Minds On

What is a community garden?

Community gardens are plots or specific areas of land that are planted by individuals or groups. They are designated plots of land found in communities where there may be limited green spaces.

Groups and individuals are allowed to grow and harvest their own fruits, vegetables, herbs or flowers in the assigned plots.

Explore the following images. What do you notice? What do you wonder?

An outdoor community garden during the summertime. It contains various vegetables, fruit and herb plants.

Outdoor garden

An outdoor community garden. Rectangular planters are set up in rows, each containing a different type of plant.

Garden plots

An aerial view of a garden plot. There are many different vegetable patches, are organized in parallel lines.

Aerial plots

There are many different ways to organize plants in a community garden. What do you notice about the organization of the specific community gardens explored in the carousel of images.

How do they tend to organize their plots?

Pause and Reflect

Pause and reflect

Reflect on the following questions:

Have you experienced a community garden in your own school and/or community?
If you could create your own garden, what might you grow?
How might you organize your garden? Consider creating a sketch or diagram.

Action

Global Roots garden

A building with multiple glass windows. Plots with different kinds of plants are set up along the side of the buildings. — The Global Roots Garden outside of the Wychwood Green Barn.

The Wychwood Green Barn, run by an organization called The Stop, offers a green house and community garden.

The community garden, called the Global Roots Garden, contains several garden plots that have been created by different members of the community. Each member represents a particular part of the world, and they bring their culture to the gardens by planting what is specifically important in their cuisine.

How might community gardens such as the Global Roots Garden benefit different members of the community?

Press ‘Possible Answer’ to access a few ways community members might benefit from a community garden.

Possible Answer

Benefits of a community garden may include:

access to a diverse range of fruit, vegetables and herbs
free sources of nourishment to members of the community
allows members of the community to learn about different cultures through food
adds green spaces and pollinator plants to local communities

Organizing plots

An outdoor community garden. Rectangular planters are set up in straight rows. Each planter contains different types of plants.

Imagine that your school or community is going to be creating their own community garden for anyone to enjoy and make use of the fruits, vegetables and herbs planted there.

There are 3 square garden plots. Each plot gets split into fourths to create different planting areas that will be planted by three different helpers: Helper A, Helper B and Helper C.

Explore the following image of each planting area.

Description

Top view of three large square plots, in a row, each filled with dirt. Each plot is divided into 4 sections/quarters. In the first plot, each quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter A. In the second plot, one quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter A, and the other three are labelled with the letter B. In the third plot, one quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter B, and the other three are labelled with the letter C. There is an arrow with a label that points to one of the quarter sections in one of the plots. The label reads “Each plot is split into quarters. One section = ¼.”

Brainstorm

Helper A will be planting a portion of the plots. What strategy could we use to find out the portion Helper A will be planting?

Record your thinking using a method of your choice.

Let’s examine one possible solution that involves multiplying a whole number by a unit fraction.

If you are not familiar with what a unit fraction is, press ‘Definition’ to access an explanation.

Definition

A unit fraction is any fraction where the numerator is 1. For example: $\frac{1}{2}$ , $\frac{1}{4}$ , or $\frac{1}{5}$ .

Every fraction can be broken down, or decomposed, into unit fractions using repeated addition.

For example:

$\frac{2}{5} = \frac{1}{5} + \frac{1}{5}$

Helper A’s portion

Helper A is assigned 5 one-fourth sections of the plots. As a math statement we would record this as:

$5 \times \frac{1}{4}$

Multiplication is repeated addition. This means we can change our multiplication question to a repeated addition question, like this:

$5 \times \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4}$

$= \frac{5}{4}$

So, the portion of the plots that Helper A will plant is $\frac{5}{4}$ .

What is Helper B’s portion?

Let’s examine the garden plots once again.

Description

Top view of three large square garden plots, in a row, each filled with dirt. Each plot is divided into 4 sections/quarters. In the first plot, each quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter A. In the second plot, one quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter A, and the other three are labelled with the letter B. In the third plot, one quarter is labelled at its centre with the letter B, and the other three are labelled with the letter C. There is an arrow with a label that points to one of the quarter sections in one of the plots. The label reads “Each plot is split into quarters. One section = ¼.”

