Purpose of programs here Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipisicing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut.
Page 2 of your teacher guide gives a general overview of the organization, as well as a QR code for a video with an explanation.
No, please follow the directions in your Teacher Guide for the classroom garden. Families will follow the website directions after students take their personal gardens home.
Each of the seven weeks has four 15-20 minute lessons.
Feel free to combine weeks to fit your school calendar. Note that the growth of your plants may be affected.
No, you can complete lessons on any four days of your choosing.
If you miss a lesson, you can catch up on day 5 or combine lessons to get back on track.
You will be able to enter growth data into the survey you complete between Week 4 and Week 6 of the project.
Create a routine to ensure that all students in your class get the opportunity to take Zucchini home.
Send the individual Growums Gardens home with students on Week 2, Day 1, so they can start their own gardens with their families.
The survey will be emailed to you. There is also a QR code on the back cover of your Teacher Guide.
Students will need basic materials like pens, pencils and crayons as they move through the journal activities. Rulers are needed for Week 3, Day 4. On Week 4, Day 3 and on Week 5, Day 2, you will need to provide a variety of art materials for students.
Yes! Thanks to our generous sponsors, the materials are yours to keep!
Please email [email protected].
There is a digital download in the portal on the website.
To begin, fill the self-watering tray with warm water until all eight pellets have fully expanded. (This may take a few minutes.) After your pellets have been planted, keep water in the tray basin at all times.
Place three seeds about a quarter-inch deep in each expanded pellet. You can have two planted pellets for each type of seed. Use the tags to indicate which seeds are in each pellet. Save the extra seeds.
- Check the soil moisture. Soil should be kept moist but not soggy.
- Check the sunlight. The pellets/plants need at least 6 hours of sunlight per day.
- Check the temperature. The ideal temperature for germination is 70-80 degrees Fahrenheit.
- If you have checked all of these factors and the plants still have not sprouted after 10 days, simply add three more seeds to the sproutless pellet.
Every plant emerges from seed with small, round leaves called cotyledons. These “baby” leaves wither away as the plant grows and forms its true leaves. You will know when it’s time to get your plant into soil (planter or ground) when it has three fully formed/true leaves.
Yes. There are whole-group activities, as well as opportunities for students to work in pairs, small groups and individually. We know the dynamics of classrooms vary, so please differentiate to meet your students’ needs.
The directions for the “Parts of the Plant” skit can be found on page 12 of the Teachers Guide.
The answers for the Plant & Human Needs Graphic Organizer are found on page 16 of the Teacher Guide.
You can find the card sort directions on page 14 of the Teacher Guide (Week 1, Day 3). The answers to the card sort are on page 17 of the Teacher Guide.
The three books should arrive before program launch. The final book is timed to arrive with some surprises before the program ends.
Here are digital links of the books being read online:
From Seed to Plant (link needed)
Tops and Bottoms (link needed)
Plants Can’t Sit Still (link needed)
Directions for the Vocabulary Routine begin on page 22 of the Teacher Guide (Week 2, Day 1).
The map is in the portal on the website.
Directions for the Cooperative Speed Quiz are on page 28 of the Teacher Guide (Week 4, Day 2). The answers to the quiz are on page 31 of the Teacher Guide.
All videos are linked in the digital version of the Teacher Guide.
Planting Your Pellets Video (link needed)
Inside the Pellets Video (link needed)
No Sprouts? Video (link needed)
Sun & Shade Video (link needed)
Container vs. Ground Video (link needed)
Duke the Cuke Video (link needed)
How to Plant Your Garden Video (link needed)
Important Information About Tomatoes & Cucumbers Video (link needed)
Growing Outside Video (link needed)
Plant Supports Video (link needed)
Time for a Plan Video (link needed)
Get the Weeds Video (link needed)
Choose the method that works best for your class. Here are a few fun options:
- Send all classroom plants home on the same day, with the Green Thumb Certificates!
- Tie it into a classroom celebration or garden-themed activity. If you’d like to incorporate it into a mini event, feel free to get creative!
- Create “Plant Stories”! Have students write a short story, comic or journal entry from their plant’s point of view – how it grew, what it “saw” in the classroom, and what it’s looking forward to in its new home. Send the story home with the plant as a sweet keepsake for families.
- Teacher’s Choice – Your Own Creative Twist! If you have a unique idea that fits your classroom’s style, go for it! Whether it’s a scavenger hunt, a class-made plant-care video or pairing the plant with a student-made piece of art, feel free to make it your own. We’d love to hear what you come up with!
Don’t forget you will also receive a $50 gift card toward a pizza party when you complete the survey.
Plants can go home around Week 5, Day 4. Send the plants home as you see fit.
