Junior Master Gardener® ProgramProgram Purpose:

Develop leadership skills

Identify community needs/volunteer opportunities

Peer and cross generation mentoring

Foster personal pride and responsibility

Increase knowledge in environmental & horticulture education

Levels of InstructionLevel 1 - Grades 3-5Level 2 - Grades 6-8Level 3 - Grades 9-12

Junior Master Gardener®

Program

Who Can Participate in JMG®?

Public/Private/Home schools 4-H Clubs, scouts, YMCA After-school programs Public/Botanical gardens

Junior Master Gardener®

Level OneCore Curriculum

Teacher/Leaders’ Guide

JMG YouthHandbook

Curriculum Design

Hands-On and Project Based Integrated across all subject areas Flexibility of use Choices available in group and

individual activities Community service and leadership

incorporated in all units

Go and Do It ! ! !

The JMG® Teacher/Leader’s Guide

• Introduction and management guide• Chapter group activities• Community Service/Leadership

projects• Helpful appendices

Leadership and Service Projects

“I enjoyed JMG very much. It is the best science class I have ever had. I did things I enjoy instead of school work. Instead we taught little kids, gardened, composted, and did activities.

Lauren5th grade JMG youth

www.jmgkids.us/standards

“I enjoy teaching the smaller kids what we have learned. It’s almost like being a big brother to them.”

Down to Earth JMGers

How Can I Use the JMG® Program?

Pick and choose some JMG activities for your youth to try

JMG Recognition Opportunities

6 activities

JMG Certifications

JMG® Certification for Youth Become a certified Junior Master

Gardener®

Golden Ray Seriessm certification of youth

Complete 1 group activity per teaching concept in each chapter

Complete 1 individual activity per teaching concept in each chapter

Complete 1 community service/ leadership project per chapter

Golden Ray Series Certification

In depth study of a chapter1. any combination of 12 activities2. completing 1 Life Skills/Career Exploration activity3. participating in 1 service project

•Teacher/Leader sends in completion form (follows registration packet in

Teacher/Leader Guide)

•Each youth receive certificate suitable for framing

Certified Junior Master Gardeners ®

Program Recognition

Medals are made to be compiled

can be ordered at www.jmgkids.us

Certified Junior Master Gardeners

Youth are eligible to receiveJMG Certified medal

Junior Master Gardener®

Golden Ray Series

Curriculum Health & Nutrition From the Garden

•Basic Gardening

•Growing Techniques

•Thrifty Gardens

•Food Safety

•ABCs of Healthful Eating

•Healthful Snacks

“Parents are excited that their kids are in the program. Their children have stopped going to the candy aisle (of the grocery store) first and are going to the fruits and vegetables.”      Sandy Farber, JMG Coordinator, District of Columbia

Health & Nutrition From the Garden

Wildlife GardenersmA collaborative effort of the National Junior

Master Gardener® Program and the National Wildlife Federation®.

Ignite a passion for learning, success and servicesm in

your kids!With Wildlife Gardenersm, your kids will:

• Dig into to gardening for wildlife!

• Identify local birds, mammals, insects, reptiles and amphibians.

• Investigate life cycles and interrelatedness of wildlife and plant life

• Discover how to attract desirable wildlife to your garden.• Establish a NWF® Certified Schoolyard

Habitat®!

Wildlife Gardenersm

teaching concepts: Habitat Gardening Basics Essential Elements Birds Mammals Insects Reptiles and Amphibians Wildlife Habitat Sites Life Skills & Career Exploration

How do my kids become Certified Wildlife

Gardenerssm?Youths can earn certification as a Wildlife Gardenersm by completing: A. at least12 activities

B.1 Life Skills/Career Exploration activity

C. establish a Certified Schoolyard Habitat®

or other service-learning project

Youth Recogniti

on

Literature in the Gardensm

Literature in the Gardensm

•Hands on garden experiences inspired by great children’s literature

Literature in the Gardensm

Teaching Concepts: 1 Garden Basics 2-7 Selected Literature 8 Life Skills & Career Exploration

Service Learning/ Leadership Skills

Literature in the Gardensm

• Integrates gardening across all subject areas

• Brings literature to life

• recognizes youths with certification

JMG Level TwoOperation Thistle: Seeds of Despair.

