School Hydroponics Program: Students in STEM

Green Our Planet’s STEM School Hydroponics Program helps students stay engaged and perform better, especially in low-performing schools. Research shows that school gardens, including hydroponics for schools, make learning more interactive, build community, and boost teacher satisfaction. Explore our hydroponics program to see if it's the right fit for your school!

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Hydroponics Connect
to STEM

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Hydroponics-based STEM learning curricula

Green Our Planet’s Hydroponics Curriculum is STEMworks-accredited and inspires children and adults to connect to the magic and science of growing food while integrating Next Generation Science Standards. Written by a group of CCSD teachers, the curriculum provides lessons on different aspects of hydroponics for every level.

Apply for a Hydroponic Garden

STEMworks Accreditation

HydroConnect is the only hydroponics program in the U.S. with STEMworks accreditation, designed to align with Next Generation Science Standards. This method of growing plants without soil allows students to engage in hands-on learning that supports STEM education and food production.

Explore Hydroponics for Your School With HydroConnect

HydroConnect provides a hands-on way for students to dive into STEM through hydroponics. With clear lesson plans, expert guidance, and a supportive community of teachers, it’s easy for any school to get a hydroponics program up and running. Whether you're looking to boost your science lessons or teach sustainable farming, HydroConnect has the resources you need to bring hydroponics into your classroom.

Content: Our program offers K-12 STEM, health, and financial literacy curricula aligned with Next Generation Science Standards, plus lesson videos, 1 commercial hydroponics unit, 19 tabletop units, and more.

Community: Connect with teachers nationwide through the Magic Garden Portal, sharing insights and experiences in teaching STEM with hydroponic labs.

Coaching: Get access to virtual workshops and personalized 1:1 support from a Green Our Planet coach.

Content

  • Green Our Planet's PreK-5 Garden STEM Curriculum, MS-HS Health Curriculum, and K-12 Financial Literacy Lessons
  • Access to Green Our Planet's Virtual Academy video lessons
  • A digital library of resources, guides, printables, andmore

Community

  • Membership to Green Our Planet's Magic Garden Portal
  • Connection to teachers across the nation teaching STEM using outdoor gardens

Coaching

  • Live, online support from our expert team of coaches for one year
  • Access to 16+ topics of online workshops for teachers
Join a 20-Minute Webinar to Learn More
Two kids looking at a hydroponic grown plant.

Impact of Our School Hydroponics Program

100%
of teachers using our program weekly rated our Virtual Academy Videos, which support STEM Standards, as effective or highly effective.
94%
of teachers who use our program weekly consider our STEM standards-based curriculum to be effective or highly effective.
71%
of parents shared that their children discussed school gardens and hydroponics with them outside of school.
66%
of teachers using our programs noticed an improvement in school culture and climate.
Students holding plants grown from hydroponics program
See Our Impact Study

What is Hydroponics

Are you keen to create a garden program at your school/library or workplace?

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Portal

Embark on a journey in the magic portal

Join the movement

Resources

We give the gift of knowledge, knowhow, tools and a helping hand every chance we get through various training and workshops for educators to learn how to maintain their school garden and hydroponics systems.

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What is Hydroponics?

What is Hydroponics

Hydroponics is the science of cultivating plants in a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil, where the water does the “work” of delivering nutrients to the plant’s roots. Because the roots are bathed in a nutrient solution, there is constant nourishment for the plants.

Manage Everything

Most hydroponic systems are kept indoors, which allows students to improve plant production by controlling the temperature and lighting schedules.

Students can also control the pH and nutrients of the nutrient solution to make sure plants get the exact nourishment they need.

Grow Vegetables Anywhere

Since hydroponic gardens don’t require soil and can be kept indoors, they are perfect for schools that can’t grow plants outside in the winter. Indoor, climate-controlled hydroponic systems make food production and education possible any time of the year in any weather condition.

01
What is Hydroponics?

What is Hydroponics?

Hydroponics is the science of cultivating plants in a nutrient-rich solution instead of soil, where the water does the “work” of delivering nutrients to the plant’s roots. Because the roots are bathed in a nutrient solution, there is constant nourishment for the plants.

02
Grow Vegetables Anywhere

Grow Vegetables Anywhere

Since hydroponic gardens don’t require soil and can be kept indoors, they are perfect for schools that can’t grow plants outside in the winter. Indoor, climate-controlled hydroponic systems make food production and education possible any time of the year in any weather condition.

03
Produce More, Faster

Produce More, Faster

To increase planting density and food production, our hydroponic systems are designed to make use of vertical space.

One fifth-grade classroom hydroponic system with two growing levels and taking up 3’ x 4’ of space can grow up to 208 plants, which is the same amount of food as four  8’ x 4’ outdoor garden beds would produce.

