Sara Lockie, Author at Next Step Adventure

NEW Garden Scavenger Hunt

Sara Lockie on April 4, 2025

Spring is in the air, and with it comes the irresistible urge to get outside and explore! What better way to combine fresh air, learning, and fun than with a garden scavenger hunt?

Just download and print the Garden Scavenger Hunt PDF. Clipboards and pencils are helpful. Kids can mark off items as they find them, and add their own ideas to the back.

Whether you use the scavenger hunt with your own family, or a large group of kids through Iowa Kids Garden Day, happy hunting!

Download your Garden Scavenger Hunt!

While you are garden planning, don’t forget to check out other gardening curriculum from Next Step Adventure: K-5 Garden Planning, Planting, & Celebrating; K-5 Farm to School Lesson Plans, and K-5 Teachers Going Green lessons. Garden yoga is always fun, too. All are aligned with the Iowa Academic Standards and Next Generation Science Standards.

Iowa Kids Garden Day

Sara Lockie on March 10, 2025

We’ve been working on this for months, and we finally get to share it with everyone – Iowa Kids Garden Day registration is open here!

Wednesday, May 21st, 2025 (or anytime in May!)

Save the date for Wednesday, May 21, 2025, and celebrate Iowa Kids Garden Day! School and ECEs are encouraged to host an event, joining with others across the state to celebrate children and educators growing and eating delicious food.

Date: Wednesday, May 21, 2025
Location: Schools, early care centers, and community organizations across Iowa
Activity: Planting or caring for a garden

Questions? Email [email protected]

Growing Together

Sara Lockie on January 29, 2025

At our core, we believe in the power of growing together—whether that’s through planting seeds, cultivating relationships, or creating lasting change within our communities. That’s why we are so excited about our work with the Iowa Farm to School & Early Care Coalition, a collaborative effort that has been laying the groundwork for a healthier, more sustainable future for Iowa’s children.

The Iowa Farm to School & Early Care Coalition brings together schools, early care programs, farmers, government agencies, and community partners to foster connections between local food systems and young learners. The work we do helps to strengthen these partnerships, encouraging kids to explore where their food comes from, build healthy eating habits, and understand the importance of sustainable agriculture.

For many months, we have been working behind the scenes to coordinate a new statewide event in partnership with the coalition. On Wednesday, May 21, we will celebrate the first annual Iowa Kids Garden Day—an exciting event that will bring Iowa’s children, educators, and farmers together to celebrate the joy of gardening, fresh food, and learning.

Sites are asked to register to put their site on the map. Registration will open on March 5th, 2025 for schools, early care sites, and community organizations. At each site, coordinators will organize a variety of gardening activities for children and educators.

Iowa Kids Garden Day Every is an annual celebration occurring on the third Wednesday of May. Join us in bringing recognition to the people and programs providing these innovative, hands-on learning opportunities. Learn more about hosting a site in your community!

Back to School Links

Sara Lockie on September 5, 2024

We are back in school, but we can still grow delicious food.

Waukee Science Lessons – This district-approved science curriculum features Farm to School lessons for every K-5 classroom. Grade level book lists are also included!

Gardening with Kids Lessons – These standards-aligned K-5 lessons walk groups through planning, planting, maintaining, harvesting, and celebrating gardens. Lessons for every season, indoors and out. Great for new groups or wonderful ideas for experienced groups!

Mindfulness & Movement Cards – Short breathing and calming activities are perfect for transitions. Art and outdoor activities build teams and connection. Perfect for all classrooms!

Don’t miss the first annual Iowa Kids Garden Day celebration this May! Registration opens in March but put your name on the mailing list by emailing [email protected]

We also recommend the Choose Iowa resources, Pick a Better Snack activities, and Food Corp lessons. Check out these great resources!

Bean plants in a clear cup. Roots can be viewed through the cup.

We Can All Be Citizen Scientists

Sara Lockie on August 28, 2024

Scientists need data. People can collect data. With a little piece of technology in our pockets, we can easily and efficiently transport that data to scientists around the world. Tada – we can all be citizen scientists!

