Joanne Davis

Davis’ “Healthy You Greenhouse Gardening Project”, provides an opportunity for students at Boscawen Elementary School to learn science concepts through investigation and analysis of hands-on activities while integrating other curricular areas. Second-grade students at the school are currently exploring the foods they eat as a part of the ‘Healthy You’ unit. They utilize videos, books, and guest speakers to learn more about healthy foods and diets. During the summer, participants plant, grow and care for the healthy foods they study to make the project a hands-on experience. With the funds from the ING grant, the students will research the types of vegetables that are appropriate to grow in the Central New Hampshire area and then select, order, and plant the vegetable seeds. Through the use of technology, students will share what they have learned by blogging and communicating online with schools from other countries. The program will culminate with the design of brochures about healthy eating and the implementation of a Healthy You Garden plant sale. Davis hopes the program will help students learn about healthy diets, self-sufficiency, sustainability, and the agricultural roots of their community. She also looks forward to the program encouraging some changes to their school lunch program. Davis lives in Concord.