Resolute (May 15/06) - He faced a problem that his teaching experience hadn't prepared him for. Earl Crowther wanted to teach his science students in Resolute about flowers.

Resolute science teacher Earl Crowther, left, with Grade 1 teacher Christine Manning, and one of Crowther's prize flowers. With the help of the students, Crowther has been growing flowers far above the tree line, for their beauty and to use them in science class. - photo courtesy of Brian Manning

The tricky part: how do you teach kids about something that doesn't grow where they live.

Resolute is about as far North as you can go, and the plant life there is limited. That's why Crowther decided that growing his own flowers was the best way to show the kids first hand what a flower is all about.

"I found that very few of my students had been south. To make the science program real, we had to do it. I teach Grades 5 to 12 and they love planting their plants and giving them names," said Crowther.

"I mean, how do you explain what a root is? You can't talk about flowers without the students being able to touch a leaf," said Crowther.

Now the kids in Resolute know their leaves from their roots, and their petals from their stamens. It just took some work.

Crowther orders topsoil through the school every year in the annual sealift, and uses a small corner of the school to grow his flowers under artificial lights.

Getting young gardeners to try their hand at something new isn't a problem.

"We get a lot of volunteers. It is a matter of getting everyone to take their turn to turn the plants, to water them. They love it," said Crowther.

They started with some easy to grow plants, carrots and potatoes. Now the school grows their own sunflowers, a unique sight for the community.

"I take a lot of walks in the spring and summer, and the islands up here are some of the most barren in all of Nunavut. There is very little growth," said Crowther.