Swan Meadow Top 5
1. Our Big School Yard Magazine (published September 2011)
Each multi-grade class selected a habitat within our schoolyard to research on our annual SEEK! Days. Our principal led the first and second graders through a study of our woodland habitat, which also holds our Small Animal Sanctuary. Our third through fifth grade class studied the meadow habitat, which features most of our playground and gardens. Our sixth through eighth grade class conducted a study of nearby Cherry Creek, which is in the Youghiogheny River Watershed. The magazine illustrates our discoveries with original nonfiction writing, photographs, maps, charts, games, and poetry.
2. Planning & Planting School Vegetable Garden (2012-2013/2013-2014)
Working with three community partners at Garrett County’s Office of Economic Development, University of Maryland Extension Service and Master Gardeners Program, our school planned and produced a first crop of red onions to sell at our annual Harvest Sale. We interviewed farmers at our local Farmer’s Market, reported on our internet research, surveyed students for their preferences, which were based on the research, sampled soil at prospective sites, prepared the soil at the selected site, then grew harvested, served, and sold the plants.
3. Cherry Creek Water Quality Monitoring (annually)
With Alan Klotz, DNR Regional Fisheries Manager and community partner, our middle school students have been collecting data from water samples of nearby Cherry Creek since 2004. With the planned replacement of Route 219 Bridge over Cherry Creek scheduled for this summer, we collected data upstream and downstream of the bridge this past fall and plan to do the same after the bridge replacement is completed. MD SHA officials visited our classroom to explain the project to us, and as a result we will have a small role in the restoration phase of the project.
4. Spring Sprucing Day (annually)
We roll up our sleeves and take a day to remove winter debris, refresh gardens, clean outdoor tables and benches, and refill the outdoor compost bin. Due to expansion of our environmental projects, we have been starting new gardens and have even more to maintain. We aren’t just cleaning up anymore. Our projects are for research and expansion of knowledge.
5. Waste Watchers (March 2014)
Our fifth grade students were searching for ways they could help fellow classmates reduce the amount of trash collected in our trash cans. They designed their own experiment and conducted a 5-day study to determine the mass of trash deposited in three classrooms, the office, and media center. They reported their findings in a school wide assembly, recommended ways to reduce our trash, and issued a challenge for all of us to be Waste Watchers. The winning classroom will have a pizza party.
Each multi-grade class selected a habitat within our schoolyard to research on our annual SEEK! Days. Our principal led the first and second graders through a study of our woodland habitat, which also holds our Small Animal Sanctuary. Our third through fifth grade class studied the meadow habitat, which features most of our playground and gardens. Our sixth through eighth grade class conducted a study of nearby Cherry Creek, which is in the Youghiogheny River Watershed. The magazine illustrates our discoveries with original nonfiction writing, photographs, maps, charts, games, and poetry.
2. Planning & Planting School Vegetable Garden (2012-2013/2013-2014)
Working with three community partners at Garrett County’s Office of Economic Development, University of Maryland Extension Service and Master Gardeners Program, our school planned and produced a first crop of red onions to sell at our annual Harvest Sale. We interviewed farmers at our local Farmer’s Market, reported on our internet research, surveyed students for their preferences, which were based on the research, sampled soil at prospective sites, prepared the soil at the selected site, then grew harvested, served, and sold the plants.
3. Cherry Creek Water Quality Monitoring (annually)
With Alan Klotz, DNR Regional Fisheries Manager and community partner, our middle school students have been collecting data from water samples of nearby Cherry Creek since 2004. With the planned replacement of Route 219 Bridge over Cherry Creek scheduled for this summer, we collected data upstream and downstream of the bridge this past fall and plan to do the same after the bridge replacement is completed. MD SHA officials visited our classroom to explain the project to us, and as a result we will have a small role in the restoration phase of the project.
4. Spring Sprucing Day (annually)
We roll up our sleeves and take a day to remove winter debris, refresh gardens, clean outdoor tables and benches, and refill the outdoor compost bin. Due to expansion of our environmental projects, we have been starting new gardens and have even more to maintain. We aren’t just cleaning up anymore. Our projects are for research and expansion of knowledge.
5. Waste Watchers (March 2014)
Our fifth grade students were searching for ways they could help fellow classmates reduce the amount of trash collected in our trash cans. They designed their own experiment and conducted a 5-day study to determine the mass of trash deposited in three classrooms, the office, and media center. They reported their findings in a school wide assembly, recommended ways to reduce our trash, and issued a challenge for all of us to be Waste Watchers. The winning classroom will have a pizza party.