1st Grade Science Students Grow Mini Organic Gardens

Lisa Martin, lower school science teacher has been long known for her innovative approach to science education. A frequent collaborator with teachers across the divisions and at The Community Partnership School, the MicroGarden Project grew out of a conversation she had with Eric Jones of CPS. They were discussing how to integrate more scientific inquiry into their program, since they don’t have land for a raised bed organic garden and they can’t leave a standing indoor grow lab in their multipurpose rooms.  Lisa reports that

"The positive effect of school gardening programs on the science achievement of elementary students is well documented in educational research.  The role of raising edible gardens in nutrition-education programs for youth is well documented in research, as well.  But not every educator can organize, fund, and/or maintain an organic schoolyard garden.  Likewise, there might also be classroom space, time and/or budget constraints that don’t allow for a standing, indoor grow lab, either.  This prompted me to develop “Growing a Mini Edible Organic Garden in Your Classroom”.

Growing a Mini Edible Organic Garden in Your Classroom is acollection of science activities that I crafted to provide any elementary educator with a means to introduce organic agriculture, nutrition, and plant biology to their students in the context of practicing scientific skills, all within the confines of the classroom, on a shoestring budget, and within a short period of time.  For some teachers, this is the only means available to them. For others, this can be an adjunct to their wealth of science activities.

How I am using it in 1st Grade:

During the last three weeks of May, I am using microgreens in my 1st Grade science classes as an innovative way to study both seed germination and nutrition. Moreover, microgreens enable our 1st Grade students to grow a vegetable--organically and expeditiously--for consumption in their annual breakfast at the end of May. Microgreens are young seedlings of edible vegetables and herbs harvested less than 14 days after germination.  Researchers have found that microgreens can contain up to 40 times higher levels of vital nutrients than their mature counterparts, making them “super nutritious foods”.