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Q3: LATE SUMMER 2024

Save the Date: Bulb Sale & Garlic Planting Party

October 26th

Registration Coming Soon

Forest Bathing, Music in the Meadow, Community Fishing, and more

FONA Fall Events

Fall into School Gardening

September 14th

Join us on Saturday, September 14th at 11:00 AM (current Educator Coaching Program school teams at 10AM) for our 4th annual Fall into School Gardening event where you can learn how to plant a fall and winter edible garden and get free supplies to start growing outside with your students.

SPROUT Field Trips

September 16th-November 15th

Registration is open for Fall SPROUT Field trips to the Washington Youth Garden on the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum!

Join us for a 90-minute field trip tailored to your curriculum with plenty of time for exploration of the whole garden, including our Nature Explore Classroom, pollinator garden, taste tests in our garden beds, learning about soil with our compost critters, and the opportunity to visit Fern Valley or the Capitol Columns if desired.

Suggested grade levels: PreK-5th, but some flexibility for older groups.

Group size: 10-42 students

Field trips are available Tuesday and Wednesday mornings at 10:00am, and Fridays at 10:00am or 1:00pm. Fall field trip season runs from September 16th to November 15th.

Questions? Check our website or email education@fona.org.

EMILIA'S GARDEN TIP

What Should I Plant Now for a Fall and Winter Garden?

Summer comes to an end and the new school year is starting. Read below for suggestions on what to plant this season and whether to direct sow or transplant.

WHAT TO PLANT FOR FALL/WINTER

CURRICULAR CONNECTIONS

Take Your Class On A Tree-sure Hunt!

As the school year gets going and we transition from summer into fall, there are many outdoor activities you can do with your class. A fun way to explore the grounds of your school and connect with the local environment is a “tree-sure hunt”. A tree-sure hunt combines the fun of a treasure hunt — in this case looking for different types of trees — with the opportunity to learn more about trees. It can also help your students be more observant of the differences and changes they might see in the trees.

–Max

TREE-SURE HUNT AND MORE CURRICULA

2024 SUMMER INSTITUTE FOR GARDEN-BASED TEACHING HIGHLIGHTS

Read my reflections on our 2024 Summer Institute for Garden-based Teaching in the article below. If you missed us this summer, you can join us for Fall Into School Gardening on Saturday, September 14th for training and supplies to jump start your school garden!

-Ashley

A LOOK INTO THE 2024 SUMMER INSTITUTE

RESOURCES & UPCOMING EVENTS

Outdoor Learning Gatherings through DC’s Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE)

4:30-6:30pm

Trees are Teachers Too

Sept 19th

3030 12th St. NE

Washington, DC 20017

United States Botanic Garden Conservatory Tour

Nov 11th

Exploring the Anacostia River

Oct 11th

575 Oklahoma Ave. NE

Washington, DC 20002

LifeLab x KidsGardening: In the Growing Classroom virtual webinar series

Cooking with Kids in the School Garden

Sept 19th

7:00pm

Teaching Social Studies in the Garden with the C3 Framework

Nov 21st

7:00pm

Growing School Gardens Summit Webinar series

Sept 18th: Some is Something: Healthful, Healing, and Nourishing Herbs

3:30pm

Oct 19th: Cafeteria to Compost, School based Composting Programs

2:00pm

Nov 16th: Real Life Garden Heroes: How Teaching Diverse Voices Improves Literacy and SEL Skills

2:00pm

Free Outdoor Learning Virtual Workshops

7:00-8:00pm

Sept 24: Land-based Learning and Reconciliation: Resources for Teaching CHILDREN

Oct 1: How to Teach Nature Journaling: Curiosity, Wonder, and Attention

Oct 22: Climate Connections: Climate Change Education in Outdoor Learning

We find great garden-based resources through other newsletters we subscribe to. Receive the KidsGardening monthly newsletter below and get a free activity e-book.

SUBSCRIBE TO KIDSGARDENING.ORG

Come see us next time you're at the National Arboretum!

The Arboretum is open every day from 8 AM - 5 PM except December 25th.

Check Our Website for Full Details >

Washington Youth Garden is the one-acre education garden of Friends of the National Arboretum. By supporting FONA, you support staff connecting thousands of students each year to food, the land, and each other.

BECOME A FONA MEMBER

2023 ANNUAL REPORT

FONA is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit membership organization with the mission to preserve and enhance a vibrant public space and support experiential programming that instills a love of plants, nature and the outdoors in all who visit, while promoting the overarching research and education mission of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Since its inception, FONA has helped support the Washington Youth Garden, Capitol Columns, Flowering Tree Walk, horticultural and research internships, restoration of Springhouse Run, and much more.

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