"It looks like a spaceship"

 The goal for our hydroponic garden was to experience growing vegetables without soil.  Our question became how can we grow vegetables without soil.  Most students know the process of planting seeds using soil.  However, very few have planted vegetables in a rokwoll cube and only water as its growing medium.  Almost all of our students had no experience with a hydroponic garden. And virtually none of them experienced planting seeds in rokwool, which is the medium we put the seeds into.  Watching the kids observe the rokwool and soak it in preparation of adding the seeds was very rewarding for me to see.  I could tell the kids were totally engaged in this experience.  With an informal poll, (raising their hands) I asked the students how many thought the seeds would grow into a plant.  Approximately 75% of the kids in each class voted that the seeds would in fact grow. 

 Our Hydroponic garden is a project that served all our students at Highview Elementary.  Our students had a regular observation of the garden each week when they came to the STEAM room for their weekly lessons.  When we first received the garden, the students were able to observe the pieces of the garden prior to assembly.  Some classes got to watch me assemble the hydroponic garden and gain understanding as to the purpose of some of the pieces.  The hydroponic garden was placed at the entrance of the STEAM classroom so that all who passed by could observe the garden and see the growth of the plants.  The hydroponic garden was part of our STEAM night where parents and students took part in STEAM building projects.  Many of our families were able to observe the garden and see for themselves what their child has been talking about this school year. 

Once received the hydroponic tower garden assembly went together perfectly.  The lights that come with the hydroponic garden unfortunately were on back order so we did not receive them until March.  Because I wanted the students to see that the seeds would grow, I bought some simple hydroponic lights on Amazon.  These lights proved to provide enough light for the seeds to germinate, but the lights did not keep the plants growing.  Once we received the proper lights, the students and I realized that the lights make a huge difference in hydroponic gardening. 

If I were to do this project again I would add to the budget the cost of seeds, liquid nutrients, rokwool and seed trays.  The hydroponic garden comes with a timer for the water pump.  However, there needs to be another timer for the lights.  Through reading about hydroponic gardening, I learned that a fan is necessary to circulate the air around the plants.  This did not come with the hydroponic tower garden kit.  I had to purchase one.  I also would like to purchase another set of proper lights.  With these lights I can get another tray of seeds germinating before transplanting them into the tower.  Having these seeds germinate will allow me to replace any plants that die or do not continue to grow due to other circumstances.  I would also like to include in the budget to have a hydroponic gardener come and speak to my older kids. 

  When the hydroponic garden arrived to my classroom, the students were so excited to see me unpack it.  They really had no idea what it was going to look like or how it would be put together.  I demonstrated to all my classes how I had to fit each piece together by snapping in the tabs.  When all the circular pieces were assembled, the comments the kids said were, "It looks like a spaceship".  And, honestly, it really does.  I only installed the tower halfway so the kids could see what was inside and the first comments were, "How is the water going to get all the way up to the top of the tower."  That's when I pulled out the pump and demonstrated to them that the pump was going to bring the water to the top of the circular pipe.  I pulled the pipe out and showed them how the water dripped.