Project Description:
This project's goal was to restore habitats for local insects, butterflies, and birds on the school campus. Students did this by incorporating native plants into the children’s garden and by adding bird houses and baths. In addition, students restored an area that was once covered by a portable classroom by planting a pollinator garden. The art class created, painted, and designed bricks with peaceful messages to divide the garden from the surrounding grass. Not only will this project increase habitats for local insects, butterflies, and birds but it will also increase students’ appreciation for beauty and provide them natural subjects they can draw and describe.

The content standards for this project focused on informational reading and writing. Students formed teams based on topic of interest and wrote an argument/opinion paragraph about why their topic and solution were most beneficial to the environmental community at Knapp Forest. Community partners and Knapp Forest stakeholders met with students to think through and improve their proposed solution before students created a final presentation of their ideas. Their ideas were then used to plant the pollinator garden and revamp the Children’s garden at Knapp Forest.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
Local neighbors had complained that the building of our elementary school wiped out the local plants and insect, butterfly, and bird populations. The implementation of our pollinator garden taught kids that the landscape around us does more than just ‘look pretty’. It encouraged kids to think about what they plant in our yards, how they impact the environment, and what they can do to make a difference.

Partners:
Knapp Valley Gardens, Knapp Forest PTO, Michelle Bassett, Business Consultant/Grant Writer

Teachers:
7

Students:
120

Funder:
GVSU College of Education, Great Lakes Stewardship Initiative

Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mkmv72Az8qc

Project Description:
Students created short films to teach others about the importance of living an environmentally friendly or sustainable lifestyle. They highlighted the Grand River watershed focusing on human impacts in our local community. Films were shown at an event at our school for families to learn more about ways they can be part of the solution.

In addition, some of our Groundswell time and money was put into maintaining last year’s pollinator garden. Kids read about the importance of pollinators and determined a few additional plants that could be added to our existing gardens to make them more pollinator friendly.

Fostering Lifelong Stewardship:
This project helped students see how one small insect (bees) impacts us on a much larger scale. Students learned the unique relationships in our ecosystem and how even the smallest impact on our environment over time can impact us greatly. This project also helped students learn that they are part of something greater than themselves and that each of us has a responsibility to take care of our environment. After showing their videos, students realized that even kids can make a big impact and that adults will listen to them! They learned what it meant to be an expert in one topic area and how to back your opinion in evidence. These skills will help them continue to make educated decisions, which is a necessary piece of being a productive member of society.

Partners:
Grand Rapids Art Museum, Independent Author Mark Newman (Sooper Yooper)

Teachers:
3

Students:
140

Funder:
GVSU College of Education

Showcase Video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z72uB15muHw