The site has been revised. Sections: Butterfly Gardening, Butterfly Artwork, Butterfly Releases, Butterflies of North America, Butterfly T-Shirts, The Essential Butterfly Guide and more. Excellent

COMPOSTING IN SCHOOLS             NEW!
http://www.cfe.cornell.edu/compost/schools.html
Information on setting up a composting system for the school. Sections: Why Composting?, Teacher’s Page, Ideas for Student Research Projects, Compost Quiz, Science and Engineering, Composting Indoors, Composting Outdoors, Weird and Unusual Composting, Frequently Asked Questions, and a Glossary. Excellent

DIRTY DOZEN GARDENING CLUB                 NEW!
http://www.geocities.com/yosemite/geyser/3546/kids.html
A site to get children interested in gardening. Has a large number of projects for kids in the garden. Click on the Go to scroll down to find a large number of gardening topics such as Bird Houses and Nesting Information, Composting and Recycling for the Garden, Gardening with Disabilities and more. Excellent

4-H CHILDREN’S GARDENS                 NEW URL!
http://4hgarden.msu.edu/main.html
Explore 56 theme gardens at Michigan State University. Includes lots of photos. Most gardens have Quick Time video virtual tours. (Note: See end of flyer for how to navigate a Quick Time Video) As an example, the Cottage Garden is planted with "old-fashioned" plants mentioned in Mother Goose tales. An outstanding site for ideas.
Note: Use this URL for the direct link to the garden tour index: http://4hgarden.msu.edu/tour/contents.html     Outstanding.   Excellent

 

A GARDEN OF GROWING ACTIVITIES             NEW!
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson229.shtml
A group of classroom activities related to garden. Excellent

GARDEN WEBQUEST                 NEW!
http://www.netxv.net/esc/technology/InstructionalTechnology/webquest%20examples/garden%20webquest.htm
A garden webquest for 7th grade students. "You and your team members have been elected by the student body to design a garden area for the other junior high students. This area will provide a place for students to enjoy the beauty of nature. Garden landscaping is an interesting hobby and can be a profitable endeavor. Our school is in need of improving the aesthetics and atmosphere of our patio area. It is your job to make it happen!" Excellent

GARDENING FOR KIDS                     NEW!
http://www.geocities.com/EnchantedForest/Glade/3313/
Student level information on setting up and managing a garden. Sections: Basic Tips, Favorite Links, Flower Combinations, Kid-Friendly Plants, Heath & Heather, Bulbs, Flower Archives, Kid Critic Archives, Gardening Links and Plant Facts. Excellent

GARDENING FOR KIDS                     NEW!
http://www.freshdelmonte.com/content.cfm?pageID=70
A page of links to sites for gardening with children. Includes sites for teachers. Note: We found a few broken links on this site. Excellent

GEMS FROM THE GARDEN: DIGGING UP ACTIVITIES FOR ALL AGES         NEW!
http://www.education-world.com/a_lesson/lesson167.shtml
Ten different garden and plant activities for the classroom. Excellent

THE GREAT PLANT ESCAPE
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/gpe/tg/tg-main.html
Help Detective LePlant and his partners unlock the amazing mysteries of plant life. The Teacher’s Guide gives activities for 4th and 5th grades for both individual and group work. Excellent

THE GROWING EDGE – JUST FOR KIDS                 NEW!
http://www.growingedge.com/kids/
Information for students on hydroponic gardening. Sections: Projects You Can Do, Growing Information, What Other Kids Are Doing, Ask the Experts and Resources for Educators. Excellent 

GROWING VEGETABLE SOUP WEBQUEST     NEW!
http://www.wcboe.k12.md.us/mainfold/technolog/techsat/Grimm/webquest/growvegsoup.html
A 2nd grade webquest in which students plan and plant a vegetable garden to make vegetable soup. "You and your group will need to select 4 vegetables that you would like to put in vegetable soup.  After choosing the vegetables you will need to organize and plan your garden to get the best results.  You will also have to give supporting evidence to the class that your garden is the best environment for growing and will get the best results (by harvesting all the vegetables at the same time.)" Excellent

KID’S VALLEY WEBGARDEN
http://www.raw-connections.com/garden/
Sections include: Planning, Planting, Keeping Plants Healthy, Showing Your Plants, Flowers, Veggies, Herbs, Shrubs, Links and a Glossary. Excellent

KIDSGARDENING
http://www.kidsgardening.com/
A wealth of information on kids gardening both at home and at school. Sections include: Parents’ Primer, Classroom Stories, Activities, All About Plants, FAQs, Online Courses, Newsletter, Email Pals, Chat, Youth Garden Grants, A Garden in Every School, and more. Excellent

