KIDS GARDEN NEWS
January 2004

CONTENTS
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VIVA! Gardens for Schools Grants
Weather Matters: Engaging Young Investigators
Designing a Kids’ Garden
Landscapes for Learning Awards
Healthy Sprouts Awards
Healthy Lifestyles Grant
Thematic Explorations: The Door to a Green Curriculum

VIVA! Gardens for Schools Grants
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VIVA!, a supplier of herb and vegetable plants available in Home Depot stores nationwide, announces its VIVA! Garden for Schools Program. Its goal is to introduce children to gardening, improve nutrition and health through horticulture, and open the door to the great experiences that arise when kids interact with nature. For information and applications for both the VIVA! School Garden Contest and VIVA! Plant Donation Program, click here.

Weather Matters: Engaging Young Investigators
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Sometimes we don't like it, but we certainly can't live without it. Because weather is ever-present in schoolyards and gardens, why not learn to observe and make sense of it? In this month's Teachers' Resource Room, you'll find inspiration and advice on how to integrate weather, climate, and seasonal investigations into your classroom, schoolyard, and curriculum.

Designing a Kids’ Garden
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When it comes to making a kids-only garden, half the fun is in imagining the design. Guiding your choices are your family's own style, your garden's conditions, and your region's climate. There are plenty of resources to advise you on the last two, but you're the expert when it comes to creating a garden that matches your family's personalities. In this month's Family Room, we invite you to muse and plan for the creation of a kids' garden in your backyard.

Landscapes for Learning Awards
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Fine Gardening magazine, a publication of Taunton Press, and NGA announce the second annual Landscapes for Learning Awards for youth gardens. Applicants should demonstrate a child-centered plan that emphasizes youngsters learning and working in an outdoor garden. Ten programs will receive an award package including printed gardening resources and videos from Taunton Press and NGA, plus a $250 gift certificate to NGA’s Gardening with Kids catalog. Application deadline: March 15, 2004. Click here for details and to download an application.

Healthy Sprouts Awards
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The National Gardening Association and Gardener's Supply Company have partnered to support schools and community organizations that use gardens to teach about nutrition and explore the issue of hunger in the United States. Each of twenty-five programs receives an award package of seeds, tools, garden products, and educational resources for growing a vegetable garden. Five of these programs also receive $500 cash and a $200 gift certificate to the Gardener's Supply Company catalog. Application deadline is March 31, 2004. To learn more and download an application, click here.

Healthy Lifestyles Grant
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In an effort to help communities reverse the dangerous trend of childhood obesity, the National 4-H Council is offering the Healthy Lifestyles Grant. This opportunity is open to all youth organizations. Local grants of $7,500 are available for development or expansion of innovative and fun programs that partner youth ages 5 through 12 with adults to explore and establish healthy eating and fitness habits. Applicants must have demonstrated interest and experience in dealing with the issues of obesity, fitness, nutrition, and healthy lifestyles.The deadline for applications is Friday, January 23, 2004. Click here to download an application.

Thematic Explorations: The Door to a Green Curriculum
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A garden or habitat is a living laboratory for learning real-world skills, and our Thematic Explorations Library opens the door to a green curriculum. Looking to boost skills in measuring, calculating, and problem solving? Check out Honing Math Skills in the Garden. If it’s social studies that needs a hands-on component, how about Growing Cultural Understanding? Whatever the subject, you’ll find compelling stories, ideas, and activities to give your students meaningful learning experiences. For links to all of our themes, click here. They're free!

------------------------Sponsoring Kids Garden News------------------------------------
Hilton Garden Inn, a focused-service hotel brand providing an excellent lodging experience at a reasonable price in more than
130 locations throughout North America, is proud to sponsor the NGA Kids Garden News. All Hilton Garden Inn hotels look forward to working with schools in their respective communities to educate our young people about the importance of gardening and our environment!
http://www.hiltongardeninn.com/en/gi/promotions/gardens/index.jhtml
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----------------------------Gardening With Kids Store------------------------------------
The National Gardening Association's secure Kidsgardening Store features innovative products, from books to butterfly houses, for those who garden with kids in schools, at home, and in communities. We invite you to visit and browse
http://store.yahoo.com/nationalgardening/index.html
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MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION
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Join the NGA, a member-supported nonprofit organization committed to sustaining and renewing the fundamental links between people, plants, and the earth. Member benefits include free on-line classes, two monthly e-newsletters, free gardening question and answer service, and in 10% off purchases at our on-line stores, on every order, every day.

SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
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Web site: http://www.kidsgardening.com

(c) 2004 National Gardening Association
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