NordPlus Junior project „School Community Greenhouse”

The idea of a school community greenhouse brings together all levels of education, inviting the whole school community to turn to nature by planting, growing, exploring plants and creating greenhouses together. Project period: 2022 – 2024.

During the School Community Greenhouse project, the partners will share their experience and knowledge with each other, which will form the basis for the development of a common curriculum. The project activities are aimed at the whole school community: kindergarten children, primary, middle and secondary school students. Throughout the project, interdisciplinary cooperation between teachers is encouraged, as well as joint activities involving children from different levels of education.

Each project partner is responsible for taking expertise for specific topics.

The logo was designed by Lasnamäe Gümnaasium student Sofiya Russova.

Pažinimo medis are responsible for the coordination and management, technological knowledge in the construction of the greenhouses, as well as methodologies for inquiry-based learning. Within this project, the school also collaborates with its long-term social partner Vilnius Tech.

Lasnamäe Gümnaasium are responsible for scientific methods, practical experiments, cross-curricular issues related to greenhouse and gardening.

Krotes Kronvalda Ata Primary School are responsible for methods related to gardening that foster inquiry competences and collaboration among children of different age groups (kindergarten, primary school and secondary school), also – healthy lifestyle issues.

Buskerud Secondary school are responsible for the issues regarding organic waste management in relation to bio-circular economy (recirculation of organic resource), organic gardening and composting, knowledge of agricultural processes.

The Project is being implemented in 5 stages:

1. Experience exchange among teachers of the teaching methods and approaches related to STEAM subjects with Secondary school (12-16 years old) children. Development and test of the specific activities related to greenhouse and gardening. Four partner meetings – one in each participating country – are going to be organised during this stage.
2. Development of the cross-curricular STEAM based greenhouse program and building an inclusive school community culture based on gardening activities.
3. Approbation of the developed program. This activity gives partners the possibility to identify weak spots of the developed part of the program, and to make necessary changes, corrections and improvements.
4. Publicity activities.
5. Project management.

Meeting in Vilnius

The first partner meeting took place in Vilnius, in October 13-17, 2022. During the visit partners from four different countries got acquainted with each other, worked on the detailed project work plan, shared responsibilities, discussed different education methods. They also had a great possibility to visit two VU Botanical Gardens in order to get inspiration for the future projects and spent some time with  „Pažinimo medis” children.

The next meeting is planned to be in Estonia, at Lasnamäe Gümnaasium, in March, 2023. Until then, all partners are going to develop new methods related to gardening activities, work with their students and prepare to share their experiences and discoveries with each other in Tallin.

Meeting in Tallinn

The second meeting of the project partners took place from 30 March to 3 April in Tallinn at the Lasnamäe Gümnaasium. During the meeting, lithuanians, latvians and norwegians got acquainted with the school and the Estonian education system, observed biology lessons of the 11th grade and science lessons of the 6th grade students, discussed the STEAM activities implemented at the school, visited the educational spaces of the Gymnasium. At the end of the meeting all group spent some time at the Botanical and Zoological Gardens of Tallinn.

During the meeting, each project partner shared their experience of implementing educational activities related to greenhouse construction, plant growing, STEAM research in schools. „Pažinimo medis” team shared the research methodology they are using with the 8th grade students to study the impact of fertilisers on radish cultivation, how the 8th and 9th grade students are doing in building smart greenhouses, and introduced the partners to the guidelines that will be used in the next phase of the project for the development of methodological material. Representatives from Krotes Kronvalda Ata School shared their experience of implementing plant-related STEAM activities with kindergarten and primary school pupils. A teacher from Buskerud Secondary School showed how to carry out research on composting organic waste. Teachers from Lasnamäe Gümnaasium shared their experience of growing vegetables under different lighting conditions and their plans to build a greenhouse in the school yard in the near future.

