Growing Minds and Gardens
. Planting the Seeds of Success with an Interactive, Sustainable Hydroponic Gardening Program Rooted in Mindfulness Practices.
No Green Thumb? No Problem!
Leveraging years of expertise in nurturing classroom gardens, we've crafted the perfect toolkit to guarantee success for ANY teacher.
Our 9-week, technology-driven course encompasses:
- Hydroponic farming techniques
- Environmental science principles
- Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Exploring the link between diet, health, and well-being
Our immersive program extends throughout the term, engaging students in regular plant care, equipment maintenance, harvesting, monitoring yields, nutrient management, garden problem-solving, and mindfulness practices.
Trusted by teachers
... and ♥'d by students.
- Students
- 1,000 +
- Classes
- 50 +
- Satisfaction
- 100 %
Discover the Course!
We embrace a holistic approach to education, combining sustainable agriculture with mindfulness practices. Explore our syllabus and video previews, showcasing our dedicated educators and various aspects of the course.
Syllabus
Week 1: A Hydroponic Adventure: Green and Sustainable
Hydroponic Wonders: Green Gardens Unleashed
Soil or Not? A Farming Fable
Mindful Moments: Harmonizing with Earth
Week 2: Carbon Footprints: Unraveling the Mystery
Light Steps: Easing Our Footprints
Renewable Rides: Green Transport Wonders
Earth Hugs: Planet-Cherishing Meditation
Week 3: Every Drop Counts: Water Wisdom
Farming's Water Wonders: Conservation Tales
Water Whispers: Saving H2O in Agriculture
Ripple Reflections: Mindful Water Meditation
Week 4: Growing Skyward: Vertical Farming Magic
Land Efficiency: Space-Saving Farm Marvels
Skyscraper Gardens: Urban Farm Adventures
Grateful Roots: Treasure Earth Meditation
Week 5: Farewell Plastic: Eco-Friendly Choices
Unmasking Plastic Litter's Sneaky Consequences
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: Plastic's Dance
Inner Green: Embracing Earth-Loving Ways
Week 6: Farm to Fork: Local Food's Charm
Local Food Enchantment: A Tasty Tale
Food Travel's Hidden Costs Revealed
Harmonious Connections: Local Food Meditation
Week 7: Tiny Helpers: Bugs in Agriculture
A Bug's Life: Farming's Little Heroes
Nature's Pest Busters: Organic Control
Buzzing Thanks: Celebrating Nature's Balance
Week 8: Plant-Powered Plates: Hydroponic Nutrition
Savor Plant Delights: A Balanced Feast
Hydroponic Treasures: Nutrient-Rich Discoveries
Soul Food: Nourishing Body and Mind
Week 9: Harvest Gratitude: Celebrating Sustainability
Rejoice: Harvest Lessons and Earth Love
The Green Path: Eco-Lifestyle Commitment
A Heartfelt Thanks: Planet Appreciation
Student Lessons
Our student video lessons are led by accomplished educators with extensive experience in classroom teaching and managing award-winning gardens. Join Hope and Scott as they impart sustainable agriculture knowledge to students.
Teacher Support
Hope's weekly lesson walkthroughs help you review each lesson in advance, ensuring your comfort with the material. We also offer a series of detailed how-to videos on related topics, along with supplementary curriculum ideas.
Breathe In. Breathe Out.
We introduce students to mindfulness practices such as breathing exercises, sound meditations, and more, helping them become more self-aware and focused. Mindfulness offers numerous benefits, including improved concentration, stress management, mental and emotional well-being, empathy, social skills, self-esteem, and confidence. Through mindfulness, students can overcome distractions, develop resilience and adaptability, build stronger relationships, and feel empowered in their personal and academic lives, leading to overall success and well-being.
A Dynamic Learning Experience
Step into the future of education with Padlet, our selected real-time collaborative web platform. In our holistic gardening program, we've transformed conventional paper worksheets into captivating and fun virtual activities, fostering both classroom engagement and an eco-conscious learning atmosphere. As students seamlessly share videos, images, drawings, and even utilize AI-driven text-to-image capabilities, they experience a sense of unity and camaraderie in their collective creative journey.
Support
Making Teachers Lives Easier
Our suite of tools simplifies the process of running a successful garden program, guiding you every step of the way.
Teacher-Friendly Lessons
Our easy-to-follow format allows any teacher to successfully manage the program. With our video lessons, interactive activities, and support, the gardening experience becomes therapeutic for both you and your students.
Take a peak below for an overview of the features we provide.
Lessons that anyone can teach
Read, watch, garden, and upload results. That's all it takes each week for any teacher to run a successful program! We provide the video lessons, interactive activities, and support to ensure the program is just as therapeutic for you as it is for the students.
“The lesson plans are very straightforward. The weekly video lessons do a great job of teaching the content, taking pressure off, so I can have fun in the garden, too.”
Helpful Reminders
Our calendar includes important garden events, a weekly maintenance checklist, and other tasks. You'll receive email reminders if something slips your mind.
