Date of Award
1-2016
Document Type
Action Research Project
Degree Name
Master of Arts in Education
Department
Education, Montessori
First Advisor
Irene Bornhorst
Department/School
Montessori Elementary Education, Elementary Education, Montessori Early Childhood
Abstract
This Action Research Project measured the correlation between extended gardening time and the amount of produce eaten by Montessori students. The project took place at a Montessori Preschool and Kindergarten in Southern California, at a school licensed for 75 children. Journals, pictures, and behavior logs of the children were taken each week. Food tallies were also collected the first and last weeks of the project. While the number of pieces of produce consumed by children did not increase in the four weeks, the amount of language and interaction in the garden and at lunchtime did. The conclusion is that extended gardening time does not necessarily correlate with more produce eaten, but does correlate with overall student engagement/involvement with activities related to healthy eating. This could mean big trends in schools with Montessori gardens; veering away from passivity, encouraging children to get invested in the gardening process lends to more engagement in healthy living.
Recommended Citation
Masters, Brittany. (2016). Student Involvement in Gardens and Healthier Food Choices. Retrieved from Sophia, the St. Catherine University repository website: https://sophia.stkate.edu/maed/146