Use of Environment as a Context for Learning
Kindergarten - 5th Grade
LoES Green Week 2015
April 20, 2015 - April 24, 2015
Listed below are this year's school-wide events scheduled for the week of April 20th.
April 20, 2015 - April 24, 2015
Listed below are this year's school-wide events scheduled for the week of April 20th.
- Green Day @ LoES (Mon. 4/20) - All students & staff are encouraged to wear green.
- PTA Cultural Arts Presentation: Prismatic Laser Light Show (Wed. 4/22)
- Our School’s Energy Conservation Assembly (Thurs. 4/23)
- Spring Walk to School Day (Fri. 4/24 starting @ 8:25am)
- PTA Green Week Scavenger Hunt
- Maryland Master Gardener Visits
- School-wide Recycling Spotlight
- PTA volunteers will support cafeteria recycling efforts throughout the week
- e-waste and toner cartridge collection during Walk to School Day
LoES GREEN WEEK 2014
April 22, 2014 - April 25, 2014
Tuesday, 4/22
April 22, 2014 - April 25, 2014
Tuesday, 4/22
- Earth Day 2014 Recycling Assemblies & Cafeteria Visits
- Guest Speaker - Alicia Moore, Recycling Coordinator Howard County Environmental Services
- PTA Green Week Scavenger Hunt Begins
- Green Day - All students and staff wear Green
- Earth Day Water Conservation Awareness
- Walk to School Day
- School-Wide Zero Waste Wednesday
- TerraCycle Community Recycling Collection for e-waste, ink cartridges, writing utensils, glue sticks, & juice pouches
- School Spirit Day - Rock your Longfellow Red, White, and/or Black
- Trash To Treasure Day - Students will turn trash in to bird feeders, jump ropes, flowerpots, cat toys for an animal shelter, and musical instruments to name just a few.
- Copy Free Friday
Trash to Treasure
Our school community collected recyclable materials starting in January 2014 in an effort to reuse and reinvent trash in to treasure here at Longfellow. We collected yogurt containers, egg containers, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, milk and juice cartons, plastic bags, and other miscellaneous items for our Trash to Treasure Day. Listed below are the various events that will take place across our school on April 25th.
Our school community collected recyclable materials starting in January 2014 in an effort to reuse and reinvent trash in to treasure here at Longfellow. We collected yogurt containers, egg containers, toilet paper rolls, paper towel rolls, milk and juice cartons, plastic bags, and other miscellaneous items for our Trash to Treasure Day. Listed below are the various events that will take place across our school on April 25th.
- K - Pots to Grow Plants (milk cartons)
- 1 - Bird Feeders (milk/juice cartons)
- 2 - Animal Shelter Cat Toys (Paper Towel & Toilet Paper Rolls)
- 3 - Jump Ropes (Plastic Bags)
- 4 - Paper Butterflies (Toilet Paper Rolls)
- 5 - Musical Instruments (Various Materials)
Recycle Rap
Each Longfellow Eagle Learned the "Recycle Rap" to celebrate our Green School Recertification. The song was included in to our Green School-themed Spring Concert, the EnviroDrum Cultural Arts event, during Walk to School Day, and played during dismissal on Fridays. Pictured are our students singing the Recycle Rap to begin our EnviroDrum Cultural Arts Assembly.
You can listen to the song @
http://www.musick8.com/html/current_tune.php?numbering=1&songorder=2
Each Longfellow Eagle Learned the "Recycle Rap" to celebrate our Green School Recertification. The song was included in to our Green School-themed Spring Concert, the EnviroDrum Cultural Arts event, during Walk to School Day, and played during dismissal on Fridays. Pictured are our students singing the Recycle Rap to begin our EnviroDrum Cultural Arts Assembly.
You can listen to the song @
http://www.musick8.com/html/current_tune.php?numbering=1&songorder=2
Earth Day Poems
In celebration of Earth Day our Vocal Music Teacher, Mrs. Griffin, worked with each grade level to write Earth Day Poems for our Inaugural Green Week Celebration. Pictured is a snapshot of our Kindergarten Poem.
In celebration of Earth Day our Vocal Music Teacher, Mrs. Griffin, worked with each grade level to write Earth Day Poems for our Inaugural Green Week Celebration. Pictured is a snapshot of our Kindergarten Poem.