Plant Growth and Development

Importance and Uses of PlantsPlant ClassificationPlant Parts Plant NeedsPlant ProcessesPlant GrowthSeed PropagationVegetative Propagation

teaching concepts:

for youth grades 6-8

for youth grades 3-5

Youth Handbook pages contained in Leader Guide

Leader Guideand Youth Handbook

released in modules(for example, Plant Growth and Development,

Soils and Water)

All 8 chapters contained in Core curriculum

Expanded Teaching Concepts For example: Plant Growth and Development

8 Teaching Concepts

Propagation Seed Propagation

Vegetative

Propagation

Plant Growth & Development

7 teaching concepts

Propagation

JMG Level 2Operation: W.A.T.E.R.

water and the earth’s resources

…Thistle Goes Underground

Operation: W.A.T.E.R.water and the earth’s resources

…Thistle Goes Underground

•Soil Color, Texture, & Structure•Nutrients•Soil Improvement•Soil Conservation

•Water Cycle and You•Water Movement•Watersheds, Wetlands and Aquifers•Water Conservation

teaching concepts:

JMG Level TwoOperation W.A.T.E.R.

water and the earth’s resources

To earn certification in Soils & Water students must complete at least: 1 group activity per learning

concept1 individual activity per learning concept

1 community service project 1 life skill and career exploration activity

go to www.jmgkids.us/growto subscribe for free to JMG Kids Garden News

www.jmgkids.us• Resources for Teachers

• Activities for Kids

• Kid-Friendly Resources

• Online ordering of JMG curricula and recognition items

Why Should Programs Register?• Get a cool registration certificate

• Get updates on upcoming JMG news and events

• It’s free, doesn’t obligate youth to complete program

• Allows youth in your group to become certified Junior Master Gardeners

• Be the Group of the Month!

“JMG is a hands-on program aligned to academic standards… It is so refreshing for our students to be able to cover the TEKS in other than a test format. The children enjoy the activities.”

Kathleen Coburn, Ph.D.

Director of Math, Science, Gifted Education Temple ISD

National On-line Survey for Leaders Conducted by Texas A&M University Department of Agricultural Education and National JMG Program Office

• Over 85% of respondents stated that JMG has increased youth interest in science• Over 83% of respondents stated JMG has contributed to higher academic standards• Over 85% of respondents said JMG youths were

more enthusiastic about learning

Program Evaluation

Current issue of Hort Technology

Studies specifically examining the benefits of students participating in JMG Curricula :“…results show once weekly use of gardening activities and hands-on classroom activities help improve science achievement test scores.”

Impact of Hands-on Science through SchoolGardening in Louisiana Public Elementary Schools

• “Students in the experimental groupscored significantly higher on the scienceachievement test compared to thestudents in the control group .”

Growing Minds: The Effect of a School GardeningProgram on the Science Achievement ofElementary Students

Current issue of Hort Technology

Studies specifically examining the benefits of students participating in JMG Curricula :

• “… students in the experimental groupdid significantly increase their overalllife skills scores .”

Growing Minds: The Effects of a One-year SchoolGarden Program on Six Constructs of Life Skillsof Elementary School Children

“Qualitative data also indicated that the students enjoyed the program, shared what theylearned with others, and wanted toparticipate in more JMG and gardeningtype activities .”

An Evaluation of the Junior Master GardenerProgram in Third Grade Classrooms

I can’t begin to express the added joy and learning that has gone on in my classroom because of this program. You will see not only a garden grow, but your students grow as well.”

Jennifer Stein, 5th grade teacherEagles JMG Group