The new year brought a new vegetable to the second-grade hydroponic experience! This new vegetable is bok choy. Bok choy is a type of Chinese cabbage often used in Filipino recipes. While a few students had eaten the vegetable at home, it was new to many. To introduce the plant, AmeriCorps volunteer Nachi Yellapraga read a book called “The Ugly Vegetables” by Grace Lin. The book follows the story of a girl who is embarrassed by her family’s Chinese vegetable garden compared to the neighbors’ flower gardens. She soon learns that the vegetables are tasty. Once the neighbors taste her mom’s soup, they are jealous of her vegetable garden!

Students each planted and named a bok choy. One student named his bok choy “Future Pancit” and, despite the foreboding name, that plant grew the biggest! During the growing period, the students watched over their plants. Students dutifully took notes on plant growth and compared the sizes of those grown directly under the grow lights to the ones on the edges. 

Bok choy is quick to grow. Only six weeks after planting, the plants were ready for harvest by Valentine's Day. Mrs. Aileen Allison generously took time from her job in the cafeteria to help the students turn their crops into pancit. While she was sauteing the onions and carrots, the students gathered around the wok to hear about the cultural significance of pancit in Filipino culture. Some students chimed in with their own experience of eating pancit as a celebratory food. 

All the students left the classroom begging for more and clutching baggies of bok choy to take home to share with their families.

The Prince William Sound Science Center facilitates hydroponics in the classroom as part of the Discovery Room. Throughout the year, the second grade learns about plant needs and the role of plants in the ecosystem. The hydroponics lessons address Alaska state science standards as a hands-on experience while demonstrating ways the community can use technology for problem-solving and community resilience. 

2nd Grade’s Vegetarian Pancit Recipe

1 Package of gluten-free rice noodles

3 Heads of baby bok choy (chopped up thin)

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1 onion, diced

Gluten-free Coconut Aminos (you can use soy sauce if you are not gluten-free)

1/2 bag of shredded carrots or 2 carrots (shredded)

Salt and pepper

Step 1: Soak the noodles in a bowl. Let them soak while you cook.

Step 2: Saute chopped onion and garlic until onions are looking translucent

Step 3: Add carrots and saute. Add soy sauce to taste.

Step 4. Drain your noodles

Step 5. Add noodles and mix it all up. 

Step 6:  Add more soy sauce, salt, and pepper to taste. 

Step 7: Mix in white stems of bok choy and heat briefly. Then, add the leaves.

Step 8: Share and enjoy!