November 2008

Foundation grant helps students learn about agriculture

How does a crop of winter wheat end up as a basket of baked rolls on a dinner table? How do rainfall, sunshine and soil affect the growth of beans or tomatoes? A mini farm in the Sacajawea Elementary School courtyard is helping students answer questions like this.

"The Tri-Cities is surrounded by agricultural land so it makes sense to teach our kids something about it," says Benita Brown, librarian at Sacajawea Elementary School.

Science units at various grades are being enhanced because of the working garden. One example is when first grade students planted a small plot of winter wheat, harvested it and then baked bread. The first graders wrote about what they had learned, creating a picture book with photos. In the photo above.... after students had threshed and winnowed a small crop of winter wheat, Brown explained that the wheat straw will be composted to enrich the soil of the school's mini farm.

Financing of the outdoor learning lab was made possible through a grant from the Richland Education Foundation. Courtyard development was accomplished thanks to help from WSU Cooperative Extension Service, WSU Tri-cities, Washington Native Plant Society and Sacajawea staff.