Sometimes our skill set needs to spread beyond the classroom so that students can find their own voice. The following is a grant I wrote for my daughter's gardening program. Feel free to use it as a reference to help develop similar programs in your school. Keep in mind that the full grant provides a ten page illustrated lab for the hydroponic unit in addition to demonstration samples.
Any donations are appreciated, and can be sent to:
South Londonderry Elementary School
Attn: Apprentice Gardening Program
88 South Rd.
Londonderry, NH 03053
Sincerely,
Amanda Klimowicz
Apprentice Gardening Volunteer
TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. Program Summary
2. Abstract
3. Statement of Purpose
4. Program Population Statistics
5. Survey
Bar Graph
Overview
Numerical
Breakdown
6. Statistical Analysis
7. Commentary
Director
Volunteer
Student
8. Student Suggestions
9. Sample Project: Passive Hydroponic Unit
Wicking
Active Hydroponic Units
Making a Passive
Hydroponic Unit
10. Concluding Remarks
PROGRAM
SUMMARY
Londonderry,
NH is an orchard time. The fall brings
in tourism for apple picking as well as fall foliage excursions. Even as a once rural Londonderry becomes an
outstretched and developing Boston suburb, our town has maintained its
agricultural roots and the beauty that comes with the realized dream of
passer-through John Chapman, better known as Johnny Appleseed.
In
our public school system, the town has partnered up with Alvirne, a nearby
school with an agricultural program, so that our high school students have the
opportunity to study for part of the day in a hands-on program to enhance their
love for growing, farming, and their environment.
That
love begins with a seed. It is my
personal belief that if a Londonderry native’s love for growing doesn’t begin
at home, the Apprentice Gardener’s club at South Londonderry Elementary School must have planted it within them.
I
began volunteering for the program in the fall of 2012, under the wing of Patty
Imrie. A farmer at heart, Patty’s love
for the garden and for the children has no end, as evidenced through the
planning and preparation she does voluntarily every week so that the third and
fourth graders can opt to spend one recess per week in her apprentice gardening
club.
On a
weekly basis, Patty demonstrates countless ways to improve our environment
through fun experimentation and learning that spans from a fall harvest, to fun
projects that incorporate learning with growing and environmental
foundations. Her motto is: “If it isn’t
fun, don’t do it!” and consistently encourages everyone to share in that fun.
ABSTRACT
The
Apprentice gardening program is looking to expand due to its popularity with
the children. This program is optional
for third and fourth grade children, and is run by Patty Imrie, who volunteers
countless hours to ensure the success of the program. Several parents also help out for an hour or
more each week to assist her with this program.
We
are currently looking to replenish our finances so that we can provide the
children with the resources necessary to complete the weekly projects they have
come to look so forward to.
In
the next two years, we are hoping to expand not only the program, but also the
space. We are currently discussing the
details of executing this project with appropriate parties and if approved,
would like to expand our garden out 20’X20’; we would need fencing, chicken
wire, rototilling, etc.
In
the next five years, we would like to incorporate pens to house visitors so
that the children may learn more about our local agricultural heritage. Some lessons we are looking forward to
sharing include having a guest shear a sheep and allow the children to spin wool,
housing chicken for egg collection, and inviting local farmers to bring their
goats so that the children can learn to milk them.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
The
Apprentice Garden program introduces over 100 third and fourth graders to a
love for gardening.
It combines
environmental lessons with both indoor and outdoor hands-on projects that teach
children about the world around them, as well as the positive impact they can
have on their community and our planet.
