Mora Elementary School’s garden was a joint effort with several community groups. They have a sign in their garden recognizing all the groups that participated in their project. The idea for their garden came from their 5th grade teachers. A committee was formed, and they reviewed the science benchmarks and outcomes for 3rd and 5th grades because the state science benchmarks included plant sciences. Each grade level has an exit door leading to an open outdoor area. When the school was first built, these areas were nicely landscaped but had deteriorated over the years. Hence, the opportunity to start a school garden program sparked interest. Mora High School FFA and Agriculture Department provided students to help with the project and they also loaned them a greenhouse. The local Girl Scouts volunteered to build a fence and provide summer care of the garden. The garden consists of a variety of vegetables. They planted produce that the students could enjoy during the spring such as lettuce, green onions, peas, and radishes. They also planted crops such as squash and pumpkins that students harvested when they returned to school in the fall. The produce they grew, such as cherry tomatoes, carrots, and peppers were donated to the Mora Food Shelf. The garden fits very well into the current science curriculum and provides hands-on and real world applications. Classroom teachers grew plants inside, discussing plant growth, root structure, flowering, fruiting, etc. In May, Master Gardeners taught classes around plant sciences to 3rd and 5th grade students to help them understand the process from a science viewpoint.