A garden is a burst of color, a sign of growth and renewal, a reminder that a little dirt, water and sunshine will produce natural beauty. Especially this year, after months of being stuck inside due to the pandemic, we find our eyes wandering outside and appreciating the spring growth perhaps more than in the past. We may not be taking a walk in the woods, but at Catalyst, we are bringing natural beauty into our space and learning about nature.
Catalyst’s own art teacher, Emily Newman, recently spearheaded our Community Garden project. Beautifying our space and learning how nature works with a garden demonstrates the real-world intersection of art and science for our whole community.
Preparing the space for the community garden began on May Day when students were delighted to dig in the dirt with trowels, spades, and hands! They turned over the soil and got it ready to receive plants.
Flowers and plants arrived and students learned how to carefully remove them from their pots and carry them to where they would be planted. The first lesson in the fragility and strength of flowers was delivered right along with the plants.
Students dug holes, set the flowers in, and gently patted the soil around the roots. The second lesson on what a plant needs to help it grow was completed once they watered the plants.
Smiles and happiness all around indicated that being outside and creating a garden wasn’t just a hands-on science lesson, it was good for the soul!
With each marigold, snapdragon and artemesia the students planted, the garden grew into a rainbow of color.
Catalyst students were instrumental in creating a beautiful Community Garden in our backyard. As spring marches into summer, they will take care of the plants and learn what it means to be responsible for living organisms. They will look out on their garden with pleasure and pride, and realize that science has literally come alive for them.
About Catalyst
Catalyst Academy Charter School’s mission is to prepare all students for college, career, and life. Catalyst Academy Charter School’s core values of Belong. Grow. Achieve. reflect the school’s deep commitment to cultivating an inclusive supportive school community where everyone – children and adults – is focused on learning every day, in order for all students to define and achieve their dreams. Catalyst Academy Charter School’s education model is designed to close both the achievement and opportunity gap. The approach couples rigorous core academics with a broad offering in the arts and sciences. Students will experience STEM learning daily and arts programming four days per week. Enroll your Kinder, first or second grader today!
