Embedded Files
Green Technologies is designed to engage the student in the complex relationships between human society and the natural environment. It provides an interdisciplinary introduction to the environmental challenges we face in our contemporary world through foundational theoretical ideas illustrated with concrete, familiar real-world examples. The goals of a green technology program would be to meet the needs of society in ways that can continue indefinitely into the future without damaging or depleting natural resources, creating products that can be fully reclaimed or re-used and reducing waste and pollution by changing patterns of production and consumption. Students will use technologies to gather and analyze environmental (macro and micro), political, and economic data from large social science and scientific data sets as well as data gathered in the field.
A note from our pathway lead:
Currently, we are fundraising for a hoop house. A hoop house will extend the growing season and will allow us to scale up the amount that we can grow. Since it will likely take some time to raise the money, we are utilizing the space to create a new 4000 square ft garden space. If all goes according to plan, this space will be a pumpkin patch by the fall of 2024 and then a hoop house by the spring of 2025.
Other new projects that students will be working on this school year include building raised garden beds, winter sowing and growing flowers from seed.
If you are interested in supporting any green tech projects, please email me modonnell@aacps.org.
Michael O’Donnell
STEM Teacher
North County High School
Here are some of the projects that Green Technology students have been working on at school and in the community over the last year.
We are currently growing approximately 120 heads of hydroponic lettuce every 2-3 weeks. Students have the first opportunity to take this lettuce home to share with their families. We also share our harvests with teachers, administration and staff. The rest goes to a food pantry and is donated to people experiencing hunger the same day it is harvested. Since last year, we have donated over 500 heads of lettuce grown by NCHS students. Because we start from seed, we can offer a wider variety than what is available in stores, and it is very fresh.
Harvested, packed, and ready to go to the pantry!
VJ showing off a beautiful head of hydroponically grown lettuce!
Hydroponic tomatoes in the classroom!
This year we are trying hydroponic cucumbers.
Students have been learning how to grow microgreens. Growing microgreens is a little bit of an art and is relatively new to the program so we are currently experimenting with many varieties and growing methods.
Harvested microgreens packed and ready to go!
Cool Weather Vegetable Garden
Doesn't get fresher than this!
Students wanted to make salads using lettuce, kale, arugula, broccoli and spinach grown at NCHS.
In the fall of 2023 we have been experimenting with growing our cool weather fall crops under floating row cover. We wanted to reduce the impact of insect “pests" without spraying anything. These floating row covers did a great job of keeping out the moths that lay the eggs which turn into caterpillars that eat all of the leaves!
Sonia (above) showing off her harvest of the collards that were grown under floating row cover!
Pineapple Cilantro Salsa! Students were asked to find a way to use the cilantro that they grew. They ended up making pineapple cilantro and strawberry avocado salsas. They enjoyed the pineapple salsa so much that they made a huge batch for teachers.
Part of our garden (summer 2023). Plants were grown from seed by students, planted by students, and managed by students during school and also during a summer internship where approximately 40 students volunteered between 24-135 hours each.
Ruby was very excited to see how well the tomato seeds that she started using the dense planting method were doing.
Some of the over 250 seedlings donated to Farm Unity (community garden at Anne Arundel County Public Library in Crofton) in the spring of 2023 (tomatoes, peppers, pumpkins, squash, zucchini, cucumbers, basil, cilantro). Over 1100 seedlings were grown in the classroom by NCHS students. In addition to the donation, we filled the school garden and many went home with students, teachers, staff and administrators.
Letter from Catholic Charities Baltimore to Farm Unity regarding donations of produce - much of it from plants NCHS students started and donated!
In September of 2023, we donated around 200 more seedlings to Farm Unity (lettuce, kale, spinach, broccoli, cauliflower). Here is a picture of the volunteers that came together to plant them.
Since starting last spring, Farm Unity has also become a non-profit and is in the process of helping other schools get started with gardening. They have been awarded $5000 in grants and are currently planning with PG Community College, Phoenix Academy and Cora Rice Elementary. We are looking to grow more seedlings this year so that we can continue to support the work of Farm Unity.
During the spring of 2023, students hatched and raised six chicks in the classroom for 8 weeks.
Literally the cutest little chicks!
Students also raised money to purchase a coop!
Letting the flock out to enjoy the garden area!
Green Technology students have been working to create spaces for pollinators at North County High School. We received money from Unity Gardens to create a pollinator garden.
This fall, students turned a parking lot island into a habitat for native pollinators.
Before photo - overgrown, full of weeds and some non native species.
After photo - weed free, growing lo sumac and gayfeather.
Once the gayfeather bloomed!
In the spring of 2023, we received seeded quarts containing a variety of natives that students separated and planted in pots. Plants were cared for by students throughout the spring and summer. Some were given away to students and teachers. Some were donated to another school. The remaining 200+ were planted at NCHS. All seeded quarts were provided through the Bona Terra Plant Grant.
In the fall of 2023, students planted over 200 of these seedlings to create another pollinator garden.
Fall planting of 15 native trees. Species include eastern redbud, red oak, blackgum, hackberry, dogwood, witch hazel and river birch.
Since students began creating gardens and spaces for native pollinators, we have been creating a database to establish a baseline of what wildlife species are observed in these spaces. Students try to determine the role of everything they see. We hope to see an increase in biodiversity over time.
Here is a monarch caterpillar and chrysalis on milkweed started from seed and planted by NCHS students.
Hailey found an eastern box turtle in the compost pile!
Black Swallowtail Caterpillar munching on celery in the garden!
Frogs in the garden!
Black and yellow caterpillars eating our blueberry plants!
Our garden is visited frequently by this groundhog!
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