The Classroom Business Series: Greenhouse

Welcome to Jaguar Gardens! Watching this enterprise develop and take off has been unbelievable. And the best part about this enterprise is seeing genuine smiles on the faces of students, staff, and customers.

Last spring, one of the special education classrooms in our high school began a greenhouse in their classroom. What started as a small enterprise has turned into a flourishing classroom business, nearly selling out at their first pop-up event at one of the elementary schools.

Starting Out:

When the idea came about, the special education teacher began by buying supplies out of her pocket. Once word got out, administrators began advocating for the enterprise, and donations started to pour in once it became publicized. The classroom was able to get plants, pots, and paint donated by staff, parents, and community members.

None of this could happen without the help and support of the amazing paraprofessionals. They have been a key part of the creation and keeping things progressing.

Business Hours:

Every Friday, the classroom sets up its storefront in a hallway during the school’s lunch periods. Students work alongside their peer mentors to sell the items. In addition to their weekly hallway storefront, they take special requests and online orders and have begun doing pop-up events. The class is looking to expand by providing herbs to the culinary arts program at the district’s Center for Advanced Professional Studies building.

Variety of Skills Embedded within Enterprise:

Motor Skills:

Digging
Filling pots with soil
Poking holes for seeds, cuttings
Pouring paint
Handling fragile plants

Art:

Playing with colors
Creating
Experimenting
Appreciation of their work and others

Hobbies/Caring for Something:

Watering or putting ice in the soil
Positioning for proper sunlight
Transplanting as plants get bigger

Sales:

Adding purchases
Making change
Counting money
Communicating with customers
Manners
Answering questions
Learning about cost vs. profit
Determining what materials to reorder
Deciding what to do with profits
Going to the bank and making deposits
Dumping change into a change machine and exchanging a receipt for cash
Making deliveries
Picking up donations
Shopping for needed materials

Science:

Watching things grow
Learning about plant life cycles
Plant needs
Plant parts
Different ways to grow plants (seed, transplanting seedlings, taking cuttings from indoor/outdoor plants)
Propagating (cutting pieces of plants, putting them in water, and watching them root)
Learning common and scientific names of plants
Observing plant varieties and their characteristics