Student Success

Solve the missing information

Can you create a multiplication sentence for how many portions of all the plots Helper B will plant?

In a notebook, or using another method of your choice, complete the missing information to solve for how many portions of all the plots Helper B will plant.

$? \times \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4}$ (as repeated addition)

$= \frac{?}{4}$ (as a fraction)

So, the portion of all the plots that Helper B will plant is _____ .

Helper C’s portion – Your turn!

Using a format of your choice, record your strategy for solving how many portions of all the plots Helper C will plant.

When you’re ready, press ‘Answer’ to access a sample solution.

Answer

$3 \times \frac{1}{4} = \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4} + \frac{1}{4}$

$= \frac{3}{4}$

So, the portion of all the plots that Helper C will plant is $\frac{3}{4}$ .

Dividing planter boxes

Rows of green vegetables grow in sections in an urban community garden.

Often in community gardens, rectangular planter boxes are used to make use of smaller spaces in an efficient way. They also allow fruits, vegetables and herbs to be planted in rows for easy care, identification and harvesting.

Examine the following image that shows 3 rectangular planter boxes that have each been divided into thirds.

Three rectangular garden planter boxes in a row. Each planter box has three distinct fruits/vegetables/herbs planted in it so that it looks like it’s divided into thirds.

How many $\frac{1}{3}$ sections are there in the 3 planter boxes?

As a math statement we could write this as:

$3 \div \frac{1}{3}$

We can model dividing by a unit fraction like this:

Three rectangles each divided into 3 parts. Below them it’s labelled: 3 divided by 1/3 = 9. 3 wholes split into thirds gives us 9 equal parts.

Fraction strips are also a handy tool to model dividing a whole number by a unit fraction. Examine the following image that models our problem using fraction strips:

Description

Three 1 whole fraction strips in a row. Below them are one third pieces clustered in groups of three. Text reads: 3 divided by one third equals question mark. Or, how many thirds are there in 3 wholes?

So, 3 planter boxes divided into thirds gives us 9 equal parts. As a math statement, this would be:

$3 \div \frac{1}{3} = 9$

Practice

In your notebook, or using another method of your choice, record your strategy and solutions for at least two of the following multiplication questions and at least two of the following division questions. Try to express your final answer in lowest terms.

Multiplication	Division
$6 \times \frac{1}{4}$	$4 \div \frac{1}{3}$
$9 \times \frac{1}{3}$	$7 \div \frac{1}{2}$
$7 \times \frac{1}{10}$	$5 \div \frac{1}{4}$
$5 \times \frac{1}{2}$	$3 \div \frac{1}{10}$

When you are ready, press ‘Check Your Work’ to review the answers in lowest terms.

Check Your Work

Multiplication	Division
$6 \times \frac{1}{4} = \frac{6}{4}$	$4 \div \frac{1}{3} = 12$
$9 \times \frac{1}{3} = \frac{9}{3}$	$7 \div \frac{1}{2} = 14$
$7 \times \frac{1}{10} = \frac{7}{10}$	$5 \div \frac{1}{4} = 20$
$5 \times \frac{1}{2} = \frac{5}{2}$	$3 \div \frac{1}{10} = 30$

Consolidation

Create your own math problem

Examine the following math statements.

$5 \times \frac{1}{3}$
$6 \div \frac{1}{2}$

Create a math word problem for each statement and then solve them using a strategy of your choice.

Record your thinking in a notebook or using another method of your choice.

Press ‘Hint’ to access some suggestions for themes/topics to consider for your word problems.

Hint

Food/cooking
Measurement
Gardening

Reflection

As you read through these descriptions, which sentence best describes how you are feeling about your understanding of this learning activity? Press the button that is beside this sentence.

I feel...

I have an excellent understanding of the concepts I have a very good understanding of the concepts I have some understanding but need to review some more my understanding of the concepts needs a lot more work

Now, record your ideas using a voice recorder, speech-to-text, or writing tool.

Learning goals

Success criteria

Minds On

What is a community garden?

Pause and reflect

Action

Global Roots garden

Organizing plots

Brainstorm

Helper A’s portion

What is Helper B’s portion?

Solve the missing information

Helper C’s portion – Your turn!

Dividing planter boxes

Practice

Consolidation

Create your own math problem

Reflection

I feel...