In this hands-on session, educators will explore hydroponic towers, compare plant growth in soil and soilless systems, and engage in classroom composting strategies. You’ll leave with adaptable lesson ideas, data collection tools, and ready-to-use activities that promote inquiry, sustainability, and cross-curricular connections.

The session also includes an exclusive educator field trip to Big Tex Urban Farms—a mobile agriculture initiative located in the heart of Fair Park. Big Tex Urban Farms provides fresh produce to the surrounding South Dallas community, an area designated as a food desert. This visit will offer valuable insight into real-world applications of hydroponics, community impact, and food access—ideas you can carry back to your students to inspire deeper learning and social awareness

In this hands-on professional learning session, educators will explore how to connect trade books with STEM design challenges that promote real-world problem-solving and environmental awareness. Participants will engage in immersive, hands-on activities—such as engineering animal crossings to support wildlife and investigating the vital role of Texas Native Wetlands in sustaining ecosystems. Discover how this rich natural environment can serve as both inspiration and context for sustainability-focused design challenges. Educators will leave with practical strategies, classroom-ready resources, and a renewed vision for empowering students as environmental stewards and innovative thinkers for a sustainable future.