Native Neighbors vs Garden Strangers: Do Native Seeds or Store Bought Grow Best?
Plants and the Environment- Grade:
- PreK
- Teacher:
- Amy Acuna
At Valley View Preschool in Tucson, our "Nature Protectors" consulted the Little Red Hen as a local expert to research the plant life cycle and the importance of environmental stewardship. We hypothesized that native seeds would have a "home-field advantage" over store-bought varieties because they are already adapted to our scarce desert resources. Four classes worked together to test this by planting different vegetables, observing that the native "parent" seeds consistently grew better than the store-bought visitors. This project proved that choosing plants "at home" in Arizona is the best way for young scientists to help our desert thrive.
Such a great project. You all looked like you enjoyed working in the garden and completing your research for your project. I really enjoyed your photos.
You approached this challenge like a true engineer—creative, determined, and thoughtful.”
Amazing job to the educators leading the charge and to the young scientists on a project well done!
I love the preparation to test your ideas!
It makes me happy to hear that so many young scientist “Nature Protectors” live nearby in Tucson. Well done, students. Enjoy your experience at SARSEF and stay curious.