By BRIDGET COOK
STUDENTS at River Gum Primary School now have nature at their fingertips, thanks to a vertical garden being installed at the school recently.
The Hampton Park school was chosen to take part in outdoor power tools and equipment company STIHL’s My Green Wall program.
Daniel Janecic, from STIHL Shop Dandenong, visited the school on Wednesday 30 October to plant the vertical garden along with Grade 3 students.
“We have designed the My Green Wall program to help young Australians learn and experience the great outdoors in their school environment,” he said.
“We are also supporting them to take those learnings home to their own backyards.”
In addition to the vertical garden, Grade 3 classes will receive a curriculum-compliant lesson plan designed in consultation with Cool Australia to help teachers integrate the practical learning.
Lesson plans and classroom activities cover seed germination, plant structure identification, watering and fertilising, plant growth and harvesting.
Take home materials and equipment for students were also provided to encourage kids to apply what they learn in their own backyards.
River Gum Primary School principal Roma McKinnon said it was great to be involved in the program.
Thank you to STIHL for your generous donation to our Kitchen Garden program and to all our wonderful student helpers,” she said.
