Bedford Village Fourth Graders Explore the School’s Garden

“Look how long this root is!” a Bedford Village Elementary School student yelled out to her peers in the garden. After spending some time planting zinnia seeds, students in Karinna Martorano’s fourth-grade class were excited about their weeding discoveries. There were roly-polies, a spider and super stubborn weeds that took teamwork to pull out.

Before weeding, parent volunteers Sarah Bergin and Franciela Gerent gathered students around empty garden beds to talk to them about plants.

“Does anyone know how plants are different from humans in how they get their food?” Bergin asked.

“Plants get their food from water and soil and light. We have to eat,” Sylvie said.

From there, they discussed the fact that plants are autotrophs (organisms that produce their own food) that make their food via photosynthesis. Once students were knowledgeable about what plants need to survive, they were ready to get their hands dirty.

“Why do you think there are holes in the bottom of these pots?” Bergin asked as each student got their own pot that they will eventually take home.

“If you pour too much water it could die, so the holes let the extra water out,” a student answered.

Between planting their zinnia seeds and starting to weed—which Gerent told students they need to do so that their plants don’t have to compete with weeds for nutrients—students were full of thoughtful questions.

“What if it rains and the plant gets really wet?”

“Are there any weeds with thorns out here?”

“Will these be flowers the next time we see you?”

The weeding itself was an unexpected highlight. Some students focused on small little patches of weeds, pulling and inspecting them. Others went for huge clusters, using all of their strength to pull them out and holding up big clumps to show their friends and staff.

Before heading back inside, Martorano had one request: “Please make sure we don’t have any critters with us!”