Bronx students enjoy hands-on learning in hydroponic classrooms. Here's more on what it's all about.
Bringing nature into a classroom is one of the missions for an organization called New York Sun Works.
The nonprofit does it by incorporating hydroponic farming, which consists of technology to grow plants without soil and only using water.
The lessons have been "amazing for our students"
Classrooms are one of many places where young minds grow. In special education teacher Raisa Maruri's class at the Bronx School for Continuous Learners more than minds are sprouting.
"Children learn by doing and this year the children with special needs and they need the sensory input in everything they do. They need to see, they need to touch, they need to hear. They need to use the senses to learn. So this approach has been something amazing for our students," Maruri said.
Manuela Zamora, executive director of New York Sun Works, said the hands-on approach is being taught throughout the city.
"We're in 250 public schools in the five boroughs. So very proud to be here in the Bronx. And they're reaching students from traditional schools to District 75 schools, like the one we're visiting today," Zamora said.
With each station, students learn about the different phases of germination.
Fifth graders at Bronx School for Continuous Learners spoke about what they've learned and love about the new style of learning in their classroom.
"They can grow plants with water and nutrients," Richard Lopez said.
"It's fun to learn because we like to grow plants a lot," Hallie Medina added.
You are what you eat
Zamora and Maruri said the hydroponic lab also introduces students to healthier eating habits.
"We believe this is a wonderful way for every student to learn about science, about growing food and also about, you know, harvesting the enormous amount of food that students grow in the classroom, hundreds of pounds of vegetables every year that is consumed by the students in the classroom, but also distributed among their communities," Zamora said.
"At the same time that we are teaching nutrition, because most of the children come over here and they want to eat chips. So we are working to move this into a little bit into more healthier," Maruri said.
To learn more about the hydroponic classrooms, .
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