K-12 Curriculum

NY Sun Works has created our Discovering Sustainability Science Curriculum to support the work of teachers in our Hydroponic Classrooms. Our programming has been designed by an in-house team of science educators to meet the needs of the diverse range of NYC students. Our goal is to ensure that all students, with all types of learning styles and needs, experience the joyful and confidence-building effects of growing crops from seed-to-harvest.

Through our hands-on, project-based approach to learning, we inspire students to ask questions, investigate systems, make predictions, and design solutions. Our year-round K-12 curriculum is thoughtfully tailored to each grade level and aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. We provide comprehensive training and support to teachers so that they can confidently integrate farming and climate-focused curriculum into their classroom teaching.

Our programming meets students where they are. Lessons are tailored to each grade level and can be taught independently and sequentially. Each teacher is provided with enough online curriculum to teach at least one lesson per week per grade level for an entire school year. Additionally, we dedicate careful attention to accessibility and inclusivity with the goal of fully supporting our District 75 school partners and English Language Learners. We want to reignite the spark of joy when it comes to learning for students in our partner schools, transforming the educational experience into one where they feel excited to grow alongside their crops.

NY Sun Works’ curriculum transforms students into Farmer Scientists and global citizens, introducing them to sustainability science and climate education through the tool of hydroponic farming. With an emphasis on visual learning and easy-to-read instructions, our K-5 curriculum focuses on engagement, communication, and confidence-building skill sets. Our lesson plans combine discussion and observation with thoughtful consideration and journaling, while introducing students to the idea of farming as a science. Students create connections between their actions and the impact they have on our environment.

At the Middle School level, we’ve scaled up the emphasis on maintaining the Hydroponic Classroom, encouraging students to grow as Farmer Scientists by providing complex experiential connections in every lesson. For High School students, curriculum and lessons encourage thinking beyond the walls of the Hydroponic Classroom. Through scaffolded modules and subject-specific science labs, students examine their own ecological footprints, identify global life science issues, and imagine creative solutions to them.