Lodestar Gardens Learning Center offers classes, workshops, tours and retreats for K-12 schools and homeschool groups.

We can teach, design, or supplement your existing curriculum (see list of topics below), as well as offer relevant enrichment and hands-on activities in the areas of agricultural science & art activities. Over the years, we have enjoyed hosting numerous students and teachers in multi-part ag immersion experiences. We gladly offer our expertise in designing new units, projects, and activities with local educational teams.

We prefer to consult with teachers and administrators in order to design student learning experiences that will best address your curriculum needs and complement Arizona State Education Department Standards. Please make an appointment with us for a consultation.

Fees are contingent on the duration of your event and the level of our participation (i.e. meals, instruction, etc.)

We continue to create infrastructure and accommodations so as to most comfortably house and host students and chaperones during all seasons. Let us know how we can further support your efforts to integrate life skills and aesthetic values in school curriculum via immediate student experience.

We strive to create schedules that afford time to: learn a variety of content, exercise various learning modalities, and accommodate time for personal reflection, adventures, and team work. Art is an integral component in all of our activities.

Topics

(The following can be taught in units or offered as supplemental curricula:)

• SOIL SYSTEMS
  • soil building, composting, vermaculture, fertilizing & soil amendments, soil testing, seed-to-seed, greenhouse growing
• WATER SYSTEMS
  • fertigation, aquaculture strategies, water samples
• SOLAR SYSTEMS
  • solar energy, solar cooking, solar drying
• GARDENING
  • harvesting, processing, and preparing garden bounty for meals or markets, opening, maintaining, and closing a garden–seasonal activities, planting and transplanting, seed wisdom
• PERMACULTURE Design Principles
• ART PROJECTS
  • ceramics – hand built & wheel, plant paintings and rubs, photography, nature-inspired poetry and narrative
• SMALL ANIMAL HUSBANDRY
  • chickens, ducks & goats.

Let’s discuss your program, student needs, and how Lodestar Gardens can provide an enriching, unique agricultural experience for your group.