04
Manage Everything

Manage Everything

Most hydroponic systems are kept indoors, which allows students to improve plant production by controlling the temperature and lighting schedules.

Students can also control the pH and nutrients of the nutrient solution to make sure plants get the exact nourishment they need.

Discover Boundless Wonder

Apply for HydroConnect

Every school enrolled in our Hydroponics Program receives the support of a Green Our Planet Hydroponic Coordinator. The coordinator guides each school through the process of creating a sustainable hydroponics program and trains the teachers and students to set up and maintain their hydroponic gardens.

"We saw a 20% raise in our test scores!"

Content

  • Green Our Planet's PreK-5 Garden STEM Curriculum, MS-HS Health Curriculum, and K-12 Financial Literacy Lessons
  • Access to Green Our Planet's Virtual Academy video lessons
  • A digital library of resources, guides, printables, andmore

Community

  • Membership to Green Our Planet's Magic Garden Portal
  • Connection to teachers across the nation teaching STEM using outdoor gardens

Coaching

  • Live, online support from our expert team of coaches for one year
  • Access to 16+ topics of online workshops for teachers

Shirley Jiminez

Principal, Cartwright Elementary

Testimonials

Teacher

in Matteson, IL

The student involvement, passion, and excitement has been amazing!  The highlight of my day occurs when I enter classrooms and seeing students light up, knowing the "Hydroponics Lady" is here, helping students germinate, grow, and harvest their own plants, and witnessing the contagious joy of gardening.  One moment that will stick with me is when I received an email from a 2nd grade student and his mother, expressing her appreciation for providing her child with hydroponics gardening opportunities, and asking when and if she is able to volunteer!
“In 2009, I planted the kitchen garden on the South Lawn of the White House. And as those seedlings started to sprout, so did a national conversation about the way we feed our children, the impact of healthy food on underserved communities, and the beautiful things that happen when young people come together in a garden.So I couldn’t be more proud of Ciara Byrne, one of our 2019 #ObamaFellows, who’s growing gardens like these across the desert to not only help kids learn science and math, but also understand the importance of taking care of our planet. Keep up the good work, @greenourplanet!”

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States

Teacher

at Northville Central School, Northville, NY

I love to see the excitement in the students as they grow and learn about plants in general. I have never seen children so excited about eating a salad. The students are curious and ask wonderful questions that we are trying to solve together as we all grow and learn with the systems.
“In 2009, I planted the kitchen garden on the South Lawn of the White House. And as those seedlings started to sprout, so did a national conversation about the way we feed our children, the impact of healthy food on underserved communities, and the beautiful things that happen when young people come together in a garden.So I couldn’t be more proud of Ciara Byrne, one of our 2019 #ObamaFellows, who’s growing gardens like these across the desert to not only help kids learn science and math, but also understand the importance of taking care of our planet. Keep up the good work, @greenourplanet!”

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States

Teacher

at St. Mary’s Catholic School in Albuquerque, NM

Every time my middle school students come into class, they get out their plant log books and go straight to the Deep Water Culture Systems to check out their plants (they do all this without my saying a word). It’s pretty awesome to see them so excited.
“In 2009, I planted the kitchen garden on the South Lawn of the White House. And as those seedlings started to sprout, so did a national conversation about the way we feed our children, the impact of healthy food on underserved communities, and the beautiful things that happen when young people come together in a garden.So I couldn’t be more proud of Ciara Byrne, one of our 2019 #ObamaFellows, who’s growing gardens like these across the desert to not only help kids learn science and math, but also understand the importance of taking care of our planet. Keep up the good work, @greenourplanet!”

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States

Teacher

at Richard H Hungerford School, Staten Island, NY

One moment that sticks with me is when one of the students was shocked that we were able to grow vegetables inside. We started our seeds a week prior and he didn't believe we would be able to get it to sprout. Once the broccoli started growing big, he was in absolute amazement. He was so genuinely amazed by the growth, he looks forward to coming to my class everyday.
“In 2009, I planted the kitchen garden on the South Lawn of the White House. And as those seedlings started to sprout, so did a national conversation about the way we feed our children, the impact of healthy food on underserved communities, and the beautiful things that happen when young people come together in a garden.So I couldn’t be more proud of Ciara Byrne, one of our 2019 #ObamaFellows, who’s growing gardens like these across the desert to not only help kids learn science and math, but also understand the importance of taking care of our planet. Keep up the good work, @greenourplanet!”

Michelle Obama

Former First Lady of the United States

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Environmental Science

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Community

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Food Justice

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Where We Grow

Green Our Planet Inspiring Growth Across America

Green Our Planet’s STEM Outdoor School Garden Program
Green Our Planet’s STEM School Hydroponics Program

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