KINDERGARDEN
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/kindergarden/kinder.htm
An introduction to gardening for children. Sections include: Children’s Gardens, Fun Page for Kids, Take a Survey, Research on Children’s Gardens, and Special Tips for Gardening with Kids. Excellent

MAKING YOUR OWN SEED TAPES
http://www.boldweb.com/greenweb/g_tape.htm

How to make your own seed tapes – an easy way to plant a row of seeds with precise spacing. A fun project for the classroom in preparation for gardening. Excellent

MY FIRST GARDEN                 NEW!
http://www.urbanext.uiuc.edu/firstgarden/
A site for 4th grade students to introduce them to gardening and growing things. Includes a teacher’s guide. Sections: Teacher’s Guide, Show Me the Basics, Gardening FUNdamentals, Planning My Garden, and Garden Gallery. Excellent

NATIONAL GARDEN                 NEW!
http://www.garden.org/
A major gardening site with just about everything you would want to know. Sections: Flowers & Bulbs, Fruits, Veggies & Herbs, Home & Hearth, Lawns & Landscaping, Garden Care & Pests, and Kidsgardening.com. Excellent

THE OFFICIAL SEED STARTING PAGE
http://www.chestnut-sw.com/seedhp.htm
Information by plant species on how to grow the plant from seed. Divided into Flower, Vegetable and Herb seeds. Good quick information source. Excellent

PLANNING AND CARING FOR YOUR FIRST GARDEN – UNIT         NEW!
http://www.suite101.com/course.cfm/16654/lessons#top
Eight lessons which study in detail planning a garden. 1/Preparing the Soil 2/Planning Your Garden 3/Disease and Pest Control 4/A Labor of Love 5/Annuals, Perennials and Biennials 6/Trees and Shrubs 7/Vegetable Gardening 8/Raised Beds and Container Gardening. Outstanding. Excellent

PLANT ANSWERS INDEX                 NEW!
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/web.html

An archive of questions and answers from the plant experts at the Texas Agricultural Extension Service. Click on Answers for the index of questions and answers. Also includes tips, recipes, and more. Excellent

REGEN KIDS                 NEW!
http://www.kidsregen.org/
A new site for kids promoting healthy living. Kids learn how to garden, about healthy foods, physical fitness, and much more. Includes an Educator’s section with lesson suggestions. Excellent

SECRET GARDEN
http://www.pbs.org/wnet/nature/secretgarden/index.html
Companion site to the PBS episode "The Secret Garden". Includes: Hidden Life, Backyard Biodiversity, the Home Gardener, Resources, Teachers’ Guides, Puzzles and Fun and more. Excellent

SEEDS OF CHANGE GARDEN                 NEW!
http://www.mnh.si.edu/garden/welcome.html
A Smithsonian/NEH garden education site showing the history of agriculture in North America and garden activities for children. "This is an educational web site, created on the initiative of the Smithsonian Institution, which teaches about diversity and history by looking at the evolution of agriculture and cuisine throughout the world. It is designed so that it can be browsed for enjoyment and exploration, or to provide a basis for more in-depth classroom or home activities, for which support materials are included here." Sections: History of the New World, Garden Activities for All Seasons, and Learning About Each Other. Excellent

SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION BUTTERFLY HABITAT GARDEN             NEW URL!
http://www.si.edu/gardens/butterfly/smith.htm
Explores the Smithsonian Butterfly Habitat Garden. Includes Fun Facts about Butterflies, How to Create Your Own Butterfly Garden, the Butterfly-Plant Relationship, Traits of a Good Butterfly Plant, Beneficial Insects and more. Note: Follow arrows from section to section. Excellent

BIGGS WILDLIFE POND
http://www.sonic.net/~bigsnest/Pond/
Exploration of a home pond and garden in California. Good photos and information. Very Good

BUTTERFLY GARDENING – EASY STEP-BY-STEP
http://www.butterflyhouse.org/gardening.html
A step-by-step list of butterflies and the plants they attract. A shorter site for kids. Very Good

KIDS WORLD – NC DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
http://www.agr.state.nc.us/cyber/kidswrld/index.htm
Kids site from the North Carolina Dept. of Agriculture on gardening and everything to do with agriculture. Includes games, a quiz, nutrition and much more. Sections: General Ag & History, Food Safety, Nutrition, and Plant Nutrition. Includes links. Excellent