POPULATION
STATISTICS
|
Weekly
|
Outdoors Only
|
|
Grade 3
|
Grade 4
|
Grade 3
|
Grade 4
|
Wednesday
|
18
|
12
|
20
|
18
|
Thursday
|
21
|
12
|
21
|
12
|
Friday
|
12
|
8
|
21
|
15
|
STUDENT SURVEY
|
Love
|
Like
|
Dislike
|
Absent
|
Picking Vegetables
(Harvesting)
|
51
|
12
|
2
|
11
|
Cuting Open/ Separating the Seed (Dissection)
|
52
|
15
|
3
|
5
|
Making Grass-Heads (Seed, Recycled Materials)
|
60
|
8
|
4
|
6
|
Carving Pumpkins (Using all Parts)
|
54
|
11
|
1
|
9
|
Growing Narcissus (Root Observation)
|
58
|
13
|
5
|
0
|
Growing Lettuce (Passive Hydroponic Units)
|
60
|
8
|
2
|
6
|
Composting with Worms (Chemical Reduction)
|
53
|
14
|
4
|
5
|
Growing Beans (Germination Review)
|
49
|
22
|
2
|
3
|
Watching Videos
|
65
|
3
|
4
|
3
|
Parties
|
63
|
3
|
0
|
10
|
STATSTICAL ANALYSIS
Overall, the children LOVED 82% of the projects we did. The breakdown is as follows:
*The pie graphs show
projects measured in relation to the other projects
The following analysis shows a combination of what rated a “like” or better, Generally, those projects that scored low did
not take up the full time allotted for gardening. Overall,
the students
liked 96% of the
projects.
The breakdown is as follows:
COMMENTARY
DIRECTOR
These answers took place as a brief
interview.
The project I enjoyed most was harvesting the vegetables and
removing the seeds because the children love the practical hands on activities
and digging in the dirt. The composting
unit taught me the most about the environment because of the recycling aspect
and learning to fertilize using worm castings instead of chemicals. My favorite part of apprentice gardening
overall, is watching the children’s faces light up when they discover something
new.
VOLUNTEERS
The volunteer questionnaires are grouped
with specific quotations when applicable.
Two of the interviewed volunteers liked making the Grass Heads
best. “[they had] good results; they
lasted a long time for us to observe.”
Also agreed upon by three was that that the composting unit that taught
the most about the environment. “It was a good hands-on project,” “I went home and made my own composting bin
the next day!”
STUDENTS
The following commentary is based on a
questionnaire. I edited for spelling
only. Listed is one answer per group in
the following order: Wed. grade 3, Wed. grade 4, Thu. grade 3 Thu. grade 4,
Fri. grade 3 Fri. grade 4.
1.
What was your favorite project?
a. Bulbs, watching them grow and seeing the roots
b. The composting worms because I learned that
worm-poo helps flowers grow
c. The pinecones because they fed the birds and the
grass head because I could decorate it
d. Vegetable harvesting was my favorite because I
was picking things I could eat
e. My favorite thing we did in apprentice gardeners
is the pumpkins because you got to bring them home
f. I liked growing the grass head dolls because I
made a bride and gave it to my aunt for her wedding
2.
What did we do that taught you most about the
environment?
a. The
lettuce one because we reused bottles
b. The
PHU because we got to see how the rope wicks the water
c. The
bean seed because I never saw a plant grow on a cotton ball
d. The
lettuce project was the one that taught me most about the environment because I
liked and learned that some plants can grow sometime without soil
e. Worms
because they eat stuff that we can’t and they help plants grow
f. The
lettuce because we planted a plant in an environment we made
3.
How did you help the environment by being in
Gardening?
a. By
planting and recycling
b. I
think I helped stuff grow and not litter
c. I
think I helped some animals in the garden that live in the garden
d. By
planting more plants
e. By
doing a lot of planting and being a good gardener
f. By
planting seeds
4.
What is your favorite part of Apprentice
Gardening?
a. Growing
the lettuce because I got to do an experiment w/ food coloring
b. Being
with friends and learning more about the environment
c. To
see my favorite teachers. That’s my favorite
part that’s why we come right away to see our teachers and learn about plants
d. Getting
to plant things and learn stuff about gardening
e. Learning
about the environment and bringing the plants home
f.
