My students need to learn self sustaining small yard gardening to mitigate economic hardship and to re-bridge the human-environmental gap for a sustainable future with an outdoor greenhouse, shelving and seeds.
My students are mostly low income and rural, so they have a lot of practical know-how but struggle to understand scientific concepts without hands on practice. While our school has a strong agricultural program, it is separated monetarily and physically from the science department, so many of my students never experience firsthand the complex connection between the land, animals, soil, food, and waste. I want to create a collaborative classroom where science concepts merge and are followed by practical application.
I want my students to experience and understand the concept of: "The more you know the less you need." I want them to be creative, yet scientifically grounded in the planning and building of a Sustainability Circle that will become a beautiful living classroom and grocery store.
Utilizing old and new technology, I hope to inspire them, and other schools, to re-think how we interact with nature.
My Project
These materials which you have so graciously helped secure will allow students to create a model of how schools and cities can revive/utilize small spaces to create beautiful, practical, and ecologically friendly areas that provides pollinators a haven; that yields a wide variety of nutrient rich foods; that acts as a local air purification system; and is an outdoor classroom all in one! Forward thinking eco-design utilizes skills from biology, chemistry, physics, math, and more to offer long term benefits for a relatively low cost AND low maintenance.
This project is low tech, yet STEMS rich.
Students will start crops from seed in the classroom using the 4 tier wire rack and specialized LED grow lights while learning about nutrient processing, botany, cell biology, plant-animal interactions, nutrition, and more. Students will utilize practical math, physics, and history to explain, plan, and establish the final product of reclaiming a raised, brick, circular bed with a greenhouse and living arbor of edible, medicinal, and pollinator friendly plants. Once fully established, the space will act as a source of food for the school's culinary program, backpack program, and a model for sustainability on a small budget.
BenefitUSA Larger Hot, Walk In Outdoor Plant Gardening Greenhouse
• Amazon Business
$183.38
1
$183.38
Led Grow Light Ledy 3.2ft 5050 Waterproof Flexible Soft Strip Grow Light For Plant Flower Herbs Seeds Seedlings Growing Red Blue 4:1 With DC 12V 2A Adaptor
• Amazon Business
$13.98
4
$55.92
AmazonBasics 4-Shelf Shelving Unit - Black
• Amazon Business
$47.67
1
$47.67
YARDGARD 308494B 2 Foot X 150 foot 2 Inch Mesh Poultry Netting
• Amazon Business
$21.80
2
$43.60
FRUITS & BERRIES Seed COMBO KIT - from Apple Delicious to Watermelon Petite Yellow Seeds - By MySeeds.Co (Fruits & Berries Kit)
• Amazon Business
$19.95
1
$19.95
15,000 Non GMO Heirloom Vegetable Seeds Survival Garden 32 Variety Pack by Open Seed Vault
• Amazon Business
$16.95
1
$16.95
Patriot Seeds 10 Variety Seed Pack 100-Percent Heirloom Medicinal Herb Garden
• Amazon Business
$15.00
1
$15.00
Herbal Tea Herb Seed Mix - Non-GMO Herbal Tea Seeds - Lemon Balm, Chamomile, Anise, Rosemary, Yarrow, Peppermint, More
• Amazon Business
$12.95
1
$12.95
KINGLAKE 100 Pcs Waterproof Thick Plastic Black Plant Tags T Type Nursery Garden Labels
• Amazon Business
$9.99
1
$9.99
Mixed Colors Butterfly Bush Seeds 200 Seeds Upc 643451295764
• Amazon Business
$5.99
1
$5.99
Mixed Colors Butterfly Bush Seeds 200 Seeds Upc 643451295764
• Amazon Business
$5.99
1
$5.99
VZ Premium Zip Ties Cable Straps (100, Black)
• Amazon Business
$3.99
1
$3.99
Materials cost
$421.38
Vendor shipping charges
FREE
Sales tax
$32.87
3rd party payment processing fee
$6.32
Fulfillment labor & materials
$30.00
Total project cost
$490.57
Suggested donation to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
$86.57
Total project goal
$577.14
How we calculate what's needed
Total project goal
$577.14
13 Donors
-$484.32
Donations toward project cost
-$426.82
Donations to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
-$57.50
Matching donations from our partners
-$75.00
Match offers toward project cost
-$63.75
Match offers to help DonorsChoose reach more classrooms
DonorsChoose is the most trusted classroom funding site for teachers.
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 Ms. Kaminski and reviewed by the DonorsChoose team.
