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Mr. Brian's Garden

A garden designed to teach students about nutrition, the physiology of plants, and teamwork took on a life of its own when one of the most important workers and supporters of the garden and school passed away unexpectedly. The garden is now named "Mr. Brian's Garden" in his honor. Overseen by 2 faculty members, an administrator, and a parent, the garden has supplied fresh vegetables for many and countless science and life learning lessons. For example, a 3rd class and 1st grade class teamed up for reading buddies and conducted their final session next to the garden. I visited and observed the relationships that had formed among the students. The garden is a reading lesson and a community building lesson. Several students and I began walking through the garden and before I knew it, both classes were following me around. We discussed the variety of plants, how they grew, which parts to eat and so on. I asked the students many questions to arouse their thinking process. The garden is a science lesson and a nutrition lesson. One girl wondered about the height of a sunflower plant and estimated that it was 3 meters tall. The garden is a math lesson. Aside from the four adult sponsors, there are three groups who rotate maintenance responsibilities: The Einstein Girls, a Boy Scout group, and the 6th grade Environmental Club. The garden is a teamwork lesson.

Science with the Sixth Graders

Sixth graders teach students in Pre-Kindergarten and Kindergarten exciting standards-based topics in science using a hands-on inquiry approach. This partnership allows for learning opportunities, leadership, and mentoring between older and younger students. Topics include: Animals of Florida, electricity, inertia, magnets, matter, ponds, senses, sink or float, and space.

Einstein Girls

There is a group of girls at my school that meet with me after hours known as the Einstein Girls. Over the past two years there have been over 40 students from fifth and sixth grade attend our meetings and participate in our science-related activities. The girls come on a voluntary basis and are a highly motivated group of science enthusiasts. We also enjoy tremendous support from our parent population and school administration. Several female scientists have already stepped forward and expressed their interest in assisting with the Einstein Girls. We have conducted chemistry experiments in the high school lab with the female instructor who has her Ph.D., have held several career fairs with female mentors (physician, dentist, veterinarian, psychologist, nurse practitioner, nurse, field biologist), conducted scientific research, and met with female high school students who have competed and won at various science competitions at the international level. The girls have received an excellent introduction to the exciting opportunities available to them in the sciences.