Written by Allison Flowerdew
The 7th graders aren’t the only farmers at HMS. Oh no, the 6th graders are farming, too! I stopped in to visit Mr. Callahan and Ms. Laberge’s classrooms to see what was happening with their Hooked on Aquaponics grant.
When Mr. Callahan asked the students to explain how the tank works, a student proudly announced, “The fish poop in the water and it fertilizes the plants and the plants clean the water.” The student knew his stuff! They are currently growing basil and they decided to taste their latest crop while I was there. Thumbs up for the basil! After they harvest the basil, they are going to try growing a spider plant and mustard greens. Eventually, they would like to give their food to the cafeteria, so they can incorporate it into the menu. They are having a tough time keeping the fish alive, but more fish are coming and Mr. Callahan says he’s going to start singing to them to make them happy ;)! The kids LOVE the fish!
I crossed the hall to Ms. Laberge’s classroom to see how they were doing. They are growing basil and oregano! They have two fish in their tank. If you look closely, you can see the fish in the pictures below. I’m thinking Ms. Laberge has a lovely singing voice.
Thank you Mr. Callahan and Ms. Laberge for allowing me into your classroom and thank you for providing this wonderful learning opportunity to the students!