K-5th Graders Grow Food

Villa Bella Expeditionary School serves kindergarten through middle schoolers, as a charter school sanctioned by Pueblo, Colorado District 70. The IFIZ program was offered as an after school enrichment program April-May 2024. The 12 students aged 3rd-5th grade met twice a week to learn about the large aquaponic system in their cafeteria space, and even assembled a MiniTank in an adjacent classroom to grow sprouts with guppies!.

The kids have grown red clover sprouts, pea sprouts lettuces and harvested all for a delicious 'salad-bration" day. They even made fresh dressing using basil grown in the large media bed! Salads were assembled, eaten (with second helpings) and not a drop of the dressing remained! Education Specialist Susan planned fun STEAM lessons with experiments. and shared NASA videos about water filtration and growing greens on the International Space Station (ISS). The cohort also incorporated art by creating Aztec-style sun clay plaques and watercolor paintings of tank fish.