Farm to School Science Lessons

Sara Lockie on October 31, 2023

We are often asked, “How do we bring Farm to School teaching into our classrooms?” There are barriers. Time is short. Teachers are stretched. There is no “free time” in the day to add something extra.

Fortunately, Farm to School is not an extra. There are countless ways to integrate it into the existing framework. We know student learning increases when activities are hands-on, engaging, and meaningful. Farm to School activities do this.

Working with Waukee Community School District, we developed science lessons that meet the curriculum goals of the Iowa Academic Standards through Farm to School activities. Each grade level folder contains lessons and supplemental materials including:

Hands-on science lessons
Instructions for growing food in the classroom
Lessons for academic learning in the garden
Book lists
Cross-curricular connections
Taste-testing guidelines

All lessons are aligned to Next Generation Science Standards, as well as the Waukee School District’s progress report statements. Material lists, learning goals, actions steps, reflection questions, hand-outs, and seasonal recommendations are included.

We invite you to access the materials, try them out in your classroom, and let us know what you think. What worked well for you? What suggestions do you have?

Farm to School Lessons

We are proud of our work and thankful to partner with Waukee Schools, a Farm to School leader.

Nature Study

Sara Lockie on August 30, 2023

I heard grumbling on the short walk to the restored prairie.

“Why do we have to do this?”

“I don’t like to draw.”

“Plants are boring.”

I did not respond but wondered if the prairie and I could win them over.

The setting was the lovely Twin Ponds Nature Center near Ionia, Iowa. Twenty Girl Scouts 9-12 years old were camping for the weekend. I had been asked to lead an aftrenoon nature study of prairie plants and their changes through the seasons.

It was the after-lunch slump, 90 degrees, and humid. My hopes were not high. Yet I find tallgrass prairie fascinating, so I kept walking.

I encouraged the girls to sit in the shade on grass next to the towering plants. For the next 10 minutes, we talked prairie plants. They formed cups with their hands to mimic cup plant leaves. They used their hands to estimate the depth of big bluestem roots. (All guesses were all too short; big blue roots can be 10 feet deep!) They gathered around cup flowers and examined the pollen. They noticed a few cone flowers that had already lost their petals. Even though it was hot and after lunch, the prairie captivated the girls’ attention.

The conversation shifted to seasonal changes over time. The girls spread out to sketch various flowers and predictions of their winter changes. It was not breaktime for me, though.

“Miss Sara, look at this flower!”

“I found a cool bug!”

“Until I started drawing, I didn’t notice that the petals have two shades of yellow.”

“What do you think these berries are?”

“Noooo, I don’t want to be done!”

These girls were filled with wonder as they observed restored prairies. Despite the heat, they asked engaging questions as they made observations. To my surprise, the biggest grumblers at the start became the biggest defenders of the prairie.

Fresh Peaches

Sara Lockie on August 3, 2023

Today a friend showed me her peach tree and told me to help myself. She plans to harvest all of the peaches this weekend and will have more than enough. Immediately, I started planning juicy peach slices for lunch followed by an afternoon of making pie. The peaches are currently ripening in a paper bag.

My own garden is bursting with delicious food. I so enjoy watching and waiting for the tiny seeds to turn into sprawling plants, full of tasty, nutrient-dense food for my family.

As a kid, I wasn’t a fan of tomatoes. I converted to a tomato connoisseur a few years ago after tasting garden-ripe tomatoes. It’s hard to believe I lived most of my life without realizing such tasty tomatoes existed. I continue to avoid bland grocery store tomatoes all winter and wait for my garden in the summer.

Home gardens are not the only way to access delicious fresh produce. A few weeks ago I attended the Iowa Food System Conference. Iowa has incredible soil, farmers, and communities, yet the vast majority of our food is imported. A better way is possible.

It has been a pleasure do this work with the Iowa Farm to School Coalition and local districts like Waukee Schools and Des Moines Schools. School gardens, food education, and institutional buying of local foods are all moving us in the right direction.

This is hopeful work. Get involved.