I hope you all have a great summer! I am grateful that we enjoyed our time together in the garden and made so many fun memories this year.

Thank you to the families for helping with our garden this morning, June 6th! It was a wonderful gathering with current and former families. I plan to organize some garden activities for families to assist with our garden over the summer. I will inform you of the next session soon!

Our Farmers' Market was a great success! Thank you to everyone who supported us! I hope you enjoyed the fresh harvest from our garden.

I also appreciate the help from fifth-grade volunteers who dedicated their recess. They did an outstanding job welcoming customers, managing the cashier duties, explaining the gift seed packets, and counting the money we raised. One of the learners even stepped up to announce the changes in location and time to the entire school!

Although it was just a one-day sale, we successfully sold most of our crops and raised $282! These funds will be used to support our unique and creative garden education program next year.

Did you know that organizing a Farmers' Market requires thorough preparation? Many classes contributed to this effort!

I wondered how many learners would be interested in buying leeks. To attract more customers to our Farmers Market, I decided to offer a seed packet as a gift.

Learners from Yellow1 and Green 3B created charming labels to attach to the seed packets. This initiative generated a lot of interest; some learners even asked at the Farmers Market, "Can I buy the seed packets?"

The Yellow 1 learners created banners to advertise the farmers' market to the whole school, as well as drawing signs for the vegetables we would sell and making price tags. Their creativity was sparked!

Yellow 2, Purple 4, Blue 1, and Blue 2 helped harvest various crops, including garlic, onions, carrots, leeks, potatoes, and beets. They also sorted them by size, which greatly aided the preparation for the Farmers Market!

Blue 4 and Blue 5 learners bagged items, made bunches, and set prices. What price would be the best, both from the seller's and buyer's perspectives?

Green 3A and 3B learners created an "Important Book About Monarchs" to showcase what they learned about monarch butterflies, including their life cycle, diet, migration, and the dangers monarchs face.

The monarch quiz results showed their average scores increased from 48% to 71% (G3A) and from 52% to 68% (G3B). Mrs. Shaner and I were pleased that they learned so much about monarchs and that we can help them further.

Some of the learners mentioned they spotted Monarchs both at school and at home!

Mice Busters is an impressive group that has made a significant contribution to tackling the rodent issue in our garden. From organizing a key tag fundraiser to their Earthfest presentation, their initiative and dedication have been inspiring, highlighting the power of teamwork and positively impacting our community.

Last fall, I never imagined that we could grow vegetables and host a Farmers Market this spring. The Mice Busters made this challenge so much fun. I truly appreciate their effort. Without them, it would have been a lonely battle.

Even with the hectic end of the year, they dedicated their free time to continuing their work on the newspaper, preparing a presentation for the upcoming fifth graders, and creating an infomercial video to promote their group to the entire school. They definitely deserve an ice cream party!

Thank you, Mice Busters! I am incredibly proud of all of you, and I will always cherish the time we spent together. The skills you developed through this program will enrich your lives long into the future.

Have a wonderful summer and an exciting journey in middle school!

Members of Mice Busters

Mice Busters Infomercial Video

One of the members announced her eBook, "The Story of Mice Busters," on Lee Live!

Final edition of the Mice Busters Newspaper!

Ice Cream Party 🍧

On October 28, 2024, Blue 2 learners brought food scraps from home and built a clear compost bin to observe how the materials decompose over time. After 205 days, on May 21, 2025, they removed the contents from the compost bin and found nothing—no banana peels, apple cores, or orange peels. They discovered only a few small pieces of paper and a plastic spoon, just as before.

The learners buried the food scraps in the potting soil without adding any worms to the container. Over time, however, the scraps fully decomposed, which amazed the learners. They were also surprised to find that the paper was mostly decomposed!

After 205 days...

Have you transplanted the seedlings you grew in the self-watering pot into a larger pot or your home garden? Are you growing any plants at home this summer? If you’re traveling, why not seek out some plants at your destination?

Interacting with your plants can bring you joy each morning. Taking a walk to admire them can refresh your spirit. When you grow plants, you’ll check on their growth and think about what you need to do for them. If they don’t thrive, that’s okay; you can look for solutions, which helps you learn and become wiser.

I believe that growing plants builds self-confidence because you care for something beyond yourself. The time spent with your plants creates special moments, leaving you with meaningful memories. The inner richness of yourself establishes the foundation of your life.

If you feel lazy but still make the effort to water your plants, you’ll feel proud of yourself. On the other hand, if you neglect them and they don’t look healthy, you may feel regret. Through these experiences, you’ll learn how to care for your plants, and if you put in the effort, you will gradually build your confidence over time.

Let's keep trying! We are all learning!

Please also feel free to share photos of yourself and any plants you enjoyed during summer break. This way, we can learn from each other’s experiences.

You can access the album by navigating to Courses > Lee Elementary: All Students (Yellow Icon) > Lee Garden > Media Album "FamiLEE Fun-tastic Garden."

Below is the flyer with the QR code to upload your photos through Google Photos.

Your photos will be proudly displayed on the FamiLEE ⭐ Garden banner. Let's work together to make it flourish!

Look for the "FamiLEE Fun-tastic Garden" Media Album on Schoology to upload your photos!

Use the QR code to upload the photos through Google Photos.

1 Week Microgreen Project (4/30-5/9) : From Seeding to Tasting!

Check out my blog, "Unlock Our Life" , to discover more about our garden education!

Thank you to the teachers for collaborating and bringing their learners to the garden-based learning!

I also want to express my appreciation to Mrs. Naoko Maki for her assistance with our gardening activities on several occasions, as well as for sharing her beautiful photos and videos.

In this newsletter, I have included the pictures and videos taken by teachers and Mrs. Maki.