STUDENTS GROWING THROUGH URBAN GARDENING.
Hands-on experience with living things is critical for a child's early science learning, and it is sorely lacking in cement-covered areas of downtown Los Angeles.
Astellas USA Foundation recently partnered with GrowingGreat®, a Los Angeles nonprofit organization, to help them empower children, many of whom recently came to the United States, to grow up healthy, and teach them where food comes from and how to grow and eat healthy foods. This is achieved through providing STEM experiences to inspire grades PreK-2 at Para Los Niños's Gratts Primary Center to become scientists and engineers, while also improving English literacy. Para Los Niños's mission is to help children and their families succeed in school and in life.
In partnership with GrowingGreat and Para Los Niños, Astellas USA Foundation funded “From Bean Seeds to Frijoles: STEM Learning Begins”—a new program to bring STEM to life in school gardens and teach urban gardening skills to 1,400 inner-city Los Angeles K-1st graders, siblings and families at Gratts Primary Center (where the average annual family household salary is $16,607).
Building on last year’s program success, Astellas USA Foundation will continue its support of GrowingGreat at Gratts Primary Center by expanding funding support for the addition of two new gardens at Para Los Niños Head Start locations in the Los Angeles neighborhoods of Hollywood and Atwater Village. Three other Head Starts locations will host Astellas USA Foundation’s Science WoRx STEM activities, including projects with apples, beans and celery. GrowingGreat will offer early childhood garden, nutrition, hands-on science and literacy activities at professional development sessions for preschool teachers from all five Head Starts. Additionally, though the Foundation’s support, GrowingGreat will offer parent education programs in Spanish and English, teaching both healthy recipes and hands-on science activities to help parents be involved in their children’s education.
In a GrowingGreat garden, becoming an engineer or scientist starts with solving problems like an engineer or scientist does.
- SCIENCE:What foods do our bodies need to grow up healthy? What do worms and insects do in the garden?
- TECHNOLOGY: How do farmers use technology to help crops grow? Can a drone plant seeds?
- ENGINEERING: What can you build to give plants the right amount of water? How do “simple machines” combine to make complex tools and tractors?
- MATH: How much soil do you need for a garden box? Why do different types of farm equipment use different size wheels?
“From Bean Seeds to Frijoles: STEM Learning Begins” is integrated with national and state standards for STEM education, including a literacy component for children learning English. Astellas USA Foundation's STEM program takes place both in the classroom and in the garden on the school's second level, above the grit and bustle of the city of Los Angeles. While in the garden, children love growing vegetables in a safe, green oasis surrounded by skyscrapers. They also learn valuable lessons about how to grow their own food in small spaces, including how to grow potatoes in a garbage bag!
The Astellas STEM Garden provides an opportunity for the community to work together in this mission, furthering the sustainability of the program. The teachers, children and their families come together to eat from the garden, sharing recipes and education on how to grow gardens for those living in small spaces, as well as life skills.
