Scouting in Schools – Term 2 Gardening Program

THEME: Food for Life

INTRODUCTION

As part of SCOUTS South Africa’s civic duty, we strive to enable young people
to contribute towards the Sustainable Development Goals. SDG1, addresses
the eradication of extreme poverty and SDG2 aims to achieve zero hunger.
SCOUTS South Africa’s “Food for Life” initiative is an easy implementable
activity done by Scouts, and mentored by adult leaders, to change families
and communities by providing them with ways to enhance their food security.

OUTCOME

The outcome for Food for Life is for the Scouts to have recycled plastic to
make gardening tools, and to have grown two vegetables each through
container gardening. The Scouts will have a basic understanding of
composting, of seasonal planting, and of caring and sustaining the growth of
their vegetables.
Meeting 1: Food for Life Introduction

Date: Duty Patrol:

Time Duration Activity Scouter Equipment required

or
Intern
00 10 Opening – Flag break. A flag, flagpole

Quick discussion
about the topic.

Do you like eating vegetables? Where do they come from? Who grows the vegetables we
eat? Do we need vegetables to live? Well, we are going to grow our own!

10 15 Steam release: 6 “potatoes” (rocks,

Potato planting. bottle tops, etc.), and
bucket (plastic container
Mark six spots about 1 or bag, bucket, etc.) to
to 2 meters apart for carry the “potatoes” per
each Patrol. Scouts Patrol.
line up in relay
formation with the Chalk to mark the spots
“bucket of potatoes” in to plant.
front of each Patrol.
The first Scouts runs
with the bucket and
places one potato at
the furthest spot and
returns to their Patrol.
The next Scout runs
and places a potato at
the next spot until all
the potatoes have
been planted. The first
Scout then runs with
the bucket to collect
the nearest potato;
the second Scout gets
the next one and so on
until all the potatoes
have been harvested.
Where do plant our veggies? How do we protect them so they can grow?

25 20 Base 1: Image of a vegetable

Best place to plant garden (2 per base) so
they can all see.
Look at the image of
the vegetable garden Information in resource
and discuss where to below.
plant and not to
plant. Let the Scouts
come up with ideas
on where to plant
vegetables at school,
 at home or within
the community. Ask
Why or why not
questions to check if
they understand
what you were
discussing. You can
also chat about
where to put their
container garden.

Base 2: Paper and pencils,

How do we protect crayons, markers, or
the garden? pens

Discuss how to Information in resource

protect your garden below.
and then let the
Scouts draw a
picture of their
garden and what
they would put in
place to protect it.

Let’s protect our garden! Hurry the wind is blowing hard!

45 10 Active: None
The wind break
game

Divide the Scouts

into two groups.
Line-up the one
group. They must
stand close together
and link their arms.
They are the “trees
and plants” that form
the windbreak. The
second group stands
at a short distance
and start making
“wind blowing”
noises. They are the
wind storm. The
windstorm must try
to break though the
windbreak by
pushing through it.

Then reverse the

roles.

*Be careful the

Scouts don’t get too
 wild and hurt each
other.
*They must either all
get through, or you
can shorten the
game by saying the
first three that get
through win the
game.
Let’s prepare the perfect place to plant our garden!
55 20 Handcraft: Make Per Scout:
the containers to  4 Plastic containers
plant and recycle  Scissors
to make tools.  Cut the tops off of 2 x
2L plastic cooldrink
Scouts each get 4 bottles. Now make 1
containers: hole at the bottom for
drainage for the
Base 1: planting containers
Use two containers  Stickers or markers to
to create planters decorate the 2
for their veggies. planting containers.
Need to be cut and  1 x nail to make 5
decorated as per small holes at the
template below. bottom of the bottle
Make 4 holes in the for the “water can”.
bottom for drainage.

Base 2: Information in resource

Recycle the two below.
bottles and make
gardening tools.

