Repurposing

Indoor Shore with Kindergarten last week saw students thinking about how things move in the water. They made paddle boats with craft sticks paddles powered by elastic energy (rubber bands.)  Until someone discovered corks in the Green Studio and made a better paddle.

Unbearably Adorable

Pre-K students made beds for their bears, using, what else? Forest Materials.  Students used glue to put together these materials to make a variety of beds.  All of which were"just right".

What should we choose?

Urban Nature

Kindergarten students were lucky enough to see mourning doves building a nest twig by twig in the netting under the scaffolds.  Will the birds stay despite the activity?

Witnessed and photographed by Johanna.

Their Sunday in the Chicken Coop

Kristel Kubart and her husband had "so much fun" with the hens.

They sure look like they are having a blast.  Perhaps they heard this joke sent by Amy Brown:

"Why do chicken coops have two doors?"

WHY?

"If they had four doors, they would be chicken sedans."

Outdoor Vermicomposting...

Here students are chopping up veggies and fruits from lunch.

Can't believe we haven't documented our outdoor worm composting bins.

Turning compost in finishing barrel.

Adding browns to make a healthy compost.

 

Chopping up pumpkins in front of worm bins.

And...harvesting finished compost careful to separate out the worms.

Outdoor Insect Explore

Strawberry plants ready for "bees" to pollinate.

A quiet moment before the first grade class comes down.  All of the "props" are in place. Including strawberry plants with fruits forming and flowers ready for pollination.

   

Bug viewers ready for found insects:  helpful and not helpful.

Stuff for furnishings for BUG HOTEL.

After attending "Bee" School where the Queen Bee is very strict about BEEhavior...students pollinate using cotton swabs.

Not pictured:  Kids observing ants around trees.

Third Grade Recyclers Speak For Themselves

After trying different systems to improve paper recycling, two Green Committee Members, Ita Lawrence, School Psychologist, and Johanna Esteras, Sustainability Coordinator, hit on a brilliant method.  Instead of recycling at the end of the day...too much going on at that time, third graders work during recess.  Paper recycling is getting better and better.

Here is a video created by ICE Intern, Natalie Marth that lets the kids speak for themselves.