We are so lucky to not only have a greenhouse here at Leverett Elementary School, but to also have Dawn, an incredibly knowledgeable plant expert. Fourth graders visit the greenhouse and learn from Dawn each spring. One of the fourth grade standards is to understand that plants have structures, to identify them, and to describe their differences. To do this, we grow garlic in the classroom and learn from Dawn. This year, we spent time working in and around the greenhouse, and had Dawn visit our classroom. At the greenhouse, we made a plant structures salad, examining the parts of plants that common foods in salads are. Building on their knowledge of plant structures, students learned about seed dispersal and were challenged to create a seed, identify which way it would travel, and to test out the creation. Today, students worked in stations at the greenhouse. They planted their garlic, planted pumpkin seeds, weeded, turned compost, beatified the fairy garden, cleaned out the bird baths, and watered the flowers. It is important for learning to be hands-on whenever possible.