Sustainability Kitchen Garden at CPHS

SUSTAINABILITY KITCHEN GARDEN 

Cambridge Park High School established a curriculum integrated kitchen garden with links to our primary schools to develop students' life skills including the benefits of good nutrition, cooking skills and an understanding of how numeracy and literacy skills are used in authentic real-world situations. Senior students, studying construction, develop their knowledge and skills by building greenhouses and vegetable beds. Project reflects the general capabilities, wellbeing framework and supports stronger student engagement. Families encouraged to support the project, leading to greater community engagement. This will provide opportunities for students to develop life skills that may not be available externally.

Direct curriculum links to many subjects including HSIE / Geography - understanding sustainability; Science - measurement, identifying parts of plants; PDHPE - exploration of good nutrition, physical fitness; English - improving reading, writing guides; Mathematics - measurement, budgeting; Food Technology - cooking skills, understanding nutrition, healthy lifestyles. 

Sustainability measures: Organic gardening to conserve soil. Selecting plants that are suited to the soil and weather conditions of the school means plants require less water, growing conditions yield greater abundance of vegetables. Reduction in waste by composting organic material for use in garden beds and vegetable beds and rotation of crops ensure sustainability of the soil.