This course is designed to address the current interests of upper primary and secondary school teachers in learning how to teach interdisciplinary topics in sustainability education using edible garden-based activities and experiments. One effective way is by demonstrations of growing sustainable edible plants for food, and of re-cycling garden materials. The course involves hands-on experiments in the laboratory and garden to demonstrate key concepts in sustainability education, and in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The demonstrations involve real-life lessons beyond the syllabus as informal science learning. Participants will learn and discuss how to apply these demonstrations in their lessons. 

1. understand the key concepts in sustainability education, and in STEM, and carry out demonstrations in propagating and growing sustainable edible plants in different soil media (2 hours).


2. carry out demonstrations in designing and constructing containers for growing plants and in making simple garden tools using re-cycled and re-used materials (2 hours).


3. understand the types of nutrients for plant growth, and to carry out demonstrations in learning how to prepare and make compost from food waste for growing edible plants (2 hours).


4. carry out demonstrations in making an organic garden pest repellent from garden plants (2 hours).


5. carry out demonstrations in designing and constructing a simple aquaponic system for growing edible vegetables and fish (2 hours).


6. develop pedagogical strategies such as STEM inquiry-based learning for incorporating these demonstrations into the science classrooms (2 hours).

1. Key concepts in sustainability education, and in garden-based STEM learning


2. Propagation and growth of important local sustainable edible plants such as vegetables.


3. Designing and constructing of pots for growing plants and simple garden tools from re-cycled and re-used materials.


4. Different types of soil media for growing edible plants.


5. Types of nutrients for plant growth, and preparation and making of garden compost from food waste.


6. Process of making an organic garden pest repellent from garden plants.


7. Aquaponic system for food production, and the design and construction of a simple aquaponic system for growing edible vegetables and fish.


8. Pedagogical strategies (e.g. STEM inquiry-based learning) using demonstrations in a science classroom