Ms. Johnson’s entire 7th grade class at Agawam Junior High School will learn about and realize the sustainability of hydroponic systems and greenhouses and be encouraged to start a system of their own at home. To further their awareness of the world around them, their mature lettuce plants will be donated to a local soup kitchen. Students have been studying energy efficiency and the importance of being responsible for how we use energy. Here's what they’ll be learning:

• Hydroponics: students are introduced to and learn the advantages of hydroponic gardening. (recycling of water, nutrients, growing in small areas, reducing transportation needs)
• Greenhouses: students design, construct, and test a mini-greenhouse. (concepts of heat transfer, heat efficiency)

They will learn about the transfer of energy to and from the environment, about how to make an argument supported by evidence that human activities and technologies can mitigate the impact of increases in population and per capita consumption of natural resources. They will become able to describe how matter and energy are conserved in an ecosystem, as they conduct an investigation to determine the relationships among the energy transferred and how well the type of matter retains or radiates heat.

For two months, students will be introduced to hydroponics, reviewing photosynthesis, learning what is needed to build a system, and actually design a hydroponic system that traces the recycling of water throughout the system. They will also plant lettuce seeds, choosing either soil or hydroponics, recording all results in a journal. In pairs, students build mini greenhouses, researching different designs, drawing a 3D blueprint of their design, building and then testing it for heat efficiency.

Budget needed:

1. Onetime purchase to expand hydroponic system:

1. Hydrofarm vented dome ($5.50) x 3 = $16.50

2. Submersible water pump = $21.99

3. 2ft x 2ft flood table ($40.00) x 4 = $160.00

4. Plant nutrients = $25.00

2. Biannual purchase for greenhouse construction:

1. Transparency sheets (100ct) = $13.00

2. Bags of balsa wood strips ($7.99) x 3 = $23.97

3. Jumbo wood sticks-3pk ($4.85) x 6 = $29.00

4. Hot gun glue sticks (100ct) = $4.18

5. Rapid rooter – 50 cells & plugs ($22.84) x 3 = $68.50

6. Potting soil (12 qt bag) = $9.00

7. Miscellaneous items = $29.00

8.  TOTAL = $400.00

Back Up Plan