Instructions below.
- Watering can:
Make holes in the
bottle with the nails.
- Spade: Cut the
smaller part off of a
plastic cooldrink
bottle to dig your
compost.
Eating vegetables helps improve our senses! Let’s test our eyesight!
75 10 Sense training: A picture per Patrol (can
Living picture. be a picture in a book,
from a magazine, or local
Depending on the newspaper, but must
amount of people in include people in action
the picture divide the in a garden or park.
Scouts in groups / or
per Patrol if the
images allow. The
Scouts study the
picture (sense sight).
Each Scout takes up
the position and pose
as one of the people
 in the picture. This
way the Scouts create
the scene in a living
picture.
While standing in
those positions they
make up a story
about what is going
on based on where
the people are
standing, their facial
expressions /posture.
85 05 Closing - Flag, Flag/flagpole.
Prayer, Dismiss Prayer book Information
that the Scouts need for
the next meeting.

90 Departure

Resources

Source: Food for Life Booklets Starter and Facilitators Guide © SCOUTS South Africa.
Images: Food for Life Booklets Starter and Facilitators Guide © SCOUTS South Africa.

The Best Place for a Food Garden

Before we start planting a garden, there are

things that we must look at first to make sure that
our plants grow well.

Let’s ask the following questions:

 Where are the sunny and shady areas/

places for your garden or container garden?
Vegetables grow best in sunny areas and need a
minimum of four hours of sun daily, especially
morning sun.

 Is the site level or on a steep slope for

your garden?
It is difficult to grow vegetables on a steep slope.
Rather choose a fairly level site. If the soil is very
rough and uneven, it needs to be levelled and
cleared by removing any rubble, stones, and
weeds.

 Is there a water supply nearby?

Vegetables require a fair amount of water to grow
properly. Newly planted seeds or seedlings need
water more than once a day.

 Waterwise
Rainwater and the water left from doing the dishes (grey water) can also be
used to water plants.

 Is there lots of wind, and from which direction does it blow?

 Wind can damage vegetables by breaking them or burning the leaves. Wind
also dries the soil out quickly. Are there existing building, fences or trees that
can act as windbreaks, or do you have to make windbreaks?

 Is the site protected from animals?

Dogs can be very destructive to gardens, and cows can trample and eat your
crops. It is best to keep the animals out with a fence.

 Can you place your garden near your house?

This will make it easier for you to watch and care for your vegetables.

 What is the soil like?

Is it free from concrete and rubble, and is it suitable for growing fruit and
vegetables?

By answering the above questions, you will gather important information that is part of
your planning process. It is good to write down your answers and to draw a plan of the
area where you will be working.
Image of a Vegetable Garden. Use 2 of each picture per base.
Making your own tools by recycling

Scoop: cut the smaller part of a 2L plastic cooldrink container bottle.

Watering can: punch holes in the bottom of a plastic bottle.
Rake: hit nails through a piece of wood and fasten it to a broomstick.

Take care of your tools by cleaning them after each use and pack them
away in a clean dry area.

Recycling plastic bottles for garden tools:

2 for planting 1 Scoop 1 water can

Make 2 holes in the Use a nail to make 5
bottom of each 2L bottle small holes at the
for drainage. bottom of the bottle for
Images:
the water drip out. This
is also known as a
dripping system.
 Evaluation of a Troop Meeting

 Date:
 School/ Grade:
 Meeting number/title:
 YeboScout Name:

Yes No

1. Was it fun? Did the Scouts enjoy themselves?

2. Did each Scout achieve something and make progress?

3. Was there a balance of work and play?

4. Was there a variety of games?

5. Did all the Scouters take part in the programme?

6. Was there a yarn?

7. Were the active games followed by quieter activities/games?

8. Was the timing allowed for each activity, correct?

9. Was there something old and something new?

10. Did the meeting start and finish on time?

11. Were most or all the activities aimed at one of the Training Programme items?

General Comments:

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