Early Childhood students have just completed Phase I Gardening: Winter Harvest. Students were a part of the seed-to-table experience that included planting leaf & stem plants along with dill herbs. When students harvested the winter veggies, they were posed with the question: "Where does the seed come from with leaf vegetables or plants? How can we start this cycle again if we wanted to replant lettuce?"

Planting seeds and watching plants grow has encouraged children to learn the value of patience and respect for the ecosystem in which their seeds are growing, They are also exposed to the responsibilities that accompany how to care for plants. Some students had visited the garden beds to watch birds and insects come and go through the rows of green veggies. With each visit, they participated in firsthand science lessons. Even more importantly, gardening teaches us all how our actions can affect our environment both positively and negatively.

First and Second Graders have decided to replant both the stem and leaf plant roots in a cup of water to see if they can grow seeds. They will monitor, measure, and observe changes over the next month to see if their hypothesis was correct. 

It was wonderful to have all our students experience what it’s like to garden in the winter - with the hope of harvesting their vegetables, which they did!

Soon, students will move to Phase II, Gardening Indoors. They will start the process by planting seeds using toilet paper rolls and learn about recycled and biodegradable resources that can support their classroom greenhouses. Each classroom will be given a Grow Kit and challenged to begin the cycle all over again using different vegetable seeds. They will monitor, measure, and observe changes in the veggies over the next month. Students will come up with suggestions for what to do next based on the growth of vegetables in their classroom greenhouse. 

It's exciting for students to watch the miracle of a seed turning from something lifeless into a green, vibrant, thriving, and edible plant. It not only makes them feel powerful, it's a system that rewards one's dedication with healthy, nutritious food.