Garden Rubric

“Eradicating Food Deserts through School Gardens”

Essay

DUE DATE: TUESDAY March 31, 2015

(Southern Lab Wednesday April 1, 2015)

During this entire school year we have met weekly to discuss the importance of gardening. Now is a chance for you to display what you have learned in your own words. Please complete a one-page essay using the following as your guide.

Evidence of garden participation and garden indoor lessons (2 points)

Listening to instruction both in the classroom and in the garden is important. Please display in this section of the essay what you have absorbed from indoor classroom lessons and hands-on gardening experiences.

0	1	2
not done	vague	Done
No evidence that attention was paid to indoor classroom lessons and hands on experience in the garden	Minimal evidence that attention was paid to indoor classroom lessons and hands on experience in the garden. Too vague.	Essay makes it clear that you comprehended  indoor classroom lessons and participated in hands on experiences in the garden

Sharing Garden Knowledge (2 points)

Your essay should explain if you have been able to share the gardening knowledge and life skill information with any one in your life. If so, please give details on how this was done.

0	1	2
not done	vague	done
No sharing of garden knowledge	Attempted, but weakly executed sharing garden knowledge  –OR- has been done but description lacks how the knowledge was shared/taught	Essay contains ample evidence of sharing garden knowledge to friends or loved ones.  Also describes exactly how the knowledge was taught to loved ones.

               

Relevance of the knowledge ( 2 points)

This section of your essay should describe in your own words and opinion the importance of growing your own food. Also it should include in your own opinion, utilizing lessons we have learned throughout the school year the importance of teaching others how to grow food.

0	1	2
not done	vague	done
No evidence of the importance of growing and teaching how to grow food.	Minimal evidence of the importance of growing your own food and teaching others to do the same.	Essay contains ample evidence of the importance of growing your own food and teaching others to do so. Shares innovative ideas why this is so.

Social Justice through gardening (2points)

Your essay should define what the terms “social justice”, “food justice” and “food desert” means. It should also include any social change that can come with gardening and farming (think not only about Baton Rouge, but about the whole country and the whole world).

0	1	2
not done	vague	done
No evidence of the term social justice or what growing your own food has to do with this term.	Minimal evidence of the term social justice and its relation to  growing your own food –OR- description of one but the connection not made.	Essay contains ample evidence of the term social justice and its correlation to farming, gardening, and growing your own food. Also describes effects of doing so and a vision of food justice for all.

Quality of writing (1 point)

                Your essay should be well-organized, clearly written, and free of spelling and/or

grammatical errors.   Innovation (describing an inventive idea, something different than others) is encouraged.