Rain Barrel Garden Tower Project

Posted on May 30, 2015

This spring, we worked with 1st and 3rd graders at King George Elementary, planning and installing a fully functional indoor garden with an embedded vermicomposting system.  This project embodies small-scale sustainability; from the repurposed rain barrel it was constructed from; the incoming food waste that will be diverted from landfills; to understanding where our food comes from and how it's grown. It also offers students the chance to learn about ecosystems, garden design, and teamwork through inquiry-based learning.  

Students worked collaboratively to fill an internal cylinder with red wriggler worms and surrounding garden tower with soil, and then planted edible plants and seeds throughout.  Student will continue to care for the tower, including feeding the worms and harvesting herbs and edible plants and we will continue to provide support and resources.

Students at Alex Munro School were inspired to build their own versions of the garden tower on a smaller scale. Four classes developed 16 miniature garden towers, learning experimental procedure and design along the way. We provided worm education and facilitated the experimental design process with the 3rd and 4th graders. 

Many thanks to TD Friends of the Environment and UPS for supporting this initiative and making it possible for schools to access this type of programming. Thank you to the many teachers and parent volunteers at King George and Alex Munro Elementary Schools who supported these projects! Check out photos here.

Interested in getting your school or community group involved in a garden tower project? Please contact our Green Kids Coordinator, Amy Spark.

Please note: a garden tower project usually takes several months and has students directly involved in the planning and installation processes.