Project Description: 

This year, Shawmut Hills K-8 saw two projects collaborate on campus. 

Storey's class created an outdoor birding area for students to observe, support the population of native birds in the school yard, educate and learn about the native birds in the schoolyard and community. Throughout the year students read, wrote, graphed, listened, and discussed the native birds as well as learned how to be great stewards in the school yard.

Nielsen's students at Shawmut Hills [explored] their schoolyard through place-based activities like gardening, clean up events, outdoor journaling, and outdoor learning times. The goal of this project was to continue to involve the scholars, families, and community of Shawmut Hills in their schoolyard through place-based experiences.   This work was originally driven by teacher interest in increasing outdoor learning time and the school garden, and in 2020-2021 was enhanced by the GREEN webinars organized by Groundswell and GRPS.  The Schoolyard Inventory provided by the GREEN grant encouraged teachers to reflect on underutilized spaces.  Furthermore, through these place-based opportunities the scholars [noticed] underutilized space as well.  The “Sycamore Circle'' project began in the Fall of 2021 when Kindergarten and 8th grade students collaborated to transform an overgrown concrete circle that had large sycamore trees in it, into a learning and journaling space.  To recognize the value of this new space and to celebrate the learning that will and has already happened there, the scholars [began] to mural the concrete circle that defines the “Sycamore Circle”.  The art teacher is also passionate about designing a peace pole with scholars to add to this space. Slides of the project thus far can be viewed here: Sycamore Circle .

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:

Storey's class exhibit life-long stewardship through knowledge of the native birds, native plants, and appreciating the wonders around them.  Appreciating their space and noticing so much more and caring for their space in such a pure and true love of what is around them.

Nielsen's class noted life-long stewardship with a revitalization of the Sycamore Circle, scholars and community members will use this space more for nature observation opportunities.  As they get to know their “space” more and pay attention to the native animals, insects, plants and habitats, they will take more ownership in caring for their space.

Partners:

Ottawa County Parks, GrowWise Learning, Holland Outdoor Discovery Center, Kendall Art Institute, Local Muralist Brittney Grant

Teachers:

Lindsay Storey, 2nd Grade, Science; Stephanie Nielsen, Kindergarten, Science; Stacy Vander Molen, 1st-2nd Grade, Science; Kelby Levow, 1st Grade, Science; Nancy Chauvin, Kindergarten, Science; Sarah Drier, 8th Grade, Science; Amber VanDrunen, K-8th, Art

Students:

122

Funder:

MiSTEM

Showcase Video:

       Storey's Class Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ESMo3sY2dPw&list=PLV2DqaYFEsPwEUUHkVf4EWeARMMgZa9NL&index=20&ab_channel=GroundswellMichigan

       Nielsen's Class Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbmlwkOj3r0&list=PLV2DqaYFEsPwEUUHkVf4EWeARMMgZa9NL&index=19&ab_channel=GroundswellMichigan

Project Description: 

The goal of this project is to immerse young, preschool and kindergarten, learners in their natural environment through weather related activities.  The scholars will explore what weather is, how weather is measured, and different ways to observe weather.  The scholars will make connections to literacy through literature, expository text, and phenology journals. Scholars will make connections to math and science by graphing types of weather.  Funds that support this project will provide each of the 3 classroom’s with their own weather station, books and potential meteorologist guest speaker and/or field trip. Our young scholars will also make connections to how weather affects the everyday lives of humans, animals, plants, and habitats. Our hope is that these observations will connect scholars to their outdoor environment and in doing so instill a love, appreciation, and advocacy of their space.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:

Our young scholars will also make connections to how weather affects the everyday lives of humans, animals, plants, and habitats. Our hope is that these observations will connect scholars to their outdoor environment and in doing so instill a love, appreciation, and advocacy of their space. Our scholars will develop the skill of paying close attention to the changing weather conditions and seasons, which is necessary for later stewardship and advocacy.

Partners:

Grow Wise Learning LLC

Teachers:

Stephanie Nielsen, Kindergarten, All Subjects; Emma Resendiz, Kindergarten, All Subjects; Dana Lozon, PreK, All Subjects

Students:

55

Funder:

Wege Foundation

Showcase Video: https://youtu.be/Xic0YbtkymY

Project Description: 

Our kindergarten scholars explored their schoolyard through phenology journaling, weather observations, and “nature collections”. Scholars engaged in cross-curricular activities. They engaged with community partners, like Ellen Bacca and Bob at the Outdoor Discovery Center, to further their perspectives and ideas around weather and phenology. The kindergartners also collaborated with their cross grade level peers in 4th and 5th grade to make observations. These experiences led to larger projects like creating the “Shawmut Hills Clean Up Crew”, where scholars came together once a week to clean up the trash on the playground. They measured it, made “no littering” signs, and even created a presentation for the principal requesting support for their schoolyard trash solution ideas. This project was successful in connecting our scholars to literacy and cross-curricular place-based experiences in our schoolyard at Shawmut Hills.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:

I believe our scholars have created memories in their schoolyard that will lead to a life-long appreciation and desire to care for their community. Journaling involved observing, and those observations led to trash clean up, which led to a presentation to the principal about how we need support keeping our schoolyard clean. I expect new trash bins and a plan for outdoor trash to be a result of their advocacy!

Partners:

Grow Wise Learning LLC, Outdoor Discovery Center

Teachers:

Stephanie Nielsen, Kindergarten, All Subjects; Emma Resendiz, Kindergarten, All Subjects

Students:

80

Funder:

Wege Foundation

Showcase Video: https://youtu.be/00CqGxBQ0AU?si=-8oArMQP0gtmXgno

Project Description: 

Building on their tradition of “hawk walks” inspired by the red-tailed hawks frequenting their schoolyard, students and staff began planning a “hawk walk library” with topic-specific backpacks filled with field guides, tools, and activities. This project aimed to deepen place-based learning and foster mentorship by having older students lead younger ones in exploring local ecology.

Partners:
Grow Wise Learning, Blandford Nature Center

Teachers:
Stephanie Nielsen & Stacy VanderMolenk, 2nd

Students:
40

Funder:
Great Lakes Fishery Trust

Showcase Video:  https://youtu.be/-elvJWeIEp8?feature=share