​Colonial Dooryard Gardens

Fifth graders study colonial American history as part of their Social Studies curriculum.  To help students appreciate the rigors and rhythm of colonial life, we always plant and tend a traditional dooryard herb garden.  These gardens were essential in the New World, providing food, medicine, personal hygiene, and important raw material for clothes, dyes, and even dolls.  Today students began their gardens by prepping the soil, measuring and staking the rows, sorting and planting seeds, making paths, and creating a journal of everything we planted.  We shared stories about the life of colonial children and most of our students felt fortunate to be able to garden for fun rather than survival!