A “Growth” Mindset

Students in 3rd and 4th Grades are learning about the science of growth. 3rd Graders are undergoing an in-depth analysis of plant parts and the plant life cycle, while in 4th Grade, students are beginning a study of innovations in urban farming. 

Last week, they took advantage of Cathedral’s outdoor classroom on the Terrace Level, which offers a number of covered and open planting beds, a composting station, and a modular container garden. In both grades, they are conducting a plant study by observing the germination of beans. Students placed kidney and lima beans in a moist environment to see how long it would take for the seeds to germinate. “The lima beans failed miserably–none of them germinated–so we are investigating why that might be,” said 3rd and 4th Grade Science Teacher, Meglena Zapreva.
 
On the other hand, many of the kidney beans germinated well and students replanted the sprouts last week into containers filled with soil–which they will keep indoors until Cathedral’s tireless operations crew upgrades and covers more of the planting beds so that frost does not damage the new seedlings. The classes will replant the stronger plants into the terrace beds before they leave for Spring Break. 
 
As warmer weather arrives and springtime magic ensues, students will watch their plants grow, and along with them, grow more knowledgeable about the science of plant life and urban farming. You can see images of the students at work in the album to the right.
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