IHM School is proud of its green thumb!

The students plant, harvest, and eat a variety of vegetables and fruits including kale, collard greens, tomatoes, garlic, carrots, radishes, watermelons and pumpkins. Any produce not consumed by the school is shared with a local food bank teaching students the value of service to others. 

A grant from Captain Planet Foundation provided the school with materials to facilitate tasting activities and materials for teachers to use in conducting outdoor lessons.  Ongoing grants from Premier Growers provide plants for each student to nurture and observe.  

We also have a math garden, a series of polygon-shaped beds that showcase ornamental plants. Students in lower grades learn about the number of sides of various shapes while the intermediate grades measure sides and angles. 

A focal point of the garden is a mosaic sundial, created by middle school students and their art teacher. Students learn about telling time using the sun and the similarities and differences from current techniques.

Finally, IHM School installed saint images along the garden fence. These images on display remind the school community that good and holy people are part of the blessings that God shares with us, as is the garden. These saints were chosen as representatives of our appreciation for God’s creation. 

The goal of this program is to integrate the school gardens into many components of the curriculum. Sharing God’s creation and learning how best to care for it is an important part of what transpires at Immaculate Heart of Mary School.