Growing Young Minds - Kindergarten Resources

At SucSeed, we believe that a huge part of creating a sustainable world, is educating and empowering the youngest generation.

SucSeed gardens are an asset to classrooms all across Canada. From sensory play and STEM activities, to healthy eating and sustainability lessons, the possibilities for students are abundant.

SucSeed gardens are operating in over 1,100 classrooms across Canada, educating over 28,000 students.

The gardens act as a tool for educators to provide hands-on activities and inquiry based learning experiences.

Inclusive Education

Hydroponic gardens from SucSeed are completely accessible and inclusive while providing an exciting live learning experience for months on end which is constantly growing and changing. There are endless possibilities for children’s learning to be extended in a wide variety of avenues based on the garden experience.

Teaching for Sustainable Development

The entire experience that SucSeed provides teaches children sustainable practices without the formal process, rather through action and experience. The SucSeed garden also actively promotes and uses sustainable practices through a variety of ways such as using 90% less water for growing, minimal energy consumption, and the opportunity to grow and produce one's own fresh produce all year round which tackles food insecurity issues.

Benefits for Kindergarten Students

Language skills are enhanced while participating in the SucSeed program through conversing with peers and educators about the growth process, and through the influx of new language and vocabulary that children take in which may not normally be expressed in the school environment.

Children are communicating and working alongside one another for the communal purpose of ensuring their gardens flourish, teaching them social skills and economic and environmental responsibility and independence.

Living and constantly changing plant life provides the opportunity for a wide variety of inspired art forms based on the growth of the garden on both an individual and a group level.

Through the process of growing in the garden, children are enhancing their problem-solving skills through helping the produce grow and determining what is needed to do so, altering their plans or their methods throughout the experience based on how the plants are reacting.

Development of an understanding of how the mechanics of a hydroponic system functions with the use of a pump, air stone, tubing, light/stand, etc.

Children develop a passion for gardening; a nature based calming hobby which encourages a healthy lifestyle through action and nutrition.

With the SucSeed hydroponic garden, children are building an understanding and a confidence in their own gardening skills. This encourages self-reliance and independence. The growth of a wide variety of fresh produce opens up the conversation of what foods are healthy and nutritious for our bodies with the opportunity to actively try these healthy options. Children who grow their own produce are more likely to eat that same healthy food, and are encouraged to try new things.

Kindergarten Science Outcomes

GCO 1 is experienced through the partnership between the growth of the plants and the hydroponic DWC system, and how the two work together to create fresh produce. GCO 1 is also covered through the social and environmental contexts due to the minimal energy usage of the system and the significant water recycling.

Working together to create growth and produce plants ensures the GCO 2 skills both socially and individually as children work together and problem solve to create solutions and grow their own food.

With the SucSeed gardens, children are learning about life science concepts in a very real, physical, and hands-on way which instills their learning in a concrete manner and encourages further interest and excitement in enhancing their understanding of the covered concepts for GCO 3.

Through the year-round indoor gardening experience that SucSeed hydroponics provides, children are learning about sustainable development and tackling food insecurity in a very real way. These learning concepts are beneficial individually as well as environmentally, which contribute to GCO 4.

Teacher Testimonials

"It was so wonderful to observe daily growth and change. It was especially rewarding to enjoy the food we grew together! Students love the daily observations, the discussions and the fact that we are able to grown food together. Sustainability is discussed in many areas and they hear the word thrown around without meaning sometimes. This experience encourages and empowers them to actually witness and experience growing our own food."
Tanya Moriarty

"The garden was easy to set up and grew our produce beautifully. The students were able to help maintain the garden and helped to create a salad bar with the lettuce that we grew."
Laura Oickle

"I have been teaching for 20 years and I have to say, growing produce in our Hydroponic System has been my highlight! Watching my students come into the classroom each morning and to see their smiles/excitement as well as, the conversations the system would bring about has been wonderful! Together as a class, we began growing lettuce and we did two harvests. We invited other Grade levels in to see the produce, we shared in the taste testing and our class had a salad each along with some fruit for Nutrition Month! Overall, the system has served as a great learning tool, an inspirational resource for struggling learners and children with emotional needs and it has inspired parents as well as, myself and other teachers to purchase our own system for personal use! Thank you for providing us with this very positive experience!"
Nancy Dyckson