Seventh Grade Plants Hydroponics System

Shorecrest seventh graders set up plants in a brand-new hydroponics system. This project is a fun, hands-on way for students to learn about the chemistry of life, ecosystems, sustainability and how their choices impact the environment.

This project began last summer, when Ms. LoDico attended the Georgia Coastal Ecosystems LTER Schoolyard Program on Sapelo Island—a hands-on professional development experience that connects real science to the classroom. As part of her experience, Ms. LoDico wrote and submitted a proposal showing how Shorecrest seventh grade students would use aquaponics and hydroponics to enhance real-world science learning. Thanks to a grant received from the proposal, Shorecrest Middle School now has fully functional systems in which students are growing herbs and vegetables from seed, raising cherry shrimp, and learning to monitor and manage water quality.

The seeds were included with the hydroponic kits, allowing students to choose what to grow, giving them ownership and excitement from day one. The grade hopes to wrap it all up with a harvest party, complete with snacks made from what students grew themselves.

Students shared about their experiences with the project:

"The hydroponic gardens in our classroom serve as a way to grow from and resources without using many resources or time. Plants in a hydroponic system grow faster, and make fun decorative items for your wall, windowsill, or even living rooms! This system uses water mixed with nutrients to grow plants without any dirt or pots. All you need is a hydroponic “tank”, seeds and seed pods, and nutrient filled water. At home this can be a way to satisfy a plant loving child’s assortment of plants without taking up much space!"
- Gwen B. '31

"This project teaches me so much about sustainability and taking care of the environment that I never knew before! This project helps me understand that there are many different ways that you can produce vegetables, crops and even aquaponics! I never knew that you could do any of that before these labs. Our goal is to eventually get to a point where we can eat the plants. I am excited to get to eat something that we grew. I really like cherry tomatoes, which is what our group chose to plant, so I’m excited to try them and see what they taste like!"
- Ally D. '31

“I feel like hydroponics is really teaching us how we humans can grow food smarter, not harder. It really shows how much more efficient growing plants in water can be compared to growing them on farms, which take up so much more space, time and water. In places that farms can’t exist, they could just farm vertically using hydroponics, which in my opinion seems pretty awesome. I find it particularly interesting how this method of plant growing could literally be how astronauts make salads on Mars one day!”
- Florencia E. '31