In this issue of our BCAITC Teacher Champion series, we profile BC teacher Jennifer Woo. Discover her passion for educating students about BC agriculture, food, and the environment.

Q: What school do you teach? A:  I teach at Garden City Elementary School in Richmond, BC.

Q: What grade(s) do you teach? A: I teach Grades 2 & 3.

Q: How and when did you first learn about BCAITC? A: I was first introduced to BCAITC about 10 years ago by a fellow educator and participated in the Spuds in Tubs program. More recently, I joined the Planting A Promise daffodil project three years ago, planting bulbs on the school grounds.

Q: How long have you been teaching students about BC agriculture and food? A: I have been teaching students about BC agriculture and food for the past 10 years, using my school garden beds as a hands-on learning space to explore planting, growing, and harvesting.

Q: What are the most important things that you want your students to learn about BC agriculture and food? A: I want my students to discover the joy that plants bring and to see the garden as a peaceful space where kindness and responsibility thrive. Most importantly, I want them to enjoy the rewarding experience of growing plants they can eat, connecting them to the land and the process of food production. By taking care of plants, they will also learn responsibility and develop a sense of pride and ownership over what they nurture.

Q: BCAITC has over 500 free downloadable resources including lesson plans, activities, videos, recipes, and more! What is your favourite BCAITC resource and why? A: My favourite BCAITC resource is the lesson plan that accompanies the Planting A Promise program. The vibrant photographs of different daffodil varieties and detailed plant diagrams are incredibly useful in helping my students visualize what their bulbs would look like when they bloom. This resource also provides a clear understanding of the plant’s life cycle, allowing students to connect with the stages of growth in a meaningful and hands-on way.

Q: What is your favourite BCAITC program and why?  A: My favourite BCAITC program is the "Planting A Promise" program. Receiving a box of daffodil bulbs and planting them with my students is such a rewarding experience. Seeing the bright & fully bloomed daffodils is a beautiful reminder of the promise of spring and the power of agriculture in action! This year, for the first time, I experimented with growing them indoors in glass containers on our classroom windowsill. It was a huge success and incredibly rewarding!

Over the years, the schools I’ve taught at have also participated in the BC School Fruit and Vegetable Nutritional program, which gives students the opportunity to try fresh produce they may not typically eat at home, such as kiwi and raw cucumbers. I have also participated in the Spuds in Tubs Program in the past. We grew potatoes in tubs in our school's outdoor courtyard, and the students loved observing and caring for the plants. Many of us had never seen potatoes grown that way before!

Q: Describe an agriculture or food-based project/program you have implemented in your classroom/school recently.  A: This year, my class participated in the “Planting A Promise” daffodil program with a new twist! Instead of planting them in the ground as we’ve done before, students grew the daffodils in water using glass vases and jars by our classroom windows. Starting in January after Winter Break, they observed the entire growing process up close, from roots forming to blooms opening. By Valentine’s Day, they proudly took their flowers home to share with their families, making it a meaningful and hands-on learning experience in plant growth and care.

Q: Do you have any advice for other educators on how to integrate agriculture and food education into their curriculum?  A: My advice? Just go for it! You don’t need to be an expert—just be open to learning alongside your students. Gardening and food education are full of surprises, and that’s what makes it so fun! Some plants will grow beautifully, while others may not, but each experience offers a chance to learn. Take the leap and enjoy the journey with your students!

About the Teacher Champion Series: This monthly BCAITC series features BC teachers and school staff who are passionate about providing agriculture and food education to K-12 students. For more information, contact BCAITC Communications Coordinator, communications@aitc.ca.