Native Plants Garden
After learning about the issue of habitat loss in class and at NorthBay science camp, 6th-graders researched, designed and created a native plants garden for the school. Working together with school and community partners, students replaced lawn with native plants that provide food and shelter to bees, birds and butterflies. In addition to providing native habitat in an urban environment, the schoolyard garden provides an outdoor learning space for classes and the community.
Native Tree Planting
Third- and sixth-graders partnered with Parks & People Foundation to add more than 40 native trees to the city's tree canopy (and helping it to reach its canopy growth goal). The trees line the school's parking lot and walking spaces, providing shade as well as filtering air pollution and storm water run-off. In addition, the trees add to the school's growing "urban forest" and provide learning opportunities for classes.
Bird & Butterfly Habitat
The Native Bird and Butterfly Garden is a newly funded project from the National Fish and Wildlife Service's Schoolyard Habitat Grant. This garden will showcase native plants that provide shelter, food, and habitat for Maryland's native bird and butterfly populations. In addition, this new garden project will allow our students to experience wildlife through observation and citizen science tools. When the garden is completed classrooms will be able to take part in Monarch Butterfly Citizen Science programs, in order to sustain the population of this threatened species.
Student maintenance & use of schoolyard habitat
Students use and take care of the schoolyard native plants and trees in various ways. Our after-school green group Green Lions works outside weekly as weather allows on various garden maintenance tasks, including watering, weeding, planting, mulching and litter collection. In addition, students with summer programs at the school help maintain the garden and trees. Classes at various grade levels use the garden and trees for different lessons, ranging from art and observation to plant growth and seed investigation. Student guides take members of the community on educational tours of the garden during our school's annual community festival.