Launch
Students will investigate a soil garden and a simple water garden, ask what plants need, and begin the project by naming caring, safe, and environmentally helpful actions they will use as they work toward building a hydroponic garden.
Days 1 - 2
🌱 Mystery Garden Notice & Wonder
Launch 35m
🛠️ Plant Needs Sort & Care Plan
Knowledge/Skill Building 35m
Explore & Define
Students will observe simple water-based growing setups, compare what helps plants grow, and define a class design brief for a hydroponic garden. They will use evidence from observations, pictures, and partner talk to name plant needs, environmental care choices, safe routines, and teamwork expectations before moving into building.
Days 3 - 7
🔍 Root and Water Look Closely
Knowledge/Skill Building 35m
💧 Help or Hurt Garden Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 35m
🛠️ Three Garden Ideas Compare
Research 35m
📝 Our Garden Rules Poster
Deliverable 35m
🎤 Design Brief Check Talk
Assessment 35m
Choose & Prototype
Students will compare simple hydroponic design ideas, choose a class plan using visible criteria, build a first working water garden prototype, and complete an early care-and-observe cycle with feedback and revision.
Days 8 - 12
🧠 Hydroponic Idea Sort
Knowledge/Skill Building 30m
🗳️ Garden Plan Vote Chart
Deliverable 35m
🛠️ Cup Garden Build Steps
Project Work 35m
👀 Care Check Feedback Round
Project Work 40m
📋 First Prototype Checkpoint
Assessment 30m
Test & Improve
Students will use observation evidence from their hydroponic systems to decide what to improve, make one targeted change that supports plant growth while saving water, retest with the same simple measures, and prepare for a small garden showcase where they explain what they learned and how they helped their plant grow.
Days 13 - 16
🔍 Growth Evidence Design Review
Knowledge/Skill Building 30m
🛠️ Hydroponic Fix and Retest
Project Work 35m
🖍️ Garden Talk Cards
Deliverable 35m
🌱 Little Growers Mini Showcase
Assessment 35m
Showcase
Students will present their hydroponic garden systems to visitors, explain how their design helped a plant grow using water and light, and share how their care choices supported the environment, safety, and teamwork.
Days 17 - 18
🗣️ Gallery Talk Practice
Deliverable 30m
🌱 Little Growers Gallery
Assessment 35m