ÃÛÌÒapp

Greenhouse classes are lessons and learnings that teach students how to create and maintain greenhouses. Not only do these classes help students understand biological processes – as well as the practical steps needed to take care of plants and a greenhouse – they also emphasise the importance of sustainability.

have found that greenhouses can produce approximately 15 times more per acre than field conditions. They can also reduce water consumption and integrate renewable energy sources like solar panels. It’s no wonder greenhouses are growing in popularity then – permanent greenhouses cover of the world, more than 40 times the amount 40 years ago.

For young children, greenhouses are fun, creative, and an excellent way to spend time outdoors (whilst still being indoors!). Here are four you can create your own greenhouse classes, with or without the physical greenhouse structure.

1. Plant windowsill gardens

A windowsill garden places a mini greenhouse right in your classroom! It’s a simple, and budget-friendly, project to get your students engaged with how plants grow, and how greenhouse conditions help.

First, gather clear plastic containers. These can be yoghurt pots, clear cups or takeaway boxes. They can be any size, but they have to be transparent, so that students can see the soil and roots from the outside.

Next, ask students to select their plant seeds. Cress, beans, and sunflower seeds are all good options because they sprout quickly and students can see the plant growth more easily.

Then, you need to prepare the containers by adding a few small holes in the bottom for water to drain. Each student fills their container with soil (or cotton wool) and plants their seeds. How deep and tightly packed in the soil/cotton wool will depend on the type of seed.

Add a little water to each container and place them all on the windowsill, in a space where they receive lots of sunlight. Then, get each student to set up a plant journal, where they document any changes in their plant per day. This could include when the seeds sprout, the stalk height, leaves, roots, and any other interesting events!

The windowsill gardens are an effective introduction to greenhouse principles. These gardens rely on sunlight, warmth, and a sheltered environment to flourish. It also helps students see how plants respond to light, temperature, water, and curated conditions.

2. Create a classroom greenhouse corner

With only a few basic materials and a dedicated space in the classroom, you can construct a mini greenhouse. Here, students can directly interact with ecosystems and learn how to care for plants and curate sustainable environments.

To get started, use plastic tubing to create a simple tent-like structure. You don’t need to make it big, just with enough space for a row or two of plants.

After, cover the structure with clear plastic sheeting – this will trap warmth and humidity inside, exactly how a greenhouse does. If your classroom doesn’t have much natural light, you can add some LED lights on/around the structure too.

Lastly, pot and place your plants inside the structure; fast-growing vegetables, leafy greens, and herbs in particular thrive in this setting. You can assign a rotating ‘greenhouse keeper’, where each week a different student is responsible for watering the plants, reporting plant growth, and monitoring the greenhouse conditions.

The in-classroom structure will influence more green-fingered students, and it’s a great way to stay in touch with nature during the winter months.

3. Work with local garden centres

One of the easiest ways to have greenhouse classes is to partner with a local garden centre. Doing so means that you and your students can take field trips and access more resources that are important for running a greenhouse.

Research any garden centres that are near your school and reach out asking if you can organise a visit. You might also want to consider a volunteer programme, where students can give their time to help maintain the plants in the centre. By having hands-on experience with professional greenhouses, students can more deeply connect with themes about plant care and conservation. Plus, they can see how businesses try to be cost effective and sustainable.

Another option is to host ‘Green days’ at the garden centre, having students give tours to visitors and set up presentations that teach visitors about the natural cycles that take place in greenhouses. These days encourage students to become educators, and to make sustainability a conversation for the classroom and the wider community.

4. Connect greenhouse learning to sustainability

Greenhouses can nurture beautiful plants, but they also nurture bigger conversations about the environment. Talking with your students about greenhouses can lead to deep-dives about other themes like climate change, biodiversity, and even food waste.

Link what happens inside greenhouses to what is happening around the world. For example, how greenhouse gases trap heat and contribute to global warming. Or how deforestation negatively impacts broader ecosystems. Or how resources like water and electricity have to be conserved to sustain agriculture.

Similarly, you could introduce composting programmes in response to learning about greenhouses. As students get to grips with what plants need to grow, they could set up composting bins to convert leftover food into rich nutrients for plants’ soil. This recycling can make healthier plants and reduce food waste in the school.

Along the way, you can get students to think critically about greenhouses and sustainability by asking questions like:

1. What would happen if we didn’t control/monitor the conditions in the greenhouse?
2. Why do we want to cultivate a mix of plants? Why not just one type of plant?
3. How do we know what the right amount of water/sunlight is?
4. If our greenhouse was suddenly responsible for growing food for everyone in the class, how long do you think it would last?

Growing a greener generation

Greenhouse learning is dynamic and exciting, and it stimulates environmental awareness in young people. With the above activities, your students can develop practical skills and eco-friendly behaviours. Not to mention, spending time in contact with nature is great for their mental wellbeing.

And, as climate challenges become more complex, greenhouse learning allows students to think about how to innovate, and be resilient, in the future world.

Further reading

Want more strategies to get nature in schools? Read How to teach a green curriculum and encourage environmentalism, How to use the UN Sustainable Development Goals in the classroom, and How to put climate change at the heart of education.

Ìý