Kindergarten: A Sprouting Partnership With Grade 5
This month, Lower School Science Teachers Mrs. Sarah Jackson and Ms. Elise de Geus partnered with Grade 5 to kick off Kindergarten’s plant unit. Fifth graders visited the Lower School science classrooms to introduce Kindergartners to Graland’s Tower Garden program and help them plant lettuce seedlings.
During the visit, Kindergartners explored how the tower garden provides what plants need to grow. Fifth graders demonstrated how water pumps to the top and flows down to each plant’s roots. Students turned on LED lights that mimic sunlight and felt rockwool, the spongy material that supports the seeds and seedlings.
With help from the fifth graders, each Kindergartner placed a bundle of seedlings into the tower. They will now watch their lettuce grow until it is ready to harvest. Their Grade 5 partners will return to help host a salad party, giving Kindergartners a chance to taste what they helped grow.
This joint project is an extension of the Grade 5 program led by Mrs. Meggan Dodge that connects science, math, and service learning. Fifth graders grow fresh produce in hydroponic gardens, which use water and nutrients instead of soil. They plant seeds, monitor water and nutrient levels, and learn about access to fresh food. Students also harvest and package their greens for Grade 6 to deliver to the Jewish Family Service food pantry.
As tower gardens expand into classrooms across campus, fifth graders are branching out as mentors, sharing their knowledge and helping younger students grow alongside them.
Graland Country Day School
Graland Country Day School is a private school in Denver, Colorado, serving students in preschool, kindergarten, elementary, and middle school. Founded in Denver in 1927, Graland incorporates a rich, experiential learning approach in a traditional classroom setting, emphasizing the development of globally and socially conscious leaders who excel academically.
