Vision

This school year our science class has focused on the theme of living sustainably. We have explored a number of topics relating to sustainable living, such as the impacts of humans and various industries on ecosystems, energy loss through food waste and consumption, how to reduce energy usage in our homes and every day lives, and how to live more sustainably as a society.
One of the things we discussed is the waste of food in North America and the energy loss growing the food and transporting it to grocery stores. In our discussions we looked at ways to reduce food waste and how to reduced the energy needed to produce the food that we eat. The students recognized that eating locally grown or sources food is one of the ways to reduced energy consumption and food waste, they also recognized that growing our own food would be even better. As a school, we have focused on the sustainable living theme throughout the school year and plan to continue that theme into future years. There is a new school vegetable garden in development, and the grade 7 science class wanted to play a part. They wanted to grow some of their own vegetables and flowers for the vegetable garden and planters.

Action

We purchased 6 mini greenhouse dooms that had grow lights attached, peat pellets and locally sourced vegetable and flower seeds. We have started a variety of vegetables such as tomatoes, lettuce, pumpkin, cantaloupe, green onions, peppers and some marigold flowers to attract bees to help pollinate some of the vegetables. At the end of the school year and the last sign of frost, we will plant our plants in the school vegetable garden with hopes of having a successful harvest at the return of school. Throughout the summer we will have some students volunteer to meet and tend to the garden. Food that is ready to harvest earlier than the start of the school year can be harvested and shared to the families of the volunteering students or donated to the local food bank.

Reflection & Celebration

The grade 7 science class are excited to watch their seeds grow and to see the results at the end of the growing season.