The garden provides a plethora of opportunities to practice basic mathematical functions such as calculations, comparisons, and measurements using hands-on activities. You can then translate collected data into a wide variety of charts, graphs, and reports. Unlike textbook examples that may not relate to students' experiences, math becomes both practical and relevant when students implement concepts they have learned in the classroom in a real-life garden setting. This is especially true when they see how applying math, such as calculating how many seeds to plant in a pot or determining the amount of fertilizer to use, affects the growth of their plants.

With a little planning and creativity, your school garden can be a tool to teach the basic knowledge and skills of the math curriculum. Here are a few ideas grouped according to national math standards categories:

Number and Operations. Plant lettuce seeds in a flat or pot carefully keeping track of the number planted. As the seeds emerge, count the number of seedlings. Use these two numbers to calculate the germination rate (number of seedlings divided by number of seeds planted, multiplied by 100).

Algebra. Use algebraic formulas to compute a variable, such as the amount of fertilizer to add per quart or liter of water. (Most fertilizer packages indicate how much to add per gallon of water.) Collect various dry bean seeds or plant leaves, and ask students to sort them by size, shape, color, and number.

Geometry. Complete a scavenger hunt in your garden. Look for objects representing different geometric shapes such as circles, squares, and triangles.

Data Analysis and Probability. Host a bean race. Plant a number of beans at the base of a trellis and track their growth on a chart. Determine the rate of growth. Award the fastest growing plant a blue ribbon.

Measurement. Calculate serving sizes of common fruits and vegetables using measuring cups. For information on serving sizes, visit the Dole 5-a-Day Web site.

Math in the Garden uses a mathematical lens to take children on an education-filled exploration of the garden. Thirty-six hands-on activities hone math skills and promote inquiry, language arts, and nutrition. All were developed to support mathematics and science standards and were extensively trial-tested by educators and youth leaders nationwide. Check out the following sample lessons:

Flowers: Graph & Graph Again

Inside the Coordinate Grid