Last Thursday, students in Colleen Traynor’s fourth grade class at Cottage Lane Elementary School got their hands dirty during a gardening session with K-8 Instructional Science Coach Samantha Levine. “We’re weeding around the milkweed to attract butterflies, planting radishes, carrots and cucumbers and spreading nutrient-rich soil that was donated by the Town of Orangetown,” Levine said.
Bordering the beds were rainwater catchers–a design challenge undertaken by fifth grade classes in connection with their Earth system study. Based on what they learned about the water cycle, students created containers to capture rainwater to slowly funnel inside to irrigate plantings.
Volunteers are needed to help maintain the garden during the summer. A schedule and sign up form will be emailed to families in mid-June.