Garden TOOLS Project

Garden vegetables, student notebook, and environmental sensor on a picnic table

Project Summary

Garden TOOLS (Technology Opportunities in Outdoor Learning Spaces) is designed to support students in grades 3-5 to make data-informed decisions in school gardens or other outdoor growing spaces by using and programming BBC micro:bit microcontrollers.

The program offers resources to support you and your students as they...

learn to code environmental sensors to take measurements in the garden
gather, analyze, and interpret data to make informed decisions
develop critical thinking and problem solving skills
engineer technology solutions to real-world challenges

Elementary

Classroom Instruction

After-School Instruction

At-Home Instruction

Life Sciences

Technology

Engineering

Lesson

Video

Systems Thinking

Informed Decision Making

Food

Water

Science Standard:

3-LS4-4 3-5-ETS1-2 4-PS3-2 4-PS3-4 4-ESS3-2 3-5-ETS1-1

Use this Resource with...

BBC micro:bit FAQ

The Garden TOOLS program supports students in grades 3-5 to use and program the BBC micro:bit microcontroller to gather data on environmental conditions and create technology-rich solutions to a variety of garden challenges. This FAQ will provide some basic information about the most common questions regarding the BBC micro:bit.
Materials
- Official BBC Micro:bit website
Garden TOOLS - How-To Coding Guides

The Garden TOOLS how-to coding guides provide step-by-step instructions on how to program the BBC micro:bit in various ways to gather data in a school garden or other outdoor learning space.
Materials
- Environmental sensors - Pictures of completed code (Google Slides)
- Finished codes for download (Google Drive folder)
Garden TOOLS - Video Tutorials

The Garden TOOLS video tutorials provide a guided introduction to getting started with the BBC micro:bit microcontroller including introducing the MakeCode for micro:bit coding platform and how to hook up the battery pack.
Materials
- Getting started with BBC micro:bit (YouTube Video)
- Using battery pack with BBC micro:bit (YouTube Video)
Garden TOOLS - Lesson Set

The Garden TOOLS lesson set is an agricultural technology and engineering curriculum designed for use with students in grades 3-5.
Materials
- Lesson Set (Word Doc)
- Lesson Set (Google Drive)
Garden TOOLS - Project Cards

The Garden TOOLS project cards provide guided instructions for BBC micro:bit coding projects that can be used to extend student learning. Project cards include will guide students to... design a soil moisture sensor to match different plant root depths, design a button to count garden visitors, and design an animated scarecrow to scare away pests.
Materials
Garden TOOLS - Professional Development

Our online professional development modules are intended to provide participants with on-demand and easy-to-understand training to help you start using the Garden TOOLS lessons and resources with students in grades 3-5.
Materials

BBC micro:bit FAQ

Garden TOOLS - How-To Coding Guides

Garden TOOLS - Video Tutorials

Garden TOOLS - Lesson Set

Garden TOOLS - Project Cards

Garden TOOLS - Professional Development