Urban youth need a basic understanding of the importance the agricultural industry plays in the economic and social structure of our nation. They need to have opportunities to participate in activities which awaken and develop an understanding of the need for natural beauty in their surroundings. (Author)

Step-by-step instructions are given for constructing terrariums as a class project. (SJL)

Forestry, horticulture, conservation, craftsmanship, hard work, and civic responsibility are the lessons for Lunenburg (Massachusetts) High School students. Project Greenthumb has allowed for more occupational training at the school as well as for more effective programs for students who were not succeeding in the standard high school program. (CT)

Provides instructions for planting a variety of common plants including avocados, and sweet potatoes, oranges, and onions. Discusses key concepts to develop. (MA)

Horticulture careers provide therapeutic, rewarding employment for persons with mental retardation. Rehabilitation experts should become aware of the potential employment opportunities in horticulture so that individuals with disabilities can receive the training and job placement support they need. (Author)

Campus landscape assessment is recommended as an important step in examining the college campus's appearance to the public, reducing costs, and guiding campus development. Six elements are outlined: analysis and inventory, arboriculture and horticulture appraisal, circulation appraisal, assessing maintenance and management, development of…

Describes how gardens can be used to teach children about plants, wildlife, food, and the environment. Illustrates how gardens are established and used in various elementary schools. (CCM)

This learning guide is designed to assist vocational agriculture students in mastering 20 tasks involved in the operation and maintenance of a greenhouse. Addressed in the individual sections of the guide are the following topics: identification of greenhouse designs, greenhouse construction, basic greenhouse maintenance to conserve energy,…

This paper focuses on a case study pilot project working with a small group of children aged 6- to 10-years-old in a village in the northeast of England. The study was established to examine children's attitudes to environmental issues, particularly their involvement in environmental decisions and their feelings about planning, design and…

A support system for outdoor learning using exploratory observation was developed. The system uses radio frequency identification (RFID) tags and two-dimensional (2D) symbology tags to locate positions on a horticultural farm and its surrounding forests. Students were able to get a location-dependent description and an educational hint for…

This secondary-level, competency-based curriculum contains modules for Gardener and Landscape Worker. A companion teacher's guide is available separately--see note. Each module contains a number of West Virginia-validated Gardener and Landscape Worker tasks/competencies with a performance guide listing the steps needed to perform each task,…

The study explored methods and techniques for training mentally retarded adults to perform gardening tasks. A total of 31 subjects ages 21 to 48 (IQ range 32-89) participated in the study, which consisted of three phases. In an initial pilot study, experimentation without subjects resulted in the development of modified tools (e.g., notched…

Reforestation is desperately needed in India. Three-fourths of the country's ground surface is experiencing desertification, and primitive forests are being destroyed. Reforestation would help moderate temperatures, increase ground water levels, improve soil fertility, and alleviate a wood shortage. In the past, people from the United States, such…

A study investigated the effect that task instruction sheets had on the performance of vocational horticulture students when being taught a unit on poinsettia production. Using a post-test only control group design, researchers administered a 35-item multiple choice test on poinsettia production to 207 students in 12 randomly selected eleventh…