Curriculum and Instruction
Dr. Izolda Trachenberg, a NCTAF/NASA resource, taught a lesson to sixth grade science students on ground-level ozone in order to demonstrate how automobile exhaust contributes to air pollution at the school pick up/drop off zone. Students counted clouds and researched how they affect temperature. These activities tied in both
the environmental and
weather units. (May 2013)
the environmental and
weather units. (May 2013)
NorthBay Outdoor Environmental Education Center
All sixth grade students benefit from an annual weeklong residential camp at NorthBay Environmental Education Center. (November 2012, November 2013) Students engage in activities where students discover environmental concepts through creative simulations. During a lesson on trees, students determine how much a tree is worth by measuring it's height, width, etc. in order to determine a cost/benefit analysis of cutting down trees. Students also play many educational games, such as "Sediment, Sediment" where they imitate nature (as nature and trees) to see the effects of excess water, loss of sediment, and the importance of trees. Students reflect on what they've learned in journals daily. (sample below).
All sixth grade students benefit from an annual weeklong residential camp at NorthBay Environmental Education Center. (November 2012, November 2013) Students engage in activities where students discover environmental concepts through creative simulations. During a lesson on trees, students determine how much a tree is worth by measuring it's height, width, etc. in order to determine a cost/benefit analysis of cutting down trees. Students also play many educational games, such as "Sediment, Sediment" where they imitate nature (as nature and trees) to see the effects of excess water, loss of sediment, and the importance of trees. Students reflect on what they've learned in journals daily. (sample below).
northbay_environmental_ed_program.pdf | |
File Size: | 438 kb |
File Type: |
northbay_student_workbook.pdf | |
File Size: | 1082 kb |
File Type: |
Grade 7
7gr_fieldtrip_robinson_nat_ctr.pdf | |
File Size: | 193 kb |
File Type: |
All seventh graders attended a field trip to Robinson Nature Center,
May, 2013 as an extension to their science environmental unit. The students walked the grounds of the Nature Center and discovered invasive species and native species of plant life. They learned the importance of controlling invasive plants and the need to maintain the native plant life in our area as it works to buffer pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay.
These experiences were expanded upon in English classes when the students returned to school and wrote poems with a nature theme while enjoying our outdoor classroom.(below).
May, 2013 as an extension to their science environmental unit. The students walked the grounds of the Nature Center and discovered invasive species and native species of plant life. They learned the importance of controlling invasive plants and the need to maintain the native plant life in our area as it works to buffer pollutants in the Chesapeake Bay.
These experiences were expanded upon in English classes when the students returned to school and wrote poems with a nature theme while enjoying our outdoor classroom.(below).
nature_poem_1.docx | |
File Size: | 60 kb |
File Type: | docx |
nature_poem2.docx | |
File Size: | 73 kb |
File Type: | docx |
Students are introduced to their new outdoor classroom that was made possible by the HCMS community partnership with Lowes. After the dedication these seventh grade science students took part in a genetics lab dealing with petunias and the mixing and matching of genetic information to create flowers with different petal variations.
(April 2012)
http://www.baltimoresun.com/explore/howard/bal-ppc-ph-ho-cf-hcms20120418100458,0,1438181.photo
Chesapeake Bay Ecosystem Presentation
Under the Sea presentation to the entire seventh grade. (Yearly since 2012, most recent April 1, 2014)
Chesapeake Critters was the theme of this presentation which familiarizes the students with one of the world's most productive estuaries that's right in our own background. The presentation involves live animals that are native to the Chesapeake in its teaching of the history of the Bay and its environmental impact on the area. The students are presented with graphs and are challenged throughout the presentation to find solutions to ecological issues
Chesapeake Critters was the theme of this presentation which familiarizes the students with one of the world's most productive estuaries that's right in our own background. The presentation involves live animals that are native to the Chesapeake in its teaching of the history of the Bay and its environmental impact on the area. The students are presented with graphs and are challenged throughout the presentation to find solutions to ecological issues
Grade 8
Energy Conservation Lessons
Diane Sweeney, HCPSS Energy Specialist, spoke to an eighth grade reading class on
ways to conserve energy in schools. Students analyzed graphs dealing with energy usage in our school building and highlighted months and dates in which energy usage spiked and declined. Claims and evidence were then written using the data. Math classes used data supplied by her office to create graphs that were then analyzed. (March 18, 2014)
Diane Sweeney, HCPSS Energy Specialist, spoke to an eighth grade reading class on
ways to conserve energy in schools. Students analyzed graphs dealing with energy usage in our school building and highlighted months and dates in which energy usage spiked and declined. Claims and evidence were then written using the data. Math classes used data supplied by her office to create graphs that were then analyzed. (March 18, 2014)
sch_electric_use_worksheet.pdf | |
File Size: | 139 kb |
File Type: |
Actual school energy useage data that 8th grade students used to analzye energy use and costs.
School Garden Project
Students researched gardens in their Reading Module class. Based upon this research, students created a design and budget for a community garden to be located on the school's property. This will be proposed to the administration in May. This research is in conjunction with their investigation into personal lifestyle choices and the effect on climate change, which is being driven by our school's partnership with NASA and NCTAF. Social Studies classes are incorporating the history of farming and the impact of the industrial revolution on home grown food and farming and the increase of air pollution. (January - June 2014)
garden_budget.pdf | |
File Size: | 304 kb |
File Type: |
garden_research_summary.pdf | |
File Size: | 13 kb |
File Type: |
garden_research2.pdf | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
File Type: |
8th grade Reading class students researched, planned and created this site plan for the school garden.
"We should become a green school because the environment needs our help. Humans polluted this world and it's up to us to help clean it up. Taking it one school at a time and branching out to entire communities will eventually make this world a better place."