The Blog

Elementary Students Venture to the Greenhouse

Richie Musgrave transplants basil plants in the greenhouse.

The botany class has had the privilege of having the 4th-6th graders join them in a “seed to plate” project. Botany teacher Dee Flynn said, “We feel this is an important project because it allows the older students to share their botany knowledge and teach their greenhouse skills to a captive audience. It provides interactions between the different age levels.” Brayden Gustafson, a senior at Nebraska Christian, said, “Having the younger kids join the botany class is wonderful because it exposes them to the hands-on plant science and allows them to get to know the older kids.”  

Thus far, the elementary students have learned about the structure of seeds, and they participated in a spinach lab in which they investigated through microscopes a disease that the spinach leaves contracted. Each student was also able to plant thyme and basil as a part of the “seed to plate” project. Through this project, Mr. Nick Ryan, owner of Prairie Creek Vineyard & Winery, has agreed to purchase herbs from the class for his restaurant. The students were also able to transplant and harvest lettuce to put in the salad bar during lunch at the school cafeteria.

The botany class feels it is important for the elementary students to have an understanding of where their food comes from, and they believe this is the perfect place to start.

Top photo: Two elementary students harvest lettuce for use in the lunch salad bar.