Help me give my students explore how plants grow and help to feed our community through our new school garden. We don't have an indoor growing cart that we could use to begin our plants from seedlings.
As a science specialist, at a TK-5 elementary school, I am am tasked with encouraging students to become excited, engaged and avid life time learners in science as well as STEAM thinking/ideas. I do love what I do, given children especially enjoy coming to science lab because they know they will be allowed to explore phenomena and questions in an exploratory, hands-on way.
I am constantly searching for new and innovative ways of making hands on science (STEAM) possible, and engaging in the classroom.
This is not a cheap task given many items require more money than a classroom teacher has available to them. As much as possible, I try reusing materials found in my home or my students homes though at times we need to use specialty equipment that has to be purchased.
In closing, I am excited and thrilled when my students even as young as 6 year old (girls especially) announce to me that they want to be a scientist or engineer when they grow up. This is what continues to drive me to make their time in class content rich while still allowing them to discover their own conclusions of phenomena we are exploring.
My Project
Our school has worked hard to prepare an outdoor learning environment for the seedlings to go once the children have explored, measured and investigated them. With an indoor heat lamp, we can be growing seedlings year round, switching grade levels as curriculum merits. Once our seedlings grow to maturity, the vegetables will be enjoyed by our students as well as the local food bank which usually receives only canned goods.
Children will learn about the plant cycle through different phenomena AND be a part of helping others to have a healthy food source that may not otherwise get one.
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As a teacher-founded nonprofit, we're trusted by thousands of teachers and supporters across the country. This classroom request for funding was created by Mrs. Wilmott and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
