Plant a garden to measure student success? My students will not only track the growth of the plants in our garden, but also their own personal growth in math and science. I believe that using the iPad will give students the hands-on experiences they need to enhance our math and science learning.
I work with 50 fourth and fifth grade students in a Title I school, who are extremely excited about planning and planting a garden.
Most of my students live in apartments and have never had the opportunity to work in a garden before. I would like them to have the experience to see how broccoli, greens, and lettuce grow. With spring quickly approaching, we are now eager to plan for a variety of vegtables in our larger garden. I would also like to use this as a chance to teach them how to be more environmentally aware by composting to help sustain the garden.
My Project
Planting and maintaining a garden will motivate my students to come to school each day. Composting will teach them to be more aware of the enviroment and create a sense of pride in reusing what was once considered "garbage." The iPad will allow students to read about the vegetables, research soil types, and learn nutrition and healthy eating choices. Students will see how simple and inexpensive it is to grow their own garden. My students will capture photos and video of the changes in plant growth, which can later be developed into multimedia products using their creative thinking. The iPad with a protective case will encourage student collaboration to explore, create, and discover.
"Plant, not pour.
It is not so much what is poured into the student, but what is planted that really counts" - Author Unknown. As technology is racing ahead, how do we keep up? The iPad will help bring learning alive and get children outside in our outdoor learning environment. Students will be able to take the tablet out to the garden to research, chart, compare, and contrast the vegetables being grown. Our garden will not only be a place where plants grow, but where kids grow as well.
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