Following a reading of the “The Icky Sticky Frog” by campus RTI Specialist Louise Mason, Ewing students were able to harvest spinach, kale, and lettuce for Jefferson, the campus pet rabbit. The remaining greens will be used to feed other campus pets.

“[Due to the weather], Mr. Lara, our awesome custodian, ended up planting them for us [this year], however, each grade level alternates weeks to water the garden and help pull weeds,” Mason said. “I hope that the students feel a sense of accomplishment after this lesson. I hope they remember harvesting the vegetables and having a positive experience with the bunny.”

Jefferson, owned by Ewing campus Instructional Coach Lisa Romo, is one of many different animals at the school including chinchillas, hedgehogs, turtles, and ferrets. The animals are used for students to visit and take sensory breaks from the classroom and to learn about these various species.

“Ms. Romo and I were talking about how we were going to harvest [the garden] and what we were going to do with it, she mentioned the animals and the idea just sprang from there,” Mason said. “We thought it would be a great chance for the students to see the plants that have grown and then also get to participate in harvesting it and learning what harvest even means.”