STEM Grant Provides Tower Garden For 1st Graders
It's the same technology used by NASA, and now our 1st graders are using aeroponic growing to turn tiny seeds into delicious food for harvest. Thanks to a STEM grant, these lower school students are excited to have a Tower Garden right inside their classrooms. This vertical, indoor garden will teach students about much more than simply growing fruits and vegetables.. these 1st graders will be growing their math, science, language art, and social studies skills as well.
Here's how it works: students were busy last week soaking the rock-wool and placing the special vermiculite onto the seeds. After filling the reservoir of the Tower Garden, they carefully arranged the seeds under grow lights and will now wait for the seedlings to grow! Once the seedlings are 2-3 inches, they will plant them into the Tower Garden.
First Grade teacher Melissa Shockley said the enthusiasm of the students is priceless. "We are all so excited for this opportunity and to truly get our "hands on learning" and watch how God grows us HIS way!"
Mrs. Shockley joined her colleague, Kelsey Nelson, for a training seminar in Phoenix, Arizona this past summer to further their knowledge and understanding of how the Tower Garden works and how to best utilize it in the classroom to increase overall learning. So far, the Tower Garden is a hit. And Mrs. Shockley says there is even more to look forward to as they use this classroom garden to engage the students, the school, and even the community!