Before we get to the glorious failures of science, let's pause and be thankful. Every week (for the past month), the gardens have managed to eek out some produce to donate to the Berkeley Food Pantry (which is part of a larger Berkeley Food Network).
In this week's harvest:
- French sorrel
- Kale (dinosaur and curly leaf)
- Lemon balm
- Parsley
- Cabbage
- Chard
- Oregano
- Spinach
- and lemons
School gardens all over Berkeley are donating fresh vegetables!
I admit, I was (I am!) completely overwhelmed to transition our garden from an "education garden," where kids do 90% of the work but we don't necessarily grow a lot of food, to a food producing garden where the goal is to feed our community.
In that process (which is only a month in), I have learned a lot and FAILED. A Lot!
Why haven't these nasturtiums sprouted?
Nasturtiums are abundant, hardy, flexible, opportunistic, resilient, (invasive?) and should be Berkeley's city Mascot!
Why didn't they want to grow in my backyard?
Cue the sad trombones...womp, womp, womp.
For me, as an educator, it's more important that kids get their hands in the soil than it is for them to grow a successful crop (although it's nice when both of those things happen!).
*Even better is when kids understand why their seeds sprouted or why they didn't.
...or even if they don't understand the full process, they can walk away knowing that sometimes we fail...and it's okay!
*This is a really important process and believe it or not, failure is worth our attention because failure is how we learn.
*It teaches us to be analytical (that means to ask "why," to wonder, and to be curious) and to accept that something not working out is a totally acceptable outcome.
Activity: Make a "Wonder Wall"
All you need is a piece of paper and a curious mind:
...You can use a mirror with a dry erase marker
...a paper bag
...post-it notes
- Write down every question you have.
- You can categorize your questions around a theme.
- Use your questions to set up a science experiment or do research.
This is how scientists develop experiments to answer their questions. Sometimes they can answer their question and sometimes they can't!
*Failure builds resilience.
*If we try our best first and then fail anyways, failure encourages us to try again.
*Failure teaches us that something might not work due to something WAY BEYOND our control!
*So, failure teaches us to not take things personally.
I don't know why some of these cucumbers sprouted and some didn't. They all had the same water, same sun, and same growing conditions. It could be something that has nothing to do with what I did - just the seeds or who knows what else?
Here's a great seed-fail. I have no idea why these peppers, tomatoes, and zucchinis didn't sprout. I think it's probably not warm enough yet and I was impatient!
Oh well, I'll try again!
Some of these basils did okay. Others, not so much.
One bean sprouted.
One.
Also look at that lone sugar pie pumpkin. I was going to bring it to school, but I only have one other and I remembered from last year's epic pumpkin fail that you need TWO pumpkin plants for cross-pollination in order to get pumpkin fruits (who knew?)
The failure process = The learning process!
*Seeds growing successfully (or not!) also helps me have a deep appreciation for life.
Because in order for those seeds to grow, the conditions have to be just right. Some seeds (like people) are good at growing in a range of conditions and other seeds need more time, different light, temperatures, or nutrients.
But no matter what kind of "seed" you are, all plants have a place in the garden!
This is a challenging time of change, differing conditions, and first-time experiences. Be gentle with yourself and laugh at your failures.
Finally, I'll leave you with this awesome quote from Doctor Who
(I am a HUGE fan and season 12 is CRUSHING it):
"Humans are magnificent. They live with their fears, doubts, and guilts. They face them down every day, and they prevail. That's not weakness, that's strength. That's what humanity is."
-Doctor Who, Jodie Whittaker
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