Indoor Gardening Curriculum
In the spring of 2017, AK AITC was awarded a grant from the National Agriculture in the Classroom organization to develop this resource. This work is supported in part by the Agriculture in the Classroom Grant no. 2017-38858 from the USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Development was also supported by a grant from the Alaska Farm Bureau and an EPA grant in collaboration with the University of Alaska.
This curriculum is a compilation of lessons developed by the Alaska Agriculture in the Classroom program, the National Agriculture in the Classroom (NAITC) organization, and educators throughout Alaska who have reviewed and piloted many of these activities.
If you do use the lessons and find things that need changing or clarification, please feel free to give us feedback and help in making them the best possible resource for Alaska teachers and students. If you have a lesson you have developed and would like to be included in our list, please feel free to share it with us and we will consider adding it.
Evaluation:
If you have time and would like to evaluate the curriculum lessons to help us improve them, please fill out this evaluation form and send it back to Mel. Download the form HERE
Email Mel Sikes at alaska.agintheclassroom@gmail.com with any suggestions or comments.
Presentation to NAITC Virtual Conference on 6/24/2020
As part of the NAITCO National Conference which was presented virtually, Mel Sikes gave a powerpoint presentation about this project. You can watch that presentation here:
Hydroponics in Classrooms: Inexpensive Projects and Curriculum for Indoor Gardening
To watch the other presentations, visit this NAITCO Conference Presentations YouTube page to explore the 12 excellent presentations given during the two day conference.
Small Hydroponic Tower Construction Video Collaboration with Silent Springs FFA Chapter
In September 2020, the students in the Silent Springs FFA chapter collaborated with AKAITC on a video to instruct folks on how to build the modified smaller grow tower.
Click on this LINK to watch the YouTube video
Curriculum:
Standards Correlation
Standards correlation chart for all the lessons in the curriculum. (PDF)
Standards correlation chart for all the lessons in the curriculum. (Word)
Chart of AK Science and NGSS Standards Definitions and Corresponding Disciplinary Core ideas. (PDF)
Chart of AK Science and NGSS Standards Definitions and Corresponding Disciplinary Core ideas (Word)
Introductory Presentation - Powerpoint
Click on a lesson title below and it will download to your computer for you.
Soil Growing Systems
Soil and Nutrients
Plant Growth and Plant Processes
Do You Know the Parts of Plants? Lesson
- Station Activity Instructions
- Root Anatomy and Function PPT
- Station Activity Instructions
 - Station Activity Instructions
- Station Activity Instructions
 - Flower Anatomy and Pollinator PPT
- Station Activity Instructions
Hydroponic Growing Systems
Introduction to Hydroponic Systems Lesson
 - Station Activity Instructions
Micro Muncher 1 Square Foot System Lesson
Hydroponic Growing Mediums Lesson
Setting up the Floating Platform Hydroponic System Lesson
- Video on setting up the Floating Hydroponic System
Setting up a Large River Deep Water Culture Hydroponics System Directions
Chena Hot Springs Grow Tower System Lesson
Small Grow Tower System Construction Lesson
- Video Instructions for building the tower (thanks to Silent Springs FFA Chapter)
- Video on how to start plants and install them in the grow tower.
Using the Small Grow Tower Lesson
UAA Classroom Indoor Garden Teaching Module
Aquaponic Growing Systems
Composting and Food Waste
- Station Activity Instructions
Worm Booklet - set up to print double sided and cut to make booklet
Resources
List of Relevant Websites
