Are you looking to grow and sustain a school garden? Do you want to start small with a worm composting bin using red wigglers you can keep in your classroom? Are you looking for teacher-tested ideas for developmentally appropriate school gardening activities? Do you want to help your young scientists make careful observations about how the plants around your school and our desert change from season to season? Look no further! This strand will be facilitated by national recognized school gardeners who have started and supported many school garden programs. Get your hands dirty as you learn from these experts and make a plan for where you will start and how you will grow and sustain your own school (or classroom) garden. No gardening experience or green thumb required. Wear the student hat as you explore how to integrate science and other subjects into school garden activities and then put on your teacher hat to consider modifications and adjustments for your particular school/classroom situation and the gardeners you teach. Teachers attending this strand will receive a STEMAZing Kit worth over $300 to bring all of the activities they are using to life in their own classrooms.
STEMAZing Kit: All participants will have a kit waiting for them at Escuela Manzo on the first day of the institute on June 10th. At the end of the final in-person session on Thursday, June 12th, participants will receive a gift card to EcoGro to purchase the materials they will need for their classroom.
Audience: PreK-12th Grade Teachers from Southern Arizona
(In order to maximize the impact of this workshop, only educators who work directly with students will be allowed to register and receive a kit. Please contact Amanda McPherson; amanda.mcpherson@pima.gov if you would like to attend but are in an administrative role.)
Facilitators: Moses Thompson – Director at UA School Garden Program and Maria Celis – garden educator at Escuela Manzo and their amazing team
Location: Manzo Elementary School @ 855 N. Melrose Ave, Tucson 85745
Cost: $75 for three days of world-class professional development AND a STEMAZing Kit valued at more than $300
Course Dates: Tuesday, June 10 – Thursday, June 12, 2025
Scholarships are available, email: amanda.mcpherson@pima.gov
Special thanks to the 2025 STEMAZing Institute title sponsor, Tucson Electric Power! The generous STEMAZing Kits of equipment and supplies teachers receive would not be possible without their continued support.
Tucson Values Teachers is providing limited scholarships for educators to attend PD opportunities, if you are interested, click here for more information
- For questions regarding this resource, please contact The STEMAZing Project.
- Contact Name: Amanda McPherson
- Phone No: 5207248395
- Email Address: amanda.mcpherson@pima.gov