Meeting in Amot

The third partner meeting convened from 23rd to 27th August 2023 in Amot, a Norwegian town neighboring Drammen, home to Buskerund High School. Throughout the gathering, educators embarked on a tour of various departments within Buskerund School. They were enlightened on composting methodologies for diverse waste generated within the school premises, emphasizing its ecological benefits. Moreover, insights were shared regarding ongoing student-led research endeavors in this realm, alongside the application of circular economy principles within the school’s framework.

In line with tradition, a visit to the Oslo Botanical Garden was arranged, providing a botanical perspective. Additionally, educators explored the exhibits at the Natural History Museum, notably impressed by the zoological displays and presentations on climate change. Working sessions facilitated the exchange of research findings among participating teachers. The Lithuanian contingent detailed their achievements in constructing innovative smart greenhouses and outlined a study focusing on fertilizer impacts on radish cultivation, along with forthcoming STEAM research endeavors for the upcoming school year.

Estonian partners shared updates on their community greenhouse, underscoring student enthusiasm and engagement, along with plans to advance research on light’s influence on plant productivity. Colleagues from Latvia showcased pupil-designed plant watering systems and discussed preparations for the subsequent project partners’ meeting scheduled for October in Liepaja.

Meeting in Krote

The fourth partner meeting took place at Krotes Kronvalda Ata Primary School in Latvia from October 19th to 22nd, 2023, attended by teachers and project coordinators from Norway, Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania.

During the visit, partners toured Krotes Primary School and kindergarten, observing and evaluating projects related to agriculture prepared by students of the 4-H club (https://4-h.org/about/). Teachers familiarized themselves with the school’s structure, observed constructed greenhouses, irrigation systems, and experiments conducted in enclosed ecosystems prepared by students. During working sessions, partners discussed the structure and format of the upcoming final meeting in Vilnius in April, preparing project materials for concluding tasks.

Of particular note was the visit to a unique garden, where the artistry of nature was on full display—chairs, lampshades, and various other items were cultivated from willow branches, sparking curiosity and admiration among the visiting educators, further highlighting the innovative spirit and creativity flourishing within the region.

The final project event in Vilnius

The concluding event of the NordPlus project „School Community Greenhouse” was organized by the project coordinators – „Pažinimo medžio” school. Participants from Latvia’s Krotes Kronvalda primary school and Estonia’s Lasnamae Gymnasium were invited to take part in the international STEAM week, which took place from April 8-12 in Vilnius. At the same time, students and teachers from Slovakia and Romania also visited the gymnasium, further enhancing opportunities for cultural exchange and international communication.

The week-long program of STEAM activities at „Pažinimo medžio” gymnasium encouraged students and teachers to showcase innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Partners in the NordPlus project shared discovered and refined educational methods over the two-year period, exchanging experiences and participating in various practical STEAM activities related to plants and nature. Results of student research on composting were presented, workshops on constructing greenhouses and green walls were organized, along with sessions on making herbal soap. Additionally, there was an excursion to picturesque natural sites in Lithuania.

Visits to „Pažinimo medžio” kindergartens allowed participants to experience the true value of the two-year partnership – the greenhouse constructed by gymnasium students already boasted the first spring seedlings, inviting children to explore plants and practically study horticulture. Latvian partners led workshops where young gardeners could learn vegetable names in various languages, while Lithuanians organized decorating sessions with stones and clay pots made by children using acrylic paints. The community at the „Pažinimo medžio” school branch in Kaunas warmly welcomed the project coordinators and participants. Estonians presented children with a practical activity with a twist – once the planted crops sprout, preschoolers will have to identify them and may even taste them! The visit to the Vytautas Magnus University Botanical Garden allowed for a deeper understanding of nature, hearing informative stories about plant diversity, planting, and care.

The „School Community Greenhouse” project will continue until the end of 2024. After a break and returning to work following the final event, teachers from Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Norway will continue working with the project’s methodological material to prepare two publications – a Teacher’s Book and Exercise Book for students – which will ensure the long-term sustainability of the project.