Seed to STEM at Mason Elementary
This spring, Seed St. Louis garden educator Abbey Schumacher facilitated Seed to STEM from our curriculum for PreK, Kindergarten, and 1st grade students from Mason Elementary at their school garden. Students learned what plants need to grow and practiced planting seeds and seedlings. They explored how seeds travel, the purpose of roots, and the reason plants have leaves. They also learned about the six plant parts and tasted roots (radishes), stems (kohlrabi), leaves (lettuce, spinach, kale), and flowers (broccoli) from their very own garden! Tasting vegetables was by far their favorite part of garden classes. Shout out to Mason parent and garden leader Mallory Bell for keeping the garden full and beautiful for the Mason Elementary community!
Students also spent several classes talking about how they want to feel in the garden and how we can help each other feel good, stay safe, and treat everything with kindness in the garden. We read the wonderful book When We Are Kind by Monique Gray Smith for ideas! Students “signed” our garden promises poster with their thumbprints and recited these promises at the beginning of every garden class. This is a great way to build social-emotional literacy, community, and routine in the garden classroom.
Our “Green Thumb” Garden Promises
We promise to be kind to people, plants, and animals in the garden.
We promise
…to use listening ears
…and gentle hands
…to walk on the paths
…to be safe with tools
…to ask before picking
…and to take care of our school garden so everyone can enjoy.