BUILDING AND USING A HYDROPONIC/AQUACULTURE SYSTEM IN THE CLASSROOM
                                                                                    NEW!
http://www.accessexcellence.com/AE/AEC/AEF/1995/nicol_aquaculture.html

Detailed instructions for constructing a hydroponic system for the classroom. Includes materials, how-to and costs. Very Good

BUTTERFLY CAM                 NEW!
http://www.dcboces.org/sufsd/nassau/vitek/butterfly/
A student created site including a videocam of butterflies. Sections: Butterflies, Plants, Life Cycle, Puzzles and Poetry, Festival, Butterflies Live!, Journal, Resources and more. Note: The live cam was not showing anything when we checked. Very Good

BUTTERFLY 2: A BUTTERFLY’S HOME             NEW!
http://www.sciencenetlinks.com/Lessons.cfm?DocID=85
A lesson in which students study which environmental factors make up a successful butterfly garden. "During this lesson, students will design their own butterfly gardens to demonstrate which environmental characteristics make up a favorable butterfly habitat. Teachers will have the option of planting a student-created "butterfly garden," which will afford students an opportunity to interact with butterflies in their natural environment." Very Good

BUTTERFLY GARDEN WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://www.edu.pe.ca/bil/pdf/buttrfly.pdf
A webquest for 5th grade students in which they study the kinds of plants that would form a butterfly garden. They then plan and plant a butterfly garden for the school. Very Good

BUTTERFLY GARDENS WEBQUEST                 NEW!
http://www.rvschools.org/lhoffman/ButterflyWebquest/ButterflyGarden.htm

A webquest in which students plan a butterfly garden and participate in a competition for the best plan. Very Good

THE BUTTERFLY ZONE
http://www.butterflies.com/
How to attract butterflies to your garden. The Butterfly Guide gives information on types of butterflies by geographic region and the specific plants to attract them. Also has butterfly art and patches. Very Good

COMPOSTING FOR KIDS
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/sustainable/slidesets/kidscompost/cover.html
A scripted slide set on composting. Aimed at kids with bright, simple information. Very Good

DR. BOB’S GARDENING TIPS                 NEW URL!
http://hort.ifas.ufl.edu/gt/
Detailed gardening tips from Dr. Bob. Now divided into 32 New Dr. Bob’s Gardening Tips and Alphabetical List of All Dr. Bob’s Gardening Tips. Very Good

FAMILY FUN HOME & GARDENING ACTIVITIES AND CRAFTS         NEW!
http://familyfun.go.com/homegarden/
A Disney sponsored site promoting family fun through gardening and crafts. Includes tips and projects adaptable to the classroom such as Making Signs for Flower Beds, Growing Carrots, etc. in the Garden Center. Very Good

FUN SCIENCE FAIR PROJECTS USING PLANTS             NEW!
http://www.accessexcellence.org/RC/CT/fun_science_fair_projects.html
Slightly off-topic but good advice for using plants or growing plants to use for a science fair project. Very Good

GARDENING WITH CHILDREN             NEW!
http://www.colostate.edu/Depts/CoopExt/4DMG/Children/children.htm
An informative site on gardening with children. Although intended for parents, the site has good information on projects to do with children in the garden, adaptable for the classroom. Very Good

GARDENS FOR BEGINNERS                 NEW!
http://www.geocities.com/mastergardener2k/

Basic information for starting a garden. Not geared for children but good basic information on how to get started. Very Good

THE GARDEN GATE             NEW!
http://garden-gate.prairienet.org/
Good basic information on gardening, from links to plant lists and more. Sections: The Reading Room, The Teaching Garden, Garden Shop, Sun Room, Down the Garden Path…, Mailing Lists, Newsgroups & Web Forums, Holding Bed, and Gardening in Illinois. Very Good

GARDENING GURU’S PAGE
http://members.tripod.com/~Gardeningguru/
Includes Gardening Tips for the Month, Questions and Answers, Plant of the Month, Horticulture Equipment, IPM (Integrated Pest Management) Page, Plant a Row for the Hungry and more. No specific section for children. Note: You need to scroll down to get to the information. Very Good

GARDENING QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
http://www.garden.org/ngaqua/home.asp

Email them and the gardening experts at the National Gardening Association will send back the answer to your gardening question. There’s also a Question of the Week and lots more information. Very Good

GROWING A SUNFLOWER HOUSE FOR YOUR KIDS
http://www.rain.org/~philfear/sunflowerhouse.html
Instructions for growing a sunflower house in the garden. Includes diagrams and complete how-to’s. Also check out the Anarchy Garden link and info on violence-free methods of repelling pests. Very Good

