During the school year, third grade students in FCPS learn about the over arching concept themes of change, relationships, interdependence, and systems.

This year, third grade teachers teamed up with Cub Run IA, Mrs. Canestra, to create a gardening project that will help to weave these themes into a full project based learning experience. Their lesson started with a book about how seeds change, which taught students what plants need to grow:

• Water
• Nutrients
• Sun
• Space
• Air

This led to a discussion where students started to make connections between plant growth needs and their own growth needs. From there, students predicted what changes may happen after planting seeds in their third grade garden, and carried out a discussion about the relationship that they have to the earth. Following these discussions, students went outside and found their own space on the sidewalk (like plants need space) and drew flowers with chalk so they could label the different parts of a plant. Once they shared out their drawings and what they had learned through their discussions, students got to work... in the dirt!

Each class planted winter squash and pumpkin seeds, which they will continue to observe throughout the school year- making note of what changes they observe and also making connections between the growth of their plants and what they are learning throughout third grade. Each class has designated "gardeners" who will help to water the plants each day. 

We can't wait to see the pumpkins and winter squash that these students grow!