GrowWELL Garden
The GrowWELL Garden is an interactive outdoor classroom designed to make connections between edible gardening and nutrition while students learn about growing fruits and vegetables, why pollinators matter, how to compost, and the science of plants.
The GrowWELL Garden features raised beds of seasonal fruits and vegetables, a pollinator garden, compost station, and educational mural. The garden has stadium-style benches and is enclosed by a safety fence.
As a proud recipient of the SNAP-Ed grant, the Poe Center is able to provide intensive nutrition and physical activity programming to many low-income populations in North Carolina.
No onsite (at Poe) garden programs offered from December-March.
Please Note: For safety reasons, GrowWELL Garden programs are limited to a maximum of 25 participants at one time. Larger groups will need to be split.
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Bug Safari
Schedule this program for: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade,
Only Available onsite (at Poe) from Spring to Late Summer: Participants will be introduced to the wide variety of both helpful and harmful bugs that exist within the GrowWELL Garden. Using seasonal safari guides, participants will work in pairs or small groups to build communication and discovery skills. Through this lesson, participants will begin to understand stewardship. It is our responsibility to care for the plants – and that includes bugs! At the same time it is important to be able to identify bugs that are helping the garden by spreading pollen, or hurting the garden by eating the leaves, and how to deal with them. Maximum 25 participants per program. Program type: Onsite (at Poe)
Program Length: 30–45 minutesMeets Essential Standards: -
Exploring the Garden Seasons
Schedule this program for: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade,
Only Available onsite (at Poe) from October-November/late April-July: The seasons of the year offer different opportunities to grow produce in different parts of the country. Fruits and vegetables often taste better when they are in season. As a gardener or farmer, it’s important to know what grows in our region and what can or cannot be grown at different times of the year. Participants will be introduced to regional, North Carolina seasonal produce using hands-on learning techniques. Participants will explore the seasons and organization of the garden mural, and engage with the GrowWELL seasonal garden. Maximum 25 participants per program. Onsite (at Poe)
Program Length: 35-45 minutesMeets Essential Standards: -
Plant Parts Detectives
Schedule this program for: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade,
Available online or offsite (at your location): Participants will be introduced to plant anatomy (parts) and what plants need for successful growth. The online field trip will begin with an interactive lesson introducing scientific plant vocabulary, followed by an at home, hands on experiment where participants will engage with fruits and veggies, and conclude with a GrowWELL garden virtual experience where a garden educator will lead a plant part discovery session. This class is an interactive experience, as participants will actively engage with some fruits and veggies. Program type: Online or Offsite (at your location)
Program Length: 45 minutes (K-2nd Grade), 45-60 minutes (3rd-5th Grade) -
Plant Patrol
Schedule this program for: Kindergarten, 1st Grade, 2nd Grade,
Only Available onsite (at Poe) from October-November/ late April-July: Participants will be introduced to plant anatomy (parts) and what plants need for successful growth, as well as getting to explore the seasonal plants and their parts within the GrowWELL Garden. We will introduce scientific plant vocabulary, learn about the seed germination process, the importance of environmental stewardship, and – if time permits – sample different plant parts. This class is an interactive experience, as participants will actively engage with the plants and have an opportunity to work in pairs or small groups to build communication and discovery skills. Maximum 25 participants per program. Program type: Onsite (at Poe)Program Length: 45-60 minutesMeets Essential Standards K-2: -
Bees Please
Schedule this program for: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade,
Only Available onsite (at Poe) from Spring to Late Summer: Participants will learn the process of pollination, the diversity of pollinators, and the foods specifically pollinated by bees during this lesson. As a keystone species, bees play an integral role in human food security through pollination. An interactive pollination activity where students become “bees” will help reveal the importance of bees, the challenges they face, and how we can help protect bees. Participants will have the opportunity to work in pairs or small groups to build communication and discovery skills within the GrowWELL Garden. Maximum 25 participants per program. Program type: Onsite (at Poe)
Program Length: 45–60 minutesMeets Essential Standards:- Grades 3 – 5: 3.L.2, 4.L.1, 5.L.2
- Grades 6 – 8: 6.L.1
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Eat the Rainbow
Schedule this program for: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade,
Only Available onsite (at Poe) from October-November / late April-July Participants will learn how fruits and vegetables provide varied nutrients for our bodies. Additionally, they will discover how each color relates to a different nutritional benefit using the scientific concept of phytonutrients (pigments responsible for the color of fruits and vegetables) and how this concept connects to their broader lives. This is an interactive experience, as participants will engage with plants in the garden and work in pairs through a series of group learning activities. Maximum 25 participants per program. Program type: Onsite (at Poe)
Program Length: 35–45 MinutesMeets Essential Standards: -
Produce and Parts
Schedule this program for: 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade, 6th Grade, 7th Grade, 8th Grade,
Suggested booking October – November / late April – July: Participants will learn more advanced plant anatomy (parts) and what plants need for successful growth, as well as getting to explore the seasonal plants and their parts within the GrowWELL Garden. Additionally, we will introduce scientific plant vocabulary, learn about the seed germination process, the importance of our natural environment, and – if time permits – sample different parts. It is an interactive experience, as participants will actively engage with the plants and have an opportunity to work in pairs or small groups to build communication and discovery skills. Maximum 25 participants per program. Program type: Onsite (at Poe)
Program Length: 60 minutesMeets Essential Standards:
