Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery School Grows STEAM Program with New Garden

Things are looking a lot greener at the Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery School. The school constructed a community garden on Sunday, April 22 to expand its current STEAM program to outside the classroom.

The new 8’ x 8’ raised garden bed was built by nursery school parent volunteers and will offer another sensory-rich space to promote student inquiry, dialogue, and critical thinking.

“Hands-on learning has always been a central theme at the Temple Sholom Selma Maisel Nursery School,” said David Cohen, nursery school director. “Our children have been exploring a wide variety of themes in our STEAM Lab and this garden will take that learning to a new level.”

Throughout the school year, children in the 3’s & Pre-K have had the opportunity to participate in an after-school Gardening Club led by teachers Deidre Flood, Catherine Granelli, and Debbie Dee. Topics such as climate, worm composting, propagating plants, and gardening in cold weather have been covered. The children have documented their observations and experiences in a journal.