“Every Monday morning I get a nice little reminder to keep the garden tidy, and the ONE time I forgot to do it, I was sent a friendly reminder with a video on what I need to do and it took less than 10 minutes.”
Track Your Bountiful Harvests
Easily record your class's harvests by taking photos and weighing your produce. Organize and upload photos to share your accomplishments in the weekly growing journal.
“It's unbelievable looking back to see everything that we grew and harvested. I never thought these kinds of results were possible from a school garden, especially with someone like me who has a difficult time keeping house plants alive.”
Growing Gardens. Growing Minds.
Our program offers numerous benefits, distinguishing us from other garden programs:
Active Learning
Students will blossom as they interact with plants, build vertical towers, tend gardens, and taste their harvest.
Table-Ready Harvest
Enjoy the fresh produce in the cafeteria or donate excess veggies to local food banks, spreading the garden's bounty.
Cultivating Healthy Choices
Inspire students to try new veggies and explore delicious plant-based meal alternatives.
Nature's Therapy
Bring nature's soothing power into the classroom, fostering serenity, joy, and wonder for your students.
Tailored Video Lessons
Ease the load for busy teachers with our comprehensive lessons that cover every aspect of the garden program.
Award-Winning Educators
Our skilled teachers have honed this program for 9 years, sharing valuable tips, techniques, and bonus content.
Innovative Technology
Our Green Program offers online tools for smooth teaching, highlighting support and achievements.
All-Encompassing Support
Live sessions, office hours, resources, email help, and media kits ensure success.
Sustainability
The Wonders of Hydroponics
Here are 4 ways growing your own food with hydroponics is more sustainable than traditional soil farming methods, and why it's perfect for the classroom environment.
Tiny Footprint, Generous Garden
A vertical design uses 90% less water and requires 90% less space than normally required to grow produce.
Bountiful Harvests
By using a closed system that recycles 100% of its nutrients and water, hydroponic gardening nurtures sturdy, vibrant plants that naturally fend off pests and diseases, boosting harvest yields by 30% on average.
Swift, Steady Growth
In an aeroponic garden, plants grow up to 3 times more quickly. You'll also find that their yields are more consistent, and with the magic of grow lights, they can flourish throughout the year.
A Carefree, Eco-friendly Oasis
By bidding farewell to soil, hydroponic gardening sends weeds packing, reducing the need for pesky pesticides and herbicides. Your garden will also leave a smaller CO2 footprint, making it a friend to our lovely planet Earth.
What are teachers saying?
More than a few of my students never heard words such as kale, chard, or basil before this program. It's amazing how much they have learned.
I saw so much joy in my students faces after tasting the lettuce they grew. They left that day with a new sense of inspiration.
Hope is an amazing teacher. She makes it very easy to get a garden up and running smoothly and holds your hand every step of the way through the course.
Meet our Team
Hope Kennedy
Sustainable Ag Educator
Hope holds an undergraduate degree in Biology and is a Master Digital Educator. She has taught science in the classroom for the past 25 years. Hope holds a Florida professional teaching certification in Biology and Earth science. For the past 9 years, she has integrated hydroponics into her middle school class.
Scott Kennedy
Sustainability Educator
Scott holds a degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and is an avid outdoorsman. He has taught outdoor education in the marshes of South Carolina and the coral reef in the Florida Keys. He has taught environmental science in the classroom for the past 25 years. He holds a Florida professional teaching certification in Biology and Earth science. He is a climate change education consultant for Take Action Global and writes science curriculum for Kesler Science.
Aunum Cadeau
Mindfulness Educator
Aunum has been studying and practicing mindfulness for the past 25 years. He obtained a Bachelor of Health Sciences from McMaster University before studying Advanced Nutrition at The University of Guelph. He's an accredited Mindfulness Life Coach and holds Teacher Training certificates in Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga Nidra. He plays instruments, engineers software, and grows microgreens in his spare time.
Bill Cocose
Logistics
Bill started working on environmental and sustainability issues 25 years ago, running Brownfield redevelopment projects that addressed abandoned contaminated properties that were a health hazard, and a problem within small and large communities. In 2020 he started a nonprofit healthy lifestyle program for Veterans featuring Sustainable Ag, Health & Wellness, and Mindfulness, which also provides therapeutic and vocational training support.
Frequently asked questions
The 9-week course continues with additional lessons and hands on care and harvesting of the vertical garden throughout a semester. The core course content is designed for grades 5-8, and we provide curriculum materials for younger students as well.
We'll be there when you need us, and you can reach out to our Sustainable Gardens team with any questions. Our Support page also has additional information, videos, and page tours.
Absolutely! We guide you through every step, from seed to seedling to harvest. You'll have access to our proprietary garden calendar, which sends notifications for maintenance, growing, and replacement tasks, as well as important events and information. With our roadmap and tools, you'll go from beginner to sustainable farmer by the end of the program!
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Take the next step!
Fill out the form below to discuss next steps toward a successful classroom garden and for a tour of the course.
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