Welcome to the JMG Junior Master Gardener® program. JMG® curriculum provides a hands-on approach to learning horticulture, environmental science, leadership, and life skills. This program is committed to helping young people become gardeners and contributing citizens.
Who Can Participate in JMG®?
Everyone! We only ask that the teacher/leader be willing to work with youth! The JMG leader does not have to be a Master Gardener to lead a JMG group. If the leader needs garden resources and information, they can contact the local county Extension service for support.
JMG groups are organized through public/private schools, home school groups, and after-school programs. Many groups utilize the JMG program in their 4-H clubs, YMCA activities, Girl Scout and Boy Scout badge work.
Flexibility is a key component of the JMG program. JMG activities allow the teacher/leader and youth gardeners to customize the JMG program to meet their needs and interests. JMG can be utilized by many different groups and age levels. The program targets three levels:
Level 1: Grades 3-5 (currently available)
Level 2: Grades 6-8 (currently available)
Level 3: Grades 9-12 (coming in the future)
JMG® Curriculum
A youth handbook and teacher/leader guide supports the JMG program. The curriculum consists of 8 chapters: plant growth and development, soils and water, ecology and environmental horticulture, insects and diseases, landscape horticulture, fruits and nuts, vegetables and herbs, and life skills/career exploration.
JMG® Teacher/Leader Guide Level 1
The JMG Teacher/Leader Guide contains the group activities. The group activities are integrated into math, science, language arts, and social studies. The teacher/leader guide includes work sheets, fun pages, songs, and additional resource materials. For teachers in Texas, there are special sections that include TAAS formatted reading passages and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) correlation for all activities in the curriculum guide. We are currently working on aligning the JMG® program to the North Carolina standard course of study.
JMG® Handbook Level 1
The JMG handbook contains novel, hands-on individual activities for youth. The handbook is intended to compliment the teacher/leader guide. At the end of each chapter are Leadership/Community Service projects. These projects help the JMG group share with their family, friends and community what they have learned. We encourage each JMG member to have a JMG handbook, however this is not required to participate in the program.
How Can I Join the Fun?
Become a certified Junior Master Gardener®. Certification is the highest level of program participation, and includes certification in all eight units. To be certified youth must complete one group and one individual activity in each learning concept. Level one contains 44 learning concepts. Youth must also complete one leadership/service-learning project per chapter. When youth complete these activities the JMG teacher/leader sends in the completion form that lists the names of the children who have met the program requirements. This form is found in the teacher/leader appendix, starting on page 217. When JMG office receives the completion form, a completion certificate for each JMG youth will be sent to the JMG teacher/leader.
Or... Complete a Golden Ray Series
Option 1:
One of the eight chapters of the Level One - JMG® curriculum can be completed for Golden Ray certification. To receive certification, youth must complete any 12 activities from the chapter, as well as one Life Skills/Career Exploration activity and one Service Learning/Leadership project. The youth would receive Golden Ray certification in that chapter (i.e. Plant Growth & Development, Insects & Disease, etc.). Youth can receive Golden Ray Series certification in all eight chapters of the Level One-JMG curriculum.
Youth will receive a JMG® Golden Ray Series Certification from the NC JMG® program office. Golden Ray Shield medals are available for purchase through www.jmgkids.us or by calling (888) 900-2577. These medals are made to fit together with the chapter medals and service crest.
Option 2:
Golden Ray Series sm Certification - Golden Ray Series curriculum are stand alone thematic units that currently include, Health and Nutrition from the Garden, Wildlife Gardener and Literature in the Garden. To receive certification, youth must complete any 12 activities from a particular Golden Ray Series curriculum, as well as one Life Skills/Career Exploration activity and one Service Learning/Leadership project.
Youth will receive a JMG Golden Ray Series certificate from the NC JMG program office. Golden Ray Series medals are available for purchase through www.jmgkids.us or by calling (888) 900-2577.
How Do I Get Registered?
To become a registered JMG® group:
- Have a minimum of five youth in a group
- Have one or more adult leaders or teachers for the group
- Have a suitable meeting facility (ie: classroom, garden area, etc.)
- Fill out enrollment packet - this is in the Appendix (pg. 217) or downloadable from web page. www.jmgkids.us
- JMG Registration Agreement Form
- JMG Group Enrollment Form
- JMG Leader/Teacher Form
- Send completed enrollment packet to the North Carolina JMG office listed below.
- When your enrollment packet is received your group will receive a frameable certificate showing that the group is a registered program. The enrollment packet does not obligate all youth to become registered Junior Master Gardeners. It simply recognizes that youth at a particular site are participating in the JMG program.
Why Should I Register My Group?
Registering your group is fast and free. You are not obligated to the Junior Master Gardener program (no annual fees, you aren't obligated to complete the entire program, etc.). Registering gives us a way of knowing where our program is working and how we can provide program updates and information to you.
One of the coolest things about registering your group is that registered groups may submit pictures to be added to their very own web page within the National JMG web site.
To order JMG® materials contact:
On-line at www.jmgkids.us
Toll Free at 1-888-900-2577
By Fax at 1-979-458-0172
All major credit cards accepted.
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Liz Driscoll
JMG® Program Coordinator – North Carolina
4-H Specialist, Horticulture, Crops & Soil Science
North Carolina Cooperative Extension
NC State University
218 Kilgore Hall, Box 7609
Raleigh, NC 27695
Ph: (919) 513-7346
Fax: (919) 515-2505
Email: liz_driscoll@ncsu.edu
The JMG program brims with a lot of fun projects from creating plantable greeting cards, singing plant raps to sucking bugs, there is a wonder-filled world waiting to be discovered.
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