HERB WEBQUEST                 NEW!
http://www.bsd.k12.in.us/~dbent/Herb%20Webquest.htm
A webquest for junior/senior high students in which they study herbs and develp an herb garden. Very Good

HOME VEGETABLE GARDENING                 NEW!
http://www.ces.uga.edu/pubcd/l171-w.html
Basic information from the Georgia Cooperative Extension Service on growing your own vegetables from making a site plan to harvesting. Very Good

HORTIPLEX PLANT DATABASE                 NEW!
http://hortiplex.gardenweb.com/plants/
A huge plant database with information and images. Note: You can search by common name or botanical name. Includes sources also. Very Good

HOW PLANTS GROW: WHAT DO LIVING THINGS NEED TO SURVIVE?             NEW!
http://www.nyu.edu/projects/mstep/lessons/howplants.html
A unit for 6th grade students in which they study plants and then plant seeds and monitor their growth. "Students will begin the project by experimenting with lima bean seeds and observing the process of germination. They will experiment with celery and food coloring to understand the role of stems and vascular tubes in the movement of food and water through plants. In groups of four (4), students will plant a variety of seeds and will monitor the growth of the plants. Each group will vary the amount of food and water provided to the plants; one group will serve as the control. They will keep journals in which they record their observations." Very Good

A KINDER-GARDEN FOR BUTTERFLIES             NEW!
http://www.memphis-schools.k12.tn.us/admin/tlapages/butterfly_quest.htm
A webquest for K-3 students in which they study butterflies and their needs and plant flowers in the school garden which will attract butterflies. Very Good

LET’S MAKE A GARDEN WEBQUEST             NEW!
http://curry.edschool.virginia.edu/go/edis771/webquest2000/student/sheatherpartridge/home.html
A webquest for 1st and 2nd grade students in which students make a class garden. "You are the gardener!  A gardener must learn about the plants to make a garden that will grow well and look beautiful.  Your task is to learn about the plant that you will add to the class garden.  You will create a Research Book about your plant. Afterward, you will present what you learned to the class. Then you will plant the seeds in the class garden and watch it grow!" Very Good

LETTUCE BE DIFFERENT LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Agriculture/AGR0004.html
A lesson plan for K-5 grade students in which they compare their own similarities and differences and then grow several variations of lettuce to explore differences within the same plant. Very Good

NATIVE AMERICAN THREE SISTERS GARDEN WEBQUEST         NEW!
http://horizon.nmsu.edu/ddl/wqthreesisters_k.html
A webquest in which students study the Native American "three sisters" gardens and then present a report on them. "Congratulations! You and your partners have been selected to be Botanists, Anthropologists, Folklorists, and Curators for the Abingdon Museum of Natural History. The first task in this WebQuest will be to divide your team into each type of expert. During this WebQuest, you will learn about the science of the relationship between the Three Sisters and their importance in creating a stable food supply, how the Haudenosaunee's environment inspired this agricultural technique and how this type of gardening influenced their culture, the stories and traditions surrounding the Three Sisters, and how to organize information, prepare a museum display and present your findings." A bit off-topic but very good. Very Good

PLANNING A SCHOOL GARDEN LESSON PLAN             NEW!
http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Mathematics/Geometry/GEO0202.html
A lesson plan for 4th & 5th grade students in which they will use their knowledge of perimeter and area to plan a school garden. Very Good

POND DIPPING
http://web.ukonline.co.uk/conker/pond-dip/index.htm
Pond information for kids (on a site created by kids). Sections include: Frogs & Toads, Tadpoles, Newts, Pond Bugs, Other Creatures, How to Pond Dip Safely, How to Make a Wildlife Pond, Winter Pond Care and more. Very Good

ROT WEB TEACHER RESOURCES
http://net.indra.com/~topsoil/Teacher_Resources.html
This teacher site on composting has all the information you’ll need plus other resources, student handouts to print or download and more. Very Good

SCHOOL GARDENS
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/nutrition/schoolgardens/schgard.html
Information on school gardens including: Introduction to School Gardens, The Benefits of School Gardens, Nutrition and School Gardens, How to Start a School Garden. Very Good

SUCCESSION AND SOIL COMPACTION LESSON PLAN         NEW!
http://askeric.org/cgi-bin/printlessons.cgi/Virtual/Lessons/Science/Environmental_Education/ENV0056.html
A lesson plan for K-5th grade students in which they study the influence of soil compaction on the growth of plants and animals. Very Good

