What is JMG?

The Junior Master Gardener Program® is an innovative program that teaches young people to garden while encouraging good nutrition and physical activity. Young people improve their social skills while working on hands-on projects with other youth and an adult leader/teacher, and increase their community involvement through participation in public service projects.  

The Junior Master Gardener Program® utilizes an outstanding curriculum that covers such topics as Plant Growth and Development, Soils and Water, Ecology and Environmental Horticulture, Insects and Diseases, Fruits and Nuts, Vegetables and Herbs, Landscape Horticulture, and Life Skills and Career Exploration.

Who can be involved in JMG?

A variety of groups may participate in the JMG program, including 4-H programs, school groups, community centers, day camps, scouting programs and afterschool groups. To form a group you need at least 5 youth, a willing and able adult leader, an appropriate location, and the JMG curriculum. Leaders can register using their groups by completing the forms listed under Starting your own JMG Group. Many Kansas JMG groups are led by extension educators through the Family Nutrition Program (FNP)

What is the curriculum?

The Junior Master Gardener® program uses a well developed curriculum that features hands-on activities. Level 1 curriculum was developed for students in grades 3-5. Level 2 curriculum is for older students in grades 6-8. The Junior Master Gardener curriculum is integrated with science, language arts, mathematics, social studies and life skills. You can see how the JMG curricula align with Kansas Education Standards by clicking on "Education Standards" on the sidebar.

The "Level 1 Junior Master Gardener Teacher/Leader Guide" is designed to accompany and correspond with the student handbook, "Junior Master Gardener Handbook". The "Teacher/Leader Guide" covers a broad base of gardening topics and includes work sheets, rhythms, and standardized reading passages. The "Youth Handbook" is also available in a Spanish version.

The "Health and Nutrition from the Garden" book is also designed for use with students in grades 3-5, and is a combination leader/youth handbook. "Health and Nutrition" emphasizes basic gardening techniques and nutrition education.

"Wildlife Gardener" was developed in cooperation with the National Wildlife Federation.  "Wildlife Gardener" features lessons on how to design and implement a wildlife garden. Specific chapters focus on mammals, insects, and birds, as well as reptiles and amphibians.

“Literature in the Garden” makes books come alive by cultivating the connection between gardening and great children’s literature. The curriculum utilizes six garden- and ecology-themed children’s books to inspire learning through hands-on activities.

The Level 2 curriculum is designed for use by middle school students, grades 6-8,  and is published in module form that combines the leader and youth handbooks. Each chapter includes group activities, independent projects and an online activity. "Operation Thistle: Seeds of Despair" focuses on plant growth and development activities, while "Operation W.A.T.E.R.-Dr. Thistle Goes Underground" features soils and water activities.

ORDER JMG CURRICULUM from National JMG Program 

Contact Information

For more information about the JMG pro contact Evelyn Neier, Associate Specialist, K-State Research and Extension, Family Nutrition Program Junior Master Gardener_® Coordinator/4-H Youth Development, 9822 Harvest Court, Wichita, KS 67212, 316-722-0932, or email eneier@ksu.edu