Doing the projects and being with Mrs. Imrie
STUDENT
SUGGESTIONS
All suggestions
relevant to Apprentice Gardening are listed
-
·
Growing corn
·
Do more projects
·
Butterflies
·
Bigger room
·
Plant berries
·
More experimenting
·
A bigger room
·
Grow sunflowers
·
Grow tulips
·
Grow sunflowers
·
Grow potatoes
·
Grow carrots
·
More student presentations
·
Plays so we don’t have to use TVs that means we
won’t use electricity
·
Plant a berry tree and an apple tree and a blue
berry tree
·
I think we should plant some broccoli and
spinach
·
Growing a garden with a whole bunch of fruits
and vegetables
·
I think we should grow caterpillars
·
Making lots of plants from one big ivy one (make cuttings)
·
I think we should make a really tiny cup-sized
garden
·
Have people bring in seeds from their gardens
·
Grow caterpillars into butterflies
·
Plant sunflower seeds
·
Keep bees for pollination and honey and look at
the legs ones under a microscope to see the pollen
·
Planting lots of fruits and vegetables and for
parties so we can eat what we planted
·
I think we should grow caterpillars into
butterflies, then when they grow into butterflies let them go in the garden
SAMPLE PROJECT
This sample was
presented as a hands-on lesson by demonstration. It is written up as a lab to accurately
convey the lesson. Photographs provided
courtesy of Patty Imrie and Amanda Klimowicz. Illustration by Amanda Klimowicz.
Objective: To learn about wicking & how hydroponic
systems work
Purpose:
This
45 minute lesson teaches the children the following:
Demonstration I: Wicking
Demonstration 2: Active Hydroponic Units
Activity: Making a Passive Hydroponic Unit
Pre-cut soda bottle
Pre-knotted rope
Perlite
Lettuce seed
Water (spray bottle & squeeze
bottle)
Grow-lights (at the school)
Procedure:
1.
Place the rope so that the knot rests at the
neck of the upside-down bottle top.
2. Holding
the “wicks” (rope) above the rim, pour one scoop of perlite into the bottle top
3. Sprinkle
about three pinches of lettuce seed evenly across the top of the perlite
4. Lift
the top carefully, and use the squeeze bottle to fill the base of the bottle,
measuring it so the loop of the wick dips into the water. Rest the upside-down top back on the base
5. Generously
spray the top of the perlite so the seed has plenty of water to begin the
germination process
6. Cover
your passive hydroponic unit with plastic wrap (an adult will help) and place
it under the glow lights
7. After
about two weeks, take your project home and harvest the lettuce for a nice
salad for everyone to share!
8.
Remember to recycle all that you can; the
perlite can be worked into existing soil to help maintain moisture, and the
bottle can still be recycled!
Demonstration I: Wicking
Paper Towel Demonstration
Mrs. Imrie used a small amount of food coloring and water in a tray to
show how dipping a paper-towel could bring-up water. She also talked with the children about going
outside when the ground is wet and their jeans get wet almost to their knees.
Carnation Demonstration
Mrs. Imrie reinforced
the paper towel demonstration by preparing a mixture of water and their choice
of food-coloring and placed a white carnation in it. The flowers were on display in the front
hallway of the school.
Demonstration 2: Active
Hydroponic Units
Ebb and Flow System
The Ebb and Flow is an active hydroponic
system that fills with and empties out water to hydrate plants below a grow light. These units use clay balls rather than dirt to hold the roots of the plant.
Purchasing necessary
chemicals to use and maintain these systems are part of the way in which we
plan on using the grant monies acquired.
Aeroponic System
The Aeroponic System
is an active hydroponic system that mists the roots under a glow light. This system requires the same clay balls and chemicals as the ebb and flow model. We will not be able to use this machine until we can purchase the chemicals necessary to run it.
Apprentice
Gardening is a wonderful program that provides the students with opportunities
that they take full advantage of during their free time.
I
hope this snapshot of our program helps you see how important it is for us to
continue Apprentice Gardening as our numbers increase, as well as fortify the
program by expanding. We don’t turn
anyone away, and do our best to ensure that the children can make up missed
projects if they want.
Programs
like ours wouldn’t exist if it weren’t for charitable donations such as
yours. Thank you for what you do for our
youth, our culture, and our environment.
