By Tammy Thornton
Students at the William H. Ross III School in Margate and the H. Ashton Marsh School in Absecon have teamed up for a cross-curricular S.T.E.A.M. project that brings the classroom to the garden. Inspired by the book First Peas to the Table by Susan Grigsby, third graders from both schools planted snap peas in March hoping to be the first ones to grow a cup of peas. In the book, Grigsby tells how Thomas Jefferson held a friendly pea-growing competition every spring with neighbors of his Monticello estate and gardens. Students at the Margate and Absecon schools aren’t as concerned about who is “winning” as they are about all the amazing things they are learning through this project.
Both school groups have been documenting and sharing their questions, answers, and observations using the scientific method. Students are learning how to communicate with their peers while using experiments to discover how different methods and environmental factors affect the growth and health of their plants. Third grade teacher Jessica Cuevas, along with teacher Anita Grimley, both of the Ross School in Margate, have made this project part of the curriculum with her third grade classes since 2018. Each school year she has teamed up with Lora Blanco, third grade teacher at the Marsh School in Absecon. They are also joined by Mrs. Blanco’ co-teacher, Jennifer Person.
Circumstances make every year a little different. Due to the quarantine and lockdown of 2020, the project last year was not able to happen. This year teachers and students alike were happy and excited to resume the experiment, while following social distancing procedures. Mrs. Blanco stated, “This year with COVID, things looked a bit different, but the Google Meet was great. We are hoping to have more. I just want to add that working with Mrs. Cuevas and Mrs. Grimley has been amazing. This project helps the students see where and how their food is grown. It also allows them to collaborate with other students, ask questions, and reflect. These skills are very important to be successful in life.”
While students at the Ross School plant their peas in the school’s outdoor garden, the Marsh School uses their hydroponic garden. Years ago, Mrs. Blanco learned about hydroponic gardening through a workshop provided by AtlantiCare’s Healthy Schools, Healthy Children program. Students from both the Marsh School and the Ross School are learning how hydroponic gardening works and are able to compare the advantages and disadvantages of the two gardening methods.
Their project incorporates both good old fashioned practices, such as letter writing as a way to introduce the students to each other, as well as 21st Century technology, like Google Meets and shared Google docs. At the end of April, the classes “met” in each other’s gardens virtually through Google Meet. It was an exciting time for students to see the progress of the pea plants in the other school’s gardens. Ross School students were able to “see” how a hydroponic garden works and Marsh School students were able to virtually visit the Margate School’s raised bed garden.
Among other subjects, the cross-curricular project includes connections to math, social studies, ELA, science, technology, and art. The teachers appreciate how each year is a different learning experience. “Although the projects are unique to the groups we have that year, they never fail to thrill us all, teachers and students alike! I most enjoy the collaborative spirit shared between the two classes and the teachers, which mirrors what scientists do in real life,” said Mrs. Cuevas.
Time will tell which group will bring the “First Peas to the Table”. They hope to harvest the fruit of their labor by the end of May. But considering all that the students are learning and their enthusiasm for the project, we would say that this is a winning experience for everyone.
Tammy Thornton is a mom of four, a substitute teacher, and a Sunday school teacher. She is passionate about gardening and cooking, and loves the beach.
