Project Description: The school grounds were overrun with invasive plant species,
specifically spotted knapweed, garlic mustard, oriental bittersweet,
and autumn olive. Last year, students removed over 50 autumn olive
trees and a sizable area of oriental bittersweet. This year continued
these efforts (20+ trees and 30+ oriental bittersweet vines removed)
along with an additional focus on the expanse of spotted knapweed on
our grounds. Students researched the invasives and best practices for
removal and wrote feature articles highlighting their findings. A
controlled burn was conducted this spring with follow-up removal by
hand pulling (by students) and propane torching rosettes (by
teachers). Students then planted native seeds in the burn area that
they harvested from their Sand Hill Farm field trip this past Fall.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship: Students are more aware of the impact they can have on a habitat.
Partners: River City Wild Ones, Amway, Sand Hill Farm
Teachers: 4
Students: 11
Funder: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
Project Description: In the beginning of the year, students learned the importance of
taking care of our waterways, the damaging effects of nonpoint source
pollution, and why reducing run-off into our storm drains is crucial
to our waters. After noticing that a storm drain was right in our
landscape in the front of our building, students were placed into
teams of five and were given the charge to come up with a new
landscape design with a theme of their choice using native plants.
Students researched native plants, drew the layout to scale, wrote a
script to present to the principal, teachers, and the partnering
landscape architect. The best feature from each team was taken and
placed into a new design by Amy Heilman. In late May, students worked
on implementing the project by mulching, planting, and placing tree
cookies in our transformed landscape.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship: Some students have expressed an interest in careers in landscape
design and landscaping.
Partners: River City Wild Ones
Teachers: 3
Students: 52
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality
Project Description: Students continued the project from last year, adding more native
plants to fill in the native garden that was planted in front of the
school. They also put in an environmentally safe protectant on the
walkway. Students used D nets and water testing kits to sample and
test water at different times of the year, and set up a hydroponic
system to teach others how to grow without chemicals. Students also
made break out lessons to teach fellow students about nonpoint source
pollution. Students researched, designed, published, and taught these
lessons to students in the building and to other Groundswell students,
students at the STEAM Zoo Day, and at the Groundswell presentation.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship: Teaching breakout lessons to the wider community noticeably
improved the students' attitudes towards stewardship.
Partners: John Ball Zoo
Teachers: 3
Students: 51
Funder: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency through the Michigan
Department of Environmental Quality
Project Description: Central Woodlands students and teachers partnered with the zoo to
develop a new exhibit for the otters. Students went through the design
process class at the zoo and researched otters' adaptations to their
environment in order to come up with a new exhibit. Students also put
in a new native garden at the school as part of their own projects.
Last, students took a trip to the GRAM and the GR Public Museum to
learn about human impact on the environment.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship: Students become very knowledgeable about nonpoint source
pollution and the Great Lakes, and how it affects them personally.
Project Description: Central Woodlands students learned about watersheds, how human
activities affect the quality of our water, particularly in the Buck
Creek Watershed and the importance of native plants in our environment
to help with filtration. We took a field trip to Wittenbach-Wege
Center to learn about native plants. Our class divided into several
different groups and students were able to complete a project of their
choosing. Groups worked on recycling in our cafeteria, reducing
plastic use, children’s book writing, native plant gardens, and videos
to teach others. Our culminating activity will be a field trip to
Saugatuck Sand Dunes to learn more about ecosystems and native plants
keeping the dunes intact.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship: I would expect that students continue to reduce their waste as
they move to the middle school.
Partners: John Ball Zoo, Friends of Buck Creek, Lower Grand River
Organization of Watersheds
This year, Central Woodlands 5/6 saw two projects in
different areas of campus.
Patrick's Class worked on transforming the Central Woodlands
courtyard into an environment that attracts native bird species and
provides them with shelter, food and water: "We’ve added native
grasses and wildflowers that will provide nesting
opportunities/cover/nutrients. Not only will these native plants
provide valuable resources for our bird populations, but they will
beautify the courtyard. They already have, even though they are yet to
bloom. It has also created an environment in which students can
comfortably study and read while observing and appreciating our
natural surroundings."
Tolly's students were able to study the lack of biodiversity
that is on the Central Woodlands site and with that make a plan to
increase it. They looked at water flow and how plants and trees were
needed to help keep the watershed clean. With the help of experts,
the students were able to research/plant trees/ plants that attracted
butterflies and birds to our grounds.
Partners:
Revery, Kent Conservation District, Lower Grand River
Organization of Watersheds, Plaster Creek Stewards
Teachers: Christopher Patrick, 5th grade
Language Arts and Science; Patty Tolly, 6th grade Science and Social studies
Students researched different things that could affect the
biodiversity in a given area. They were broken into groups based on
interests. One group looked at how to save bees, another how to get
rid of using salt on our sidewalks, another looked at litter, another
looked at invasive species and another looked at native plants and
signage for them.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
Students have an extreme awareness about how changes in the
environment can affect so many different parts of an ecosystem. They
have an understanding of how chemicals including salt can damage water
and how to help with that.
Partners:
Inland Seas, Future Prep'd, Lower Grand River Organization of Watersheds
Teachers:
Patty Tolly, 6th Grade, Math, Science, Social Studies; Deb Elsholz,
6th Grade, Language Arts
Students did a lot of work with water and ecosystems this year. The
project started in Suttons Bay where students got a hands- on
experience of plastics and invasives in our water. We then went to our
own watershed and studied the amount of salt that was in water in the
winter and if it was good or bad for the environment.
Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
Throughout the year we have looked at the importance of clean water
in the lives of different people in areas of the world. We
continuously take it back to how lucky we are to live in Michigan and
how important preserving the Great Lakes has become for us. Through
this work, and their research, students will know the importance of
keeping our waterways clean.
