Past projects 3
Native Plant Species In; Invasives, Out!
Funded Sep 16, 2024Thank you so much for supporting my project with my 9th grade ecology students. Your generous donations enabled us to conduct genuine ecological studies. These donations also gave students a hands-on experience with data collection and analysis. The students enjoyed going out into the field and carrying out relevant scientific investigations. I appreciate your generosity so much. Thank you again for all your support.”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grey
Creating Mini Green Spaces -- One Plant at a Time
Funded Mar 25, 2024Thank you so much for providing the resources needed to help make mini green spaces within our school community. My ambitious 9th and 10th grade students helped create compostable pots as well as seed balls in class and after school during our green team meetings. Specifically, we used the resources to teach into the importance of green spaces in combating urban climate change as well as promoting mental health awareness.
When my students first saw the materials we were using -- soil, compost, seeds -- they were very excited! They jumped right into mixing soil, clay, water, and seeds to make the seed balls despite how messy they were! As they created compostable pots or mixed seed balls, they naturally discussed in their groups projects like this in their elementary school days. This made me realize that most students solely get the opportunity to grow plants in elementary school; once they get to more advanced science classes, the opportunity for these activities becomes limited as teaching shifts to more heavier content/ standardized test taking. I am so fortunate to have these resources for my 9th and 10th graders because I truly believe this experiential learning should continue in high school and beyond.
While the activities and resources were first used in my science classes, we decided to extend these learning opportunities to the whole school during Earth month in an event called the, "Eco Fair." We had sustainability-themed carnival like games and stations where students could create seed balls and put them in pots to beautify the school and their homes. It was truly a beautiful event that brought together the whole school -- students and staff -- under the theme of sustainability and climate change education. Since this event was so successful, I plan to hold this event again next year. My next steps would also include building in times/ opportunities for students to tend plants in the classroom or right outside our school for longer periods of time through the school year.
Thank again for making these activities a reality in my classroom and school!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grey
This classroom project was brought to life by The Allstate Foundation.What a Hoot: Outrageous Owl Pellets for All
Funded Aug 22, 2021Thank you so much for donating to my classroom project, "What a Hoot: Outrageous Owl Pellets for All." With your donations, I was able to buy owl pellets for every student in my class as part of a food chain lab. My students were excited for the opportunity to conduct a hands-on lab, especially after a year and a half of online learning.
When we did the lab, many students enthusiastically began opening the owl pellet and finding bones of rodents. They used a key that came with the owl pellet package to identify the bones of rodents they found in the pellet. By finding bones in owl pellets, students were able to obtain a hands-on experience in accessing the diet of a top predator in a forest food web.
In this lab, my students transformed into ecologists by not only accessing the diet of an owl, but also, they made connections to other important topics in ecology, such as the biomagnification of toxins in food chains. The next step is for students to learn about specific toxins that have biomagnified in food chains, like DDT, from various human activities (e.g. agriculture, industry, etc.). Thank you for your support in making this project possible for my students!”
With gratitude,
Ms. Grey
This classroom project was brought to life by Emerson Collective and 3 other donors.