When education meets innovation, the results can be transformative. Lisa LaDriere-Konan, an educator at Yates Elementary, has exemplified this beautifully by leveraging a grant to cultivate meaningful learning experiences for her students. With a funded grant through SCSDEF that enabled the purchase of gardening and plant biology materials, Lisa has enriched the school’s outdoor learning classroom and introduced a new dimension of hands-on education that blends science, math, and literacy.

Planting Seeds of Knowledge and Curiosity

The grant was allocated to create comprehensive science-based opportunities for kindergarten through 5th-grade students at Yates Elementary. The aim? To engage students with immersive lessons in plant biology and environmental care while fostering their connection to the great outdoors. Through guided activities in the garden, Lisa has been helping her students understand where food comes from and the critical importance of nurturing the natural environment.

With the materials funded by the grant, each grade level at Yates participated in 5-7 engaging lessons throughout the school year. Highlights of these lessons include:

Kindergarteners: Enjoying a story about carrots and tasting different varieties and colors of carrots harvested fresh from the school garden.
1st Graders: Learning about seed dispersal through a blend of storytelling and hands-on planting activities including planting seeds from their science kit.
2nd Graders: Exploring why leaves change color and conducting leaf pigment experiments during their corresponding science unit.
3rd Graders: Discussing Native American cultural practices and applying math skills to calculate how much maple sap is needed to make maple syrup. They did this prior to going on a field trip where they saw the process of making maple syrup.
4th Graders: Practicing measuring skills to create seed tapes and planting a Three Sisters garden, tying into their study of Native Americans.
5th Graders: Focusing on food webs and Earth's freshwater availability to prepare for their state science tests.

Additionally, Lisa got more students across grade levels interested and involved in the school garden!

Lisa’s curriculum didn’t stop with the students though. With the librarian teaming up for joint lessons and some teachers borrowing materials to conduct their own classes, this grant has fostered a collaborative spirit throughout Yates Elementary’s staff.

Achievements Sprouting from Innovation

Lisa describes her biggest win as successfully aligning garden lessons with the existing curriculum. Whether it was incorporating math through seed measurements or linking outdoor experiments to literacy lessons, each activity built on classroom learning in ways students found exciting and memorable.

She’s especially proud of the enthusiasm her students displayed. From stopping her in hallways with eager questions to sharing their garden observations, the engagement levels have been phenomenal. Lisa notes that this excitement translates to a deeper understanding of science and the environment.

“I see so much potential to expand on this program,” Lisa shares. “Next year, I’ll start from September with all the materials I now have. This will allow me to develop even more lessons specific to each grade level and offer students fresh, meaningful experiences throughout the year.

Sowing Community Impact

Perhaps most impressive is the ripple effect Lisa’s project has had on the Yates Elementary community:

Student Enthusiasm: Children feel an active connection to their school garden, eagerly engaging with lessons and sharing their observations.
Teacher Collaboration: Other educators at Yates have incorporated the grant-funded materials into their own classes, multiplying the impact of Lisa’s efforts.
Lifelong Lessons: By introducing students to gardening and food origins at an early age, Lisa is equipping them with an understanding of sustainability and environmental stewardship.

Looking Ahead

Lisa’s garden program has laid the groundwork for a long-term vision. Her goal? To create a year-long series of lessons tailored for every grade, ensuring that students at Yates grow up with a well-rounded and deeply engaging science education. She also has plans to include pre- and post-assessment methods to measure the academic impact of her lessons. Through ongoing adjustments, additional materials, and strategic assessment, Lisa is demonstrating how small steps can lead to big changes in education.

Empowering the Future Through Education

Lisa LaDriere-Konan’s dedication and innovative teaching approach are a testament to the power of grant funding in education. By bridging curriculum with hands-on activities in an outdoor setting, she has inspired curiosity, encouraged confidence, and planted the seeds for a love of science and nature in her students.

To educators everywhere, Lisa’s accomplishments underscore how creativity and resourcefulness can drive meaningful change—not only in classrooms but in entire communities. SCSDEF is incredibly grateful to have helped fund this opportunity. Cheers to the many bright futures that will grow from these garden-inspired lessons!