Impact of garden-based learning on academic outcomes in schools: Synthesis of research between 1990 and 2010

Many schools now have a garden, and educators often see children come alive when they get outside to dig and plant. But in a packed school day, a garden has to earn its place. Principals and families want to know: does garden time actually help children learn their subjects?

Two researchers at Portland State University gathered studies from 1990 to 2010 on school gardens and academic learning. They chose 48 studies where students spent at least an hour in the garden every two weeks. Most took place in the United States, and nearly half involved children in grades 3 to 5. 

The researchers found: 

1. Clear academic gains, especially in science. About 8 in 10 academic results were positive. Science led the way, with 14 of 15 studies finding gains. Most math results (8 of 10) and language arts results (8 of 11) were positive too. 
2. Hands-on learning made lessons real. Positive results were often linked to students seeing and using what they learned. In one study, third graders sharpened their observation skills, built their science vocabulary and connected science with writing. 
3. Benefits beyond test scores. Social development was the most-studied wider outcome, and most of those studies (10 of 13) found gains. Every study that looked at attitudes toward school subjects, motivation, curiosity, problem-solving or life skills found positive results. Students also came to enjoy gardening and growing food, and most studies found they developed more care for the environment. 
4. Results held across ages and settings. Elementary, middle and high school students all showed mostly positive results, across many kinds of programs. 
5. Gains are not automatic. In one study, fifth graders taught with a regular curriculum scored higher in math and science than those in a garden program. 

The authors conclude that garden activities need to be built into subject teaching if academic gains are the aim. The authors also note that many studies described their methods thinly, and they call for stronger research as the garden movement grows. 

What this means for your practice 

• Plan garden lessons around what you already teach. The studies covered science topics such as soil, seeds and germination, plant parts, flower dissection, water, insects and wildlife. Math topics included measuring, geometry, data, probability and equations. Start from your subject goals, then ask what the garden can show. 
• Use the garden as a living laboratory. Introduce an idea in class, let students see it happen outside, then bring their observations back indoors. 
• Build in observing, describing and writing. Ask students to record what they notice and use the scientific words for it. This was where one study saw clear growth. 
• Make garden time regular. Every program in this review met at least an hour every two weeks. Steady contact, not a one-off visit, is the pattern behind these results. 
• Notice and share the wider benefits. Watch for teamwork, curiosity and more positive attitudes toward learning. These are worth sharing with administrators and families alongside academic gains. 
• If you lead programs outside school, connect them to classroom learning. The review included field trips to gardens and partner programs, such as Junior Master Gardener, schoolyard habitat programs and 4-H, that linked to what students studied at school. 
• Keep older students in the picture. Middle and high school students benefited too, even though fewer studies looked at them. 
• Expect some reluctance. In the one study where attitudes toward school dropped, the researcher suggested some students did not like getting dirty. Keep this in mind when planning.

Return to Green Spaces at Schools Collection