Garden Mosaics
Garden Mosaics enables science education through youth and adult partnerships, cultural understanding, community action and sustainable agriculture.
Mission
Connecting youth and elders to investigate the mosaic of plants, people, and cultures in gardens, to learn about science, and to act together to enhance their community.
Garden Mosaics is a national science education program that incorporates intergenerational, multicultural and service learning through community garden settings and surrounding neighborhoods. The Garden Mosaics program model, including curricular resources and national databases, can be accessed on the project's web site at http://www.gardenmosaics.org. Many online resources are available in Arabic, Spanish, French, and Russian. Visit the website to check out how educators around the world are using Garden Mosaics!
Garden Mosaics was funded by the National Science Foundation with leadership provided through Cornell's Department of Natural Resources. Local CUCE-NYC staff contributed toward its development and pilot implementation, and continues to promote and support Garden Mosaics' implementation in NYC.
Garden Mosaics and Urban Agriculture Project
Garden Mosaics is implemented in New York City through the "Garden Mosaics and Urban Agriculture" project, supported by Congressman José E. Serrano and Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez with grant funding through the U. S. Department of Agriculture/ Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service. Additionally, special arrangements can be made for training workshops as well as program planning and implementation support in the use of Garden Mosaics citywide.
Bronx youth present their findings from the Neighborhood Exploration.
Here in NYC, where space is limited, community gardens serve as important contributors to science education, the urban environment and our local food systems. We work with nonformal and formal educators to support their implementation of Garden Mosaics through training workshops, technical assistance and educational outreach. Educators are guided in the use of the i m science learning Investigations and Action Projects, to facilitate the creation of learning communities involving youth and adult gardeners. We also promote planning and implementation of additional activities that support community food systems and environmental sustainability. These include the establishment of garden stands and farmers markets, as well as related educational and employment opportunities for local teens and young adults.
As part of the effort in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, CUCE-NYC is working in collaboration with the Graham Avenue Business Improvement District (GABID) to provide local youth with opportunities to learn about horticulture, environmental issues, and food production and marketing. This takes place primarily through the local farmers market GABID has run for more than 10 years.
To transform the marketplace into a special green space that provides an appropriate environment for learning and social interaction, GABID proposed the creation of a mural involving local teens. They enlisted the help of Groundswell Community Mural Project, a non-profit organization based in Brooklyn. The mural was created over seven weeks during Summer 2006. To learn more about the mural project, please click here.
Click here to learn more about Garden Mosaics Activities in New York City
For more information, please contact Urban Environment Staff.