Playing, learning, and loving nature is for all ages, subjects, and learning styles. Empower your students with creativity, environmental STEM, literacy, and service-learning education by using Prairie Plants Are Superheroes™ programming with Growing Green Hearts.
Let’s partner on this! Check out these stories of students leading with Prairie Plants Are Superheroes™ community projects in partnership with Growing Green Hearts:
Elementary Kids Grow Prairie to Welcome All
The native prairie and rain garden area at Woodcrest Spanish Immersion started small…with seeds and Kindergarteners! The school-wide project began in 2013 and has continued to include all grades. Students, guests, as well as butterflies and birds are welcomed by the biodiverse prairie that doubles as an outdoor classroom. Educators and community clubs utilize the space for creative, interdisciplinary activities.
Westwood Middle Schoolers Lead for Water Quality
100+ math students from Westwood Middle School put their skills to work in 2019 on a pond shoreline buffer project. Garden design, data collection, and the enviroSTEM model Prairie Plants Are Superheroes™ led to 300 native plants reducing erosion and filtering water. In addition to math and science connections, student leadership was part of this water quality solution. Yes, water quality, middle schoolers and math are all friends here!
Early Learners Start a Storytime Butterfly Garden…
Storytime is for learning and leading at Northtown Library! In the spring of 2021 early learners and their families met both virtually using kits and outdoor on site to create a new butterfly garden.
Let’s get started…
This package of 4 site visits costs $1000-$2000 based on number of children and project planting site. Each site visit includes a hands-on environmental STEM activity, materials for your planting project, story time with reading by the author and opportunity to purchase signed books. Add eSTEM teacher trainings for $300/2hr/30staff. Add extra garden design with community planting for $250-500.
First, in the wintertime, we will learn how native plants are superheroes! The book we’ll use is 8 Butterfly Questions for Gardening and our enviroSTEM activity is seed-saving. Second, after the author reading of 1-2-3 Earth, Air & Me, students will experience soil as a resource. Third, in early spring we will transplant the seedlings that have been growing for weeks. Reading of the book 4 S’s for Noticing Nature will spark curiosity about seasons and sunlight that we will put into action to grow our plants and find a future home for them at your site. Fourth, in late spring, the service learning project peaks when students place their native plants into their playspace. The author reading of 7 Water Wonderings will connect your students to local cycles and systems.
