Brazilian School Uses Hydroponics to Teach Chemistry

Romério Cossi, a teacher at the Renascer Municipal School in Cariacica, Espírito Santo, Brazil, built a hydroponic garden with his ninth-grade students as a hands-on learning tool for chemistry. The students participated in every stage, from starting seedlings to installing them in PVC pipe structures.

Cossi used the garden to teach concepts like the periodic table, pH scales, and conductivity, connecting them to practical applications in plant growth and nutrient management. The project also sparked discussions about sustainability and entrepreneurship.

The students harvested lettuce grown in the system, which was then used in the school's lunch program. Hydroponics, a soil-free method, uses less water and space than traditional farming, and the school’s system relied on affordable materials like PVC pipes and an aquarium pump.