Orchard Curriculum launched at four Southern California schools

We figured that if McDonalds could contribute to public school curriculum, well...so can Common Vision. We are very proud to announce that we just launched the first unit in our Orchard Curriculum at four Southern California elementary schools: Carthay, Palms, Round Meadow and Vista del Valle.

Thanks to your support, Common Vision’s week-long unit on decomposers features the California Education and Environment Initiative (EEI) Curriculum as a base and includes hands-on compost and mulching exercises in the orchard. Now, in addition to leaving a wake of fruit forests in food deserts, we are also leaving behind lesson plans straight out of the book of life itself.

For example, orchard learning activities include composting and mulching, when students are introduced to the deep ecological reasons for maintaining soil health. Our juicy curriculum transforms school orchards into living classrooms right in the heart of the city. Now, that is some serious schweetness!!!

California is currently poised to lead the nation in environmental literacy with the Education and Environment Initiative (EEI), a national model designed to help prepare today’s students to become future scientists, economists, and green technology leaders. The K-12th grade curriculum is comprised of 85 units teaching select Science and History-Social Science academic standards. Each EEI Curriculum unit teaches these standards to mastery using a unique set of California Environmental Principles and Concepts. The curriculum was created to bring education about the environment into the primary and secondary classrooms of more than 1,000 school districts serving over 6 million students throughout California.

Thank you so very much for an incredible orchard day at Carthay! We were so very impressed with your team - they worked so hard and so efficiently and with such kindness. It was absolutely amazing - as soon as tree (or vine : ) trimmings dropped to the Earth another team member was there to haul it away - all six dumpsters full!

And I can't believe how quickly the mountain of mulch was moved, and the grapes pruned and everything else expertly pruned and fed - it was a beautiful day and we thank you for it. It is such a HUGE help to have Common Vision come to Carthay each year - our fruit trees anchor our garden. With the care you provide these trees will preserve it for many years and many generations of students to come. Thank you for the amazing work you do.

- Teresa Dahl, Sustainability Schoolyard Ombudsman, Los Angeles Unified School District and Cathay Elementary Garden Coordinator

Vista del Valle teams up with Sustainable Clairmont to teach Orchard Curriculum

Can you believe that some of the first students that we worked with at Vista del Valle Elementary are now in college? The orchard that they planted is thriving, especially if you love apples and apricots! Over the past eight years, their school orchard come to define campus culture; and the staff is completely committed to having Common Vision come back to help care for their fruit trees and roll out our Orchard Curriculum.

Working with Sustainable Clairemont, Vista del Valle Elementary wants to set a statewide example of how effective an Orchard Curriculum can be in helping young minds deeply understand the earth sciences, social studies and language arts that they study in the classroom. Their local goal is to create collaborative models within their community to increase eco-literacy at every school in Clairemont. What a beautiful ripple effect!

Sustainable Claremont was formed to provide educational resources, to engage in advocacy, and to take actions that move their entire city towards sustainability, not only within Claremont but beyond its borders. They are a non-profit organization independent of the City who work in close cooperation with it and with other organizations such as Common Vision.

It is immeasurably rewarding to be welcomed back year after year to Vista de Valle, one of our most successful school orchards by far! We really loved this visit when a Vista del Valle volunteer came up and told us that her kids, now in college, had attended school there and still talk about the day that the Common Vision caravan first pulled onto campus.

How many elementary school programs did you still talk about at college? Your support made this magic possible. Thank you!!!