Term

Summer 2024

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAT

Facilitator(s)

Karen Moroz

Content Expert

Laura Schleede

Abstract

This paper examines the potential of school garden projects as a therapeutic intervention for addressing collective trauma among students. It investigates how such gardens can help students recognize, work through, and heal from trauma or PTSD, and explores the benefits of using a therapeutic garden as a setting for learning, healing, and personal growth. The significance of this work lies in its demonstration of how building, implementing, and maintaining a school garden can benefit educational institutions, families, and the broader community. It highlights how school gardens can integrate with existing curricula and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) to enhance social-emotional learning (SEL) attributes. The paper synthesizes data from various sources, including websites, organizations, and academic articles, to design a resource website aimed at assisting schools in developing therapeutic garden projects. The findings suggest that school gardens are a highly effective resource that can offer substantial benefits, particularly when designed to address mental health issues, thus serving as a powerful tool for student healing and growth.

Project Type

Website Creation

Keywords

School Gardens, Trauma-Informed Care, Outdoor Learning, Mental Health

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

Included in

Education Commons

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