TerraCycle Recycling Lessons
Green Team member and our TerraCycle coordinator, Ms. Leonard, put together TerraCycle Recycling lessons for each grade at Longfellow. These lessons will be incorporated during Spring 2014 as we launch our TerraCycle Recycling Program.
Green Team member and our TerraCycle coordinator, Ms. Leonard, put together TerraCycle Recycling lessons for each grade at Longfellow. These lessons will be incorporated during Spring 2014 as we launch our TerraCycle Recycling Program.
Kindergarten
Environment Week Planting
To begin the fourth quarter our Kindergarten friends celebrate Environment Week where our students plant mixed flowers seeds, discuss the parts of a plant, how to care for plants, and track the growth of their plants.
Environment Week Planting
To begin the fourth quarter our Kindergarten friends celebrate Environment Week where our students plant mixed flowers seeds, discuss the parts of a plant, how to care for plants, and track the growth of their plants.
Environment Week Recycling Sort
In April 2015, our kindergarteners learned about recycling, read stories about recycling, and learned how to sort items that can be recycled in Howard County.
In April 2015, our kindergarteners learned about recycling, read stories about recycling, and learned how to sort items that can be recycled in Howard County.
Kindergarten Green Week Preview Lessons
Kindergarten is learning about how to keep the earth green. We are writing acrostic poems about Earth using things we have learned to integrate social studies with language arts. We are also going to sort recycling and talk about how we can re-use a milk carton to make it into a pot for a plant. Lastly, we will will be planting a plant re-using a milk carton from lunch to show children how to re-use something to make it into something useful and helpful to the environment. We also wrote a poem for the Chorus Concert to show how important keeping the earth green is to us:
Let's keep the air fresh and clean,
which will keep our grass nice and green.
Let's pick up trash every day,
so we can go outside and play!
Recycle paper, plastic, and cans,
You'll be the earths biggest fans!
Kindergarten is learning about how to keep the earth green. We are writing acrostic poems about Earth using things we have learned to integrate social studies with language arts. We are also going to sort recycling and talk about how we can re-use a milk carton to make it into a pot for a plant. Lastly, we will will be planting a plant re-using a milk carton from lunch to show children how to re-use something to make it into something useful and helpful to the environment. We also wrote a poem for the Chorus Concert to show how important keeping the earth green is to us:
Let's keep the air fresh and clean,
which will keep our grass nice and green.
Let's pick up trash every day,
so we can go outside and play!
Recycle paper, plastic, and cans,
You'll be the earths biggest fans!
Growing for the Future
Kindergarten planted grass seed and lima bean plants to learn about what plants need to grow. We did an experiment to see what would happen if we tried to grow 4 different seeds- one that had water, air, soil, and sunlight, one without water, one without sunlight, one without air, and one without soil. With the help of Mrs. Frank my class made a habitat for 500 worms! We learned that worms are very good for the earth and have an important job to do. The students shredded cardboard and newspaper then soaked it in water to layer in the worm bin. We learned that worms like a dark and damp environment. The students were able to observe and "play" with the worms before we put them in their new home! We have been caring for our new pets at school. |
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First Grade
How Can We Protect and Care for Our Environment?
In third quarter 2014, our first graders learned about changes in our community and environment. We talked about how we can make changes in our lives and prevent bad things from happening to our environment. The students came up with many ideas such as recycling or using containers for lunch instead of plastic bags, reusing paper or plastic bags from the grocery store, turning off the lights and TV, and using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. We also learned about water conservation and how important water is to our environment. The students came up with ideas about how to save water such as turning off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth or taking a bath instead of a shower.
In third quarter 2014, our first graders learned about changes in our community and environment. We talked about how we can make changes in our lives and prevent bad things from happening to our environment. The students came up with many ideas such as recycling or using containers for lunch instead of plastic bags, reusing paper or plastic bags from the grocery store, turning off the lights and TV, and using cloth napkins instead of paper napkins. We also learned about water conservation and how important water is to our environment. The students came up with ideas about how to save water such as turning off the faucet when you are brushing your teeth or taking a bath instead of a shower.
