A group of three students in grades four and five in Ho Chi Minh City blew attendees’ socks off with their smart mini-garden system powered by a water wheel on the STEM Day for Ho Chi Minh City elementary school students last week.

The smart garden model was one of various STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) creations at the ‘Green City’ event held on Friday by the municipal Department of Education and Training.

The three students are Pham Ngo Duc Khang, Nguyen Vo Gia Phuc, and Huynh Huu Hoang Nam, coming from Nguyen Thi Dinh Elementary School in District 7. 

According to Khang, the mini garden model consists of a water wheel, a water filter, a water pipe, a pump, a hydroponics system, clay, and a fish tank.

“The water pump brings water to the hydroponics system, while wastewater flows into the water wheel system to generate power, and then ends up in the water filter," Khang introduced their product to the attendees.

“Clean water continues being pumped into the hydroponics system.

"This is a closed process.

“We brainstormed the idea to create this smart garden model based on all previously-learned lessons."

The trio spent a week completing the product following some teachers’ instructions.

Phuc explained that as many houses in the city have no land for a garden, they desired to build such a smart garden to grow plants and take care of them at home.

Tran Thanh Truong, a teacher at Nguyen Thi Dinh Elementary School and head of its STEM Club, said that the trio utilized their knowledge from science, technology, math, and art to create the impressive smart garden system.

The smart garden model matches the title of the event, ‘Green City,’ and is suitable for city residents’ situation, said Ha Thanh Hai, deputy head of the education and training division in District 7.

“Including STEM courses in schools' activities is a helpful and appropriate academic approach,” Hai underlined.

Nguyen Bao Quoc, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Education and Training, said that academic curricula have been improved with the addition of STEM courses.

STEM education helps broaden students’ knowledge and change young people’s mindsets.

The STEM Day is aimed at creating a playground for innovation and creativeness, helping spread STEM academic methods among teachers and students.

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