To begin their unit on plant lifecycle and pollination, second graders in Mrs. Mantell’s and Mrs. Levine’s classes spent part of their morning yesterday in the STEAM Room planting seeds to grow brassica rapa plants.

Commonly known as a turnip, brassica rapa is a mustard plant and one of the world’s oldest cultivated vegetables. It is also a source of oil, and historically, has been used to treat a variety of medical conditions.

“Today we’re going to learn what plants need to grow,” Hillside’s STEAM Teacher Robin Farrell said to the room filled with students. “And in just one short month, we’ll have beautiful plants waiting for us.”

Sitting in groups of two and three, students followed Farrell’s step by step instructions. Below is a photo illustration of the process.

At the end of the lesson, second graders watched a video about what plants need to survive, and teachers received a small lamp to bring back to their classrooms for placement above the potting mixture.

Students left the STEAM room excited to watch their seeds blossom.