On Planting Seeds

At Ground Education, one of our core beliefs is that planting a seed alongside a student is a powerful act that presents almost limitless possibilities to think, explore and experience. That potential makes a thriving school garden a perfect canvas for integrating ideas about how the world works and our important role in nature.  Where the seed planting leads is exciting every time.  Here are some places we go...

• The youngest student can explore what a seed needs to sprout.
• Students might learn that the type of seed planted will depend on the time in history, part of the world, local food culture, season of the year, etc.
• An older student can understand the importance of those first few leaves in activating photosynthesis, our favorite plant superpower and a critical step in the food chain.
• Students might discover that if it’s a flowering plant, pollinators visit in order to create a seed and maybe a fruit that entices seed dispersal.
• Students may learn which plant parts we eat and how we prepare and share them together in a garden meal.
• Students may learn the nutritional benefits of the plant and why we eat the colors of the rainbow or the MyPlate categories.
• Students might learn how access to healthy food can be difficult and share their garden bounty with communities in need.
• They might grasp the entire plant lifecycle and how decomposers like garden worms have role in turning plants back into healthy soil so the cycle can begin again.
• Students might think about how plants respond to times of stress, like rising average temperatures and chronic drought conditions.

​With so many learning opportunities, go ahead and plant the seed!

---