PreK-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 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 while learning about climate and sustainability.

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 PreK-12 curriculum is thoughtfully tailored to each grade level and aligned to Next Generation Science Standards. We begin with our Farming Foundations series, which takes students through hydroponic farming from seed-to-harvest. Grade-specific Extension Units then provide lessons that are designed to overlap and complement the NYC DOE Science Scope and Sequence and K-8 Amplify Science Units.

Our comprehensive curriculum is designed to provide teachers with at least one lesson per grade for an entire school year. All PreK-12 lessons are aligned to the Next Generation Science Standards and build on each other so that students can grow from elementary through high school.

We provide comprehensive training and support to teachers so that they can confidently integrate farming and climate-focused curriculum into their classroom teaching. All teachers receive one-on-one support from a grade level-specific curriculum specialist, who will help them to figure out how to best use the curriculum based on their individual classroom needs. We also offer monthly professional development opportunities where teachers can dig deeper into specific topics in a collaborative environment.

NY Sun Works’ curriculum transforms students into Farmer Scientists and global citizens, introducing them to sustainability science and climate education through hands-on hydroponic farming.

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. Materials provided include detailed lesson plans, lesson presentations, and students journal pages with embedded formative assessments. Additionally, we dedicate careful attention to accessibility and inclusivity with the goal of fully supporting our special education 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.

Explore our comprehensive K-12 curriculum by grade level

• PK-5 Curriculum

  • The Pre-Kindergarten through 5th grade Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum introduces students to hydroponic technology and connects science and the environment through sustainable urban farming. The curriculum has been designed to inspire students to ask questions, investigate systems, make predictions, and design solutions. Our core curriculum, Farming Foundations, is divided into Pre-Kindergarten, lower elementary (K to 2nd grade) and upper elementary (3rd to 5th grade) units to support students’ differentiated needs.

    The PK-5 Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum is comprised of three sections:

    • PreK, K-2 and 3-5 Farming Foundations
    • K-2 and 3-5 Farming Foundations 2: Climate & Sustainability Science
    • Grade Level Lesson Extensions
• 6-8 CURRICULUM

  • The Middle School (6-8) Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum introduces students to hydroponic technology and connects science and the environment through sustainable urban farming. The curriculum has been designed to inspire students to ask questions, investigate systems, make predictions, and design solutions.

    The 6-8 Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum is comprised of the following sections:

    • Core Curriculum:
      • 6-8 Farming Foundations
      • 6-8 Farming Foundations 2: Climate & Sustainability Science
    • Grade Level Lesson Extensions
      • Hydroponic Classroom (HC) Connects
      • Sustainability Extensions
    • Additional Middle School Units
      • Green Careers Unit
      • 7th Grade Module: The Hydroponic Games
      • 8th Grade Modules: We Are What You Eat; Ocean Sustainability & Aquaculture
• 9-12 Curriculum

  • The 9th-12th grade Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum consists of modules and subject specific labs. The modules introduce students to hydroponic farming, offer students the opportunity to design and build their own hydroponic and aquaponic systems, and connect to topics covered in science courses such as Biology, Chemistry, and AP Environmental Science. The labs can be used to fulfill the lab time requirement for the NYS Regents exams.

    The 9-12 Discovering Sustainability Science curriculum is comprised of the following sections:

    • Core Curriculum:
      • 9-12 Farming Foundations
      • 9-12 Farming Foundations 2: Climate & Sustainability Science
    • High School Core Curriculum
      • Biology
      • Chemistry
      • AP Environmental Science Unit 5
    • Additional High School Units
      • The Hydroponic Games
      • The Aquaponic Games
      • Future Farmers
      • Rainwater Catchment Engineering Design