The Life Cycle of Plants and Frogs
In fourth quarter 2014, we learn about the life cycle of plants and frogs. We even get to plant our own seeds and watch them grow! We talk about what organisms need to survive and how we can protect their environment. We also get to
In fourth quarter 2014, we learn about the life cycle of plants and frogs. We even get to plant our own seeds and watch them grow! We talk about what organisms need to survive and how we can protect their environment. We also get to
Second Grade
Butterfly Life Cycles/Habitat
Each spring, second grade students learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. During the unit, students learn how to care for the developing butterflies and their habitats. As a curriculum extension, our second graders visited Brookside Gardens and toured the butterfly pavilion where they learned about many different kinds of species, plants, and flowers. They watched them grow and raised them from tiny larvae to adult butterflies. As a culminating project, the butterflies are released on school grounds to continue the cycle. Our students also wrote about what they learned in their science journals.
Butterfly Life Cycles/Habitat
Each spring, second grade students learn about the life cycle of a butterfly. During the unit, students learn how to care for the developing butterflies and their habitats. As a curriculum extension, our second graders visited Brookside Gardens and toured the butterfly pavilion where they learned about many different kinds of species, plants, and flowers. They watched them grow and raised them from tiny larvae to adult butterflies. As a culminating project, the butterflies are released on school grounds to continue the cycle. Our students also wrote about what they learned in their science journals.
Upcycled Terrariums
Our second graders reused plastic drinking cups to plant seeds and create terrariums during LoES Green Week 2015. |
Grading Our School Grounds
In September 2013, our 2nd Graders used a Chesapeake Bay Foundation grounds report card to grade the school grounds for erosion, trash, and how water is drained for the school grounds. We also developed ways to improve our school grounds.
In September 2013, our 2nd Graders used a Chesapeake Bay Foundation grounds report card to grade the school grounds for erosion, trash, and how water is drained for the school grounds. We also developed ways to improve our school grounds.
Third Grade
Earth Pals
Mr. Yoo's 3rd grade class in collaboration with Library Media and a 3rd grade class at Rossville Elementary in Rossville, IN considered ways the students and schools can be more earth friendly. Rossville decided to focus on recycling while Longfellow focused on energy conservation. The classes Skyped several times and also interacted through Edmodo. Longfellow students generated a list of appliances that use energy throughout our building and measured these objects using voltmeters to determine how much it costs the school per day/week/year to have the appliance on for the length of a school day versus keeping it off. The students then calculated how much energy each of the appliances use (ie. total number of laptops in school building, etc.). The students worked to design an info-graphic which was incorporated into a TED Talk-style presentation of their work and findings to their classmates, the Longfellow staff, and our friends at Rossville.
4th & 5th Grade
Master Gardener Partnership: Presentation & Creation of Blue Bird Houses
In April 2015, our Fourth Graders worked with the Maryland Master Gardeners to learn about Blue Birds, their habitat, and how we could help them here at Longfellow. In April 2015 the Master Gardeners presented information to our students and then we got to work! Mr. Poirier, with support from our PTA, oversaw the building of a dozen Blue Bird houses that we will place throughout the grounds of our school at the conclusion of our renovation in August 2015.
In April 2015, our Fourth Graders worked with the Maryland Master Gardeners to learn about Blue Birds, their habitat, and how we could help them here at Longfellow. In April 2015 the Master Gardeners presented information to our students and then we got to work! Mr. Poirier, with support from our PTA, oversaw the building of a dozen Blue Bird houses that we will place throughout the grounds of our school at the conclusion of our renovation in August 2015.
Master Gardener Presentation:
Grow It! Eat It!
The Grow It! Eat It! campaign is a joint venture between The Maryland Master Gardener program and the Home and Garden Information Center. The presentation shared with our Fifth Graders in April 2015 addressed the growing need of Marylanders to learn how to start and maintain successful food gardens. Each Fifth Grader and Staff Member learned about sustainable gardening and walked away with their very own lettuce plant to grow and eat!
Grow It! Eat It!
The Grow It! Eat It! campaign is a joint venture between The Maryland Master Gardener program and the Home and Garden Information Center. The presentation shared with our Fifth Graders in April 2015 addressed the growing need of Marylanders to learn how to start and maintain successful food gardens. Each Fifth Grader and Staff Member learned about sustainable gardening and walked away with their very own lettuce plant to grow and eat!
