Green Hands a quick guide to teaching sheet mulching gardening EDCI Martín Perna Suzanne de León

Lesson Objectives to learn about sheet mulching to demonstrate use of the hand gestures as a simple teaching device in planning a garden

What is sheet mulching? A garden technique that builds growing beds layer by layer Layers “or sheets” of organic matter biodegrade, make rich planting medium Creates easy-to maintain-raised beds Especially good for poor soil gardening Easy to do for all ages

Sheet Mulching Basics bottom layer: nitrogen activator existing weeds/grass, manure, kitchen scraps second layer: weed barrier cardboard, burlap, or thick newspaper third layer: organic compost yard/kitchen, compost, mulch, leaves top layer: topsoil (or wait 6 months for third layer to decompose)

Part 2: Kinesthetic/linguistic

Part 2: Visual / Linguistic Step One: trace a picture of your hand

compost/manure paper/cardboard mulch topsoil* seeds / transplants Part 2: Visual / Linguistic Step Two: Write the name of each layer

Sheet Mulching Planning Step 3: Write in sources of material for layers compost/manure paper/cardboard mulch topsoil* seeds / transplants yard waste, grass clippings, kitchen scraps, chicken, rabbit, horse, or cow manure newspapers, cardboard boxes, office paper topsoil from garden store, straw, twigs leaves from yard, grass clippings, compost from garden store, your own saved seeds or your transplants

Bandura Attention: holding out their own hands Retention: through gestures and repetition Reproduction: drawing, building garden Motivation: food, seeing others’ harvests Self-sufficiency contributes to self- efficacy

Piaget Preoperational helps develop symbolic language new types of schema based on nature concrete operations classifying: types of plants decentering: where to get materials conservation: seed into a plant Formal operations: apply logic, experience to gardening

Jung Children learn about nature free to discover things on their own Adults: Invididuation process becoming whole earth, self reconnecting with ancestral practices, archetypes

Erikson industry vs. inferiority stage non-competitive introduces new “domains of knowledge” identity vs. role confusion a grounding activity something positive they can take into adulthood possible career

Backyard Sheet Mulch Gardens Austin, TX

Backyard Sheet Mulch Gardens Austin, TX

Good luck!