The Vertical Farm Experience Inspires Learning and Healthy Living​

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The vertical farm isn’t just a teaching tool—it’s a platform for growth. Students learn to think like scientists, eat like nutritionists, communicate like business owners, and care like community leaders. By weaving together STEM and health with hands-on experience, you’re planting the seeds for a healthier, more empowered generation.

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A Grade-by-Grade Guide for

Elementary Educators

 

Bring your classroom to life—literally! A vertical farm is more than just a garden. It’s a living lab where students explore science, health, and sustainability in ways that feel real, relevant, and exciting. Here’s how the vertical farm learning module can enrich your curriculum from kindergarten through fifth grade:

 

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Kindergarten:

Spark Curiosity About Life and Change

 

Introduce young learners to the wonders of water and the basic needs of living things. As they care for growing plants, they observe how water helps things grow and begin to understand the life cycles and change over time—key concepts that build a strong foundation in science and critical thinking.

 

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First Grade:

Nurture Responsibility and Healthy Habits

 

Use the vertical farm to show how plants need nutrients, air, water, light, and space—and how we share those needs too. Tie this to nutrition by connecting plant foods to MyPlate food groups, helping students understand how what they grow is what they eat. Emphasize hygienic practices as they care for plants, linking science to real-life health behaviors.

 

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Second Grade:

Discover the Power of Plants

 

Bring plant life cycles to life and help students appreciate plants as essential natural resources. Teach how plants are grown and harvested—then take it further: show how they fuel our bodies and help us make smarter food choices throughout the day. Encourage kids to connect what they grow to what goes on their plate at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks.

 

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Third Grade:

Explore Ecosystems and Real-World Wellness

 

Highlight the role of plants in ecosystems and how they support not just nature, but our own health. Use the vertical farm to explain the difference between “whole foods” and “refined foods”—empowering students to choose “food from a farm, not a factory.” Give them ownership of their food choices in a way that’s hands-on and memorable.

 

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Fourth Grade:

Shine a Light on Photosynthesis and Protein

 

Help students grasp the science of photosynthesis by watching it unfold in real-time. Then, dive into nutrition—introducing plant-based proteins and why they matter. Equip students to think critically about “factory foods” and inspire them with easy, healthy plant-based snack ideas they can make and share.

 

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Fifth Grade:

Connect Energy, Matter, and

Meaningful Change

 

Make physical science relevant through discussions of energy and matter in plants and people. Deepen students’ understanding of macronutrients and micronutrients, and challenge them to take action—designing real marketing materials to promote healthy eating habits at home and in school. This is STEM, health, and leadership in action.

 

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Let’s grow something amazing—together. 🌱