BOTANICAL GARDEN WEBQUEST                 NEW!
http://home.sullivan.k12.il.us/teachers/williams/botgar.htm
A webquest for middle school students in which they research botanical gardens in the U.S. "The President of the United States, President Moss has a love of nature. It is his goal to educate and inform everyone on the beauty of the natural world. President Moss is well aware of the fact that everyone can not visit one of nation's magnificent Botanical Gardens for one reason or another. You have been assigned to the lead a research project to determine the best Botanical Garden via the Internet." Good

BOTANY LESSON – LIGHTEN UP!             NEW!
http://www.caosclub.org/freelessons/plan1.html
A lesson in which students study the light conditions needed for plants to grow. Good

CLASS GARDEN             NEW!
http://www.teachervision.com/lesson-plans/lesson-5563.html
A lesson plan for grades K-5 in which students plant a class garden and observe the growth of the plants. Good

THE CHILDFUN FAMILY SITE- GARDEN ACTIVITIES             NEW!
http://www.childfun.com/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=171
Activities to prepare young children for gardening and growing things. Includes rooting a sweet potato, a planting song, a birdseed garden (in a plate) and more. Good

FLOWERING PLANTS WORD SEARCH PUZZLE         NEW! 

http://www.proteacher.com/cgi-bin/outsidesite.cgi?external=http://www.thepotters.com/puzzles/flowers.html&original=http://www.proteacher.com/110013.shtml&title=Flowering%20Plants%20Wordsearch%20Puzzle
A printable word search puzzle on flowering plants. Good

THE GARDEN             NEW!
http://home.freeuk.net/elloughton13/eric.htm
A British site in which students explore the components in and around a garden such as birds, insects, plants, woods, etc. Good

GARDEN WEB GLOSSARY OF BOTANICAL TERMS         NEW!
http://glossary.gardenweb.com/glossary/                                    
A major database of botanical terms. Good

GROWING IN THE GARDEN             NEW!
http://www.extension.iastate.edu/GrowingintheGarden/lessons.html
Three lessons for grades 2-3 on gardening and growing plants. 1/The Value of Soil 2/Size Up the Soil 3/Test and Feed the Soil. Good

 

KIDZCORNER- I CAN GARDEN
http://www.icangarden.com/kidz.htm
Lots of ideas for kids gardening projects both at home and at school. Good

NOBLE FOUNDATION PLANT IMAGE GALLERY             NEW!
http://www.noble.org/imagegallery/
In image gallery with specific descriptions and photos of different plants. Sections: Forbs, Grasses, and Woodies. Good

PLANNING A GARDEN WEBQUEST                 NEW!
http://cte.jhu.edu/techacademy/fellows/DAVIS-S/WEBQUEST/Index.htm
A webquest for primary level students in which they form teams to plan a class garden. Good

POISONOUS PLANTS AND PLANT PARTS             NEW!
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/plantanswers/publications/poison/poisonlinks.html
Several links to lists of poisonous plants and their effects. Not really a site for children but a helpful reference. Good

SPROUTS CLUB – KIDS GARDENING             NEW!
http://www.bayeradvanced.com/sc/sc_index.html
Online activities for kids to prepare them to garden. Sections: Connect-the-Dots, Cool Bugs, Learning Garden, Colorful Creatures and Interactive Coloring Book. Good

SUITE 101 GARDENING IDEAS LINKS PAGE             NEW!
http://www.suite101.com/linkcategory.cfm/kids_gardening/885
A page of links to sites on gardening with children. Good

THE WHOLE HERB KIDS’ CORNER                 NEW URL!
http://www.wholeherb.com/PAGES/CRAFTS/Kids.html
Projects for children to grow herbs indoors. Good

WILDFLOWERS IN BLOOM
http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/wildseed/tamuhort.html
Extensive information on wildflowers with photos and growing information on each kind. Very Good

 

Disclaimer:  We cannot check every link within each site.   

Prepared by the Cumberland County AVA Center staff.  Please call #856-451-0817 or email:  cumbavac@snip.net  with questions or suggestions for future web site lists.  This list is also posted on our website at   http://www.cumbavac.org 

The site list is also posted on three other web sites:
http://www.atlanticava.org/

http://www.clueslibs.org/resources/web/avacenter.asp

http://www.cjims.org/links.htm

 March 2003

You are welcome to post our lists on your website. 
If you do, you must credit the Cumberland County AVA Center, Bridgeton, NJ and link back to our site.  http://www.cumbavac.org/