Green Chorus Concert & Green School Celebration
This Spring, under the direction of our Vocal Music Teacher Mrs. Mary Griffin, our 4th and 5th grade Vocal Chorus learned "Green" songs to celebrate our green school efforts throughout the year. Our chorus will perform these green-themed songs for our school community on Wednesday, April 9th at Rouse Theater. During the school day on April 9th, our vocal chorus & hand chime choir will perform our green-themed concert for our entire school body as part of our 2014 Green School Celebration. Students across all grade levels are writing poems, learning the Recycle Rap, & playing green-themed songs on their recorders to participate in the fun. Some of the songs being performed this year are Every Day is Earth Day, Ecology Rap, We are the People of the 21st Century, Fan Fare for A New Planet, Bring It On Back, Recycle Rap, America the Beautiful, What To Do With a Litter Critter, & Pass It On Down. Our entire student body will sing the Recycle Rap. Pictured is our Fourth Grade Chorus preparing for our Spring performance.
This Spring, under the direction of our Vocal Music Teacher Mrs. Mary Griffin, our 4th and 5th grade Vocal Chorus learned "Green" songs to celebrate our green school efforts throughout the year. Our chorus will perform these green-themed songs for our school community on Wednesday, April 9th at Rouse Theater. During the school day on April 9th, our vocal chorus & hand chime choir will perform our green-themed concert for our entire school body as part of our 2014 Green School Celebration. Students across all grade levels are writing poems, learning the Recycle Rap, & playing green-themed songs on their recorders to participate in the fun. Some of the songs being performed this year are Every Day is Earth Day, Ecology Rap, We are the People of the 21st Century, Fan Fare for A New Planet, Bring It On Back, Recycle Rap, America the Beautiful, What To Do With a Litter Critter, & Pass It On Down. Our entire student body will sing the Recycle Rap. Pictured is our Fourth Grade Chorus preparing for our Spring performance.
Green Team
Our 4th and 5th graders have the choice of participating in Chorus or Green Team during the 2012-2013 first and second semesters. Our students who choose Green Team have the opportunity to be green leaders at Longfellow by learning about critical environmental issues and implementing green initiatives throughout our school.
Our 4th and 5th graders have the choice of participating in Chorus or Green Team during the 2012-2013 first and second semesters. Our students who choose Green Team have the opportunity to be green leaders at Longfellow by learning about critical environmental issues and implementing green initiatives throughout our school.
Everyone Is Part Of A Watershed
Students in fifth grade read and discussed “Everyone is Part of a Watershed” found in their student science notebooks. Next, they came up with a definition for watershed. They looked at a map of Maryland and traced the flow of all the major rivers into the Chesapeake Bay. Students worked hard to create a model of a watershed in Science Classes.
Students in fifth grade read and discussed “Everyone is Part of a Watershed” found in their student science notebooks. Next, they came up with a definition for watershed. They looked at a map of Maryland and traced the flow of all the major rivers into the Chesapeake Bay. Students worked hard to create a model of a watershed in Science Classes.
Water Filtering STEM Activity
Our Technology Teacher, Mrs. Baker, worked with our fifth grade students on a pilot Science Technology Engineering and Math extension activity where our students worked collaboratively to study water pollution around the world and it's impact, designed and built water filters, calculated the cost of making various types of water filters, and then assessed their effectiveness in filtering pollution.
Our Technology Teacher, Mrs. Baker, worked with our fifth grade students on a pilot Science Technology Engineering and Math extension activity where our students worked collaboratively to study water pollution around the world and it's impact, designed and built water filters, calculated the cost of making various types of water filters, and then assessed their effectiveness in filtering pollution.
Chorus Concert Upcycled Instruments
Our 4th and 5th graders made rain sticks and other instruments from used PVC pipe and other recyclable materials.
Our 4th and 5th graders made rain sticks and other instruments from used PVC pipe and other recyclable materials.
Descriptive Writing Field Trip to The Howard County Conservancy
In May 2013, our fourth graders had the opportunity to connect English Language Arts, Science, & STEM! Our students designed a mini-nature trail, made observations using their senses, operated a hand held GPS, and had the opportunity to free write outside based on their day’s experiences. Through hands-on exploration our 4th and 5th graders were inspired to write creatively and discovered a deeper connection to the natural world.
In May 2013, our fourth graders had the opportunity to connect English Language Arts, Science, & STEM! Our students designed a mini-nature trail, made observations using their senses, operated a hand held GPS, and had the opportunity to free write outside based on their day’s experiences. Through hands-on exploration our 4th and 5th graders were inspired to write creatively and discovered a deeper connection to the natural world.