Sentrum Preschool is located in idyllic Gullestad, near the River Kvina and the Gullestad forest in the southwest of Norway. Teachers and students share a love for the outdoors and are out in their local environment all year round. There is a strong focus on sustainable development in the everyday life and how to raise good citizens of the world.
Building upon their existing kitchen garden, Sentrum Preschool decided to expand and develop this as part of their Alcoa W5 project. Parents, teachers, and 36 students between the ages of four and six worked together to create a plan for this year’s garden, and the students got to work!
Earlier this spring, the children started sowing many different seeds indoors, including various species of flowers, herbs, vegetables, and fruits. The children then took part in planting the sprouts outside, watering them, and weeding. They planted vegetables that could be harvested in early summer such as radishes and carrots, as well as vegetables that would be ready in the late summer and autumn.
"We have to be careful not to dig here anymore. Now the plants will grow up here.” - Student, Sentrum Preschool
Through this process, children learned about how vegetables grow from seeds to plants and the value plants bring in terms of food and biodiversity. They also cultivated microgreens in the shape of peas and arugula this year! Along the way, the children have eaten the sprouts on a slice of bread or as a snack. Many thought it tasted good - with the pea-sprouts being a particular hit among the children!
This Alcoa W5 project helped the children develop new skills such as sowing seeds and cultivating microgreens. They also gained knowledge about the reasons why planting and protecting biodiversity is good for the environment and sustainable development.
"We experience great commitment and a lot of joy with the project, it is something that both kids, teachers and parents in Sentrum Preschool can gather around." - Jan Rune Strømland, Prinicpal at Sentrum Preschool
The Alcoa W5 project of Sentrum Preschool supports the following SDGs:
