Becoming Green Leaders...

Letter to Post & Courier

2011-12-20T10:52:00.000-08:00

Shame on Superintendent of Schools Mr. Zais, who wrote in a letter to federal officials that the program's requirements to honor South Carolina schools with “Green Ribbons” are “too burdensome and carry a cost that would be borne by local taxpayers instead of the federal government.” He said, “federal officials should work on improving a similar program for academics, Blue Ribbon Schools, rather "than creating a new program that isn't focused on students, but rather placating environmental lobbyists."

Wake up. Mr. Zais. This is South Carolina. Palmetto Agribusiness Council, found that the Agriculture industry in this state produces more than 200,000 of South Carolina jobs and makes a $33.9 billion economic impact. Is sustainable agriculture not considered “green” to you, sir? Could this state afford to not prepare students for jobs in fields like Agribusiness? Sustainability and other lessons taught daily in classrooms all over this state provide students with the real-world applied learning models that connect science, technology, and math education with the broader human concerns of environmental, economic, and social systems.

As an educator in this state, I am ashamed of your position to not support the students of this great state who are working very hard to make an impact. My first grade classroom alone has saved our school nearly $12,000. I taught my students that developing a waste reduction system doesn’t just support the planet but it also supports the financial stability of our school community. The professional development I needed to teach my students these important standards was provided my bank account and I took these courses because I have a strong desire to prepare my student to become competitive Global Stewards. I aligned these lessons to not only teach science standards but also to connect literacy, mathematics, social studies and technology standards as well all while applying multiple teaching strategies that employ best practices.

Charleston County Public Schools was faced with a 28 million dollar deficit this year. These students saw dramatic changes to their learning environment. Superintendent Dr. McGinley asked for support from teachers in coming up with solutions to lessen the impact on students. When explaining to my students that their was no funding left for more computers and school supplies my six-year-old students found one very simple solution to help support our school, Memminger School of Global Studies. My classroom with the support of Bronwyn Santos of the Charleston County Recycle Center performed a waste assessment and realized we could reduce our waste and remove an 8yard dumpster from school property. We came up with a school-wide plan, pitched it to the staff and students and got to work. Our dumpster was removed this week. This one science and math project saved our school nearly $12,000. Do you still feel these children don’t deserve an award honoring their effort? This success alone was built upon their knowledge of developing sustainable systems.

In addition to teaching the importance of problem solving, critical thinking, and sustainability, I also teach all of the other standards both district and state required. Last year Memminger School of Global Studies had 100% of it’s first graders reading on or above grade level. This year is looking as fruitful. I invite you into my classroom Mr. Zais to look my children in the eye and tell them that their efforts are in vain. Explain to them that you don’t find any educational value in their green library, sustainable chicken coop, their veggie garden, or their recycling program that they run on their own. Tell them to stop Tap & Stacking their trays to reduce waste. Please make these wonderful Green Leaders understand why becoming a contributing member of society is not as important as their MAP & PASS scores. Where I am disappointed in your position Mr. Zais, I am incredibly grateful for the unwavering support from our County Superintendent Dr. Nancy McGinley. I am proud to work for Charleston County Public Schools and I am proud of my students. In closing, we really don’t need your green ribbons but what would have been nice was for you to not overlook the tremendous efforts of the children and educators in this state.

Terracycling at Memminger...

2011-12-14T18:26:00.000-08:00

The Green Leaders have started a Terracycling campaign that will start January 2012. We will be collecting all empty Elmer's Glue containers and shipping them back to Elmer's to be upcycled into new products.

Check out the Terracycle website. www.terracycle.net

We are on the waiting list to start a chip & candy wrapper brigade as well!!!

Green Love,

Melissa

The Green Leaders started a recycling program...

2011-11-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

How much can we help Mother Earth by recycling at school? We found out! We tallied bags of trash going out to the landfill before and then after starting a recycling program! We cut our trash by almost 70%

WHAT A DIFFERENCE WE CAN MAKE!!!!

They are what they eat too...

2011-11-09T19:02:00.000-08:00

What do our hens eat?

They eat the plants we grow in our garden. They especially love the lettuce we grow. They eat some of our leftovers from lunch and breakfast like fruit, vegetables, and bread. They also eat bugs (free pest control) and chicken scratch. (cracked corn, milo, wheat) Our chickens do not eat any meat! We are very careful when we collect our food scraps during meals. Having the hens eat our food scraps means we are putting less trash into our landfill! We are reducing our school’s waste and carbon footprint.

Please don't tell Mrs. Brown we didn't eat all of our veggies...

Introducing our sustainable chicken coop and The Golden Girls...

2011-11-09T18:55:00.000-08:00

HISTORY ~ The original Orpington hen, the Black Orpington hen, was developed in England in 1886 and brought to the US in 1890. This breed has very laid back personalities and make great family pets. The Buffs are especially good in this regard. (Our hens are Buffs!)

EGGS ~ On the average, our 3 hens will give us 2 eggs a day. That means to get a dozen eggs a day, we would need 18 hens. Dorothy and Blanche are laying eggs in the school coop and Rose looks like she should start any day now. You can tell a hen is laying eggs by her comb. The comb is the red “bonnet” on top of their head. If it’s pink, they are getting ready. If it is red she is likely laying eggs. Our first dozen eggs are going to be given to Dr. Nancy McGinley for her support in our Green Leader Program.

OLD BIRDS ~ Our hens should live for about 10 more years. They have just reached adulthood according to the vet that checked them prior to their arrival. The vet informed us that they are very healthy, friendly, and loved to be handled.

COOP ~ The coop was made in Goose Creek by a farmer named Mr. Benton. It can house up to six hens.

You are what you eat...

2011-11-09T18:38:00.000-08:00

Green Leaders learn how to grow their own healthy food and the importance of sustainability practices.

All lessons are connected to the CCSD and South Carolina Learning Standards.

Plants 1-2 The student will demonstrate an understanding of the special characteristics and

needs of plants that allow them to survive in their own distinct environments. (Life Science)

1.2.1 Recall the basic needs of plants (including air, water, nutrients, space, and light) for energy and growth.

Taxonomy level: 1.2-A Remember Factual Knowledge

Previous/Future knowledge: In kindergarten (K-2.1), students recognized the needs of organisms (including air, water, food, and shelter). In 2nd grade (2-2.1), students will recall the basic needs of animals (including air, water, food, and shelter) for energy, growth, and protection. Students will take this information and expand their knowledge of basic needs of plants in 3rd grade (3-2).

It is essential for students to know that plants have basic needs that provide energy so the plants can grow and be healthy.

The Green Leaders visited Brownswood Nursery on John's Island to learn about organic farming practices and how to live off of the land. Farmer Ryan treated us like family and we even ate lunch with him on his back patio. It may have been the best field trip we have ever taken.

Tap it... Stack it... It's that Easy!

2011-11-09T18:31:00.000-08:00

We started a Tap and Stack Program.

During meals the entire student body taps their trash into the trash can but saves their tray and places it neatly back into a box. This eliminates many bags of trash. First grade also gives their food waste to the hens. The school is looking into alternatives to throwing away food waste. We are looking to donate our food waste to local pig farmers.

The little class that can...

2011-11-09T18:26:00.000-08:00

I am currently teaching first grade in a Title 1 School in Charleston, South Carolina. I have been teaching for ten years and absolutely love teaching with every fiber of my being.

Over the course of the last few years, I realized that I was covering all the standards. I was teaching all of the intended curriculum each year, and I squeezed instruction into every last second of every day I was in school but the students in my room were still missing something.

Wanting to give my students bigger, more meaningful, real-life experiences in the classroom was my goal and intention everyday... but I didn't truly understand what that looked like. How can I give my students more when I barely have enough time to do everything I have to do? And then, like magic, it began to happen- organically!!!! (no pun intended)

When reflecting while driving home each night, I began to see patterns. The lessons that stretched way over the allotted time in my daily schedule were usually those that were student driven. Most of the lessons were science or social studies based and the children were asking... Why? Why does that happen? Why do people do that? Why is that continuing to happen? Why don't people care? What teacher would want anything more than lessons led by the student's curiosity to learn and understand more about the world around them. If they wanted to understand... they needed to realize their place in this world. That their small hands could make an impact. And very quickly... they began to see... that even six year olds can become leaders.

This is how the Green Leaders Project was created.

2011-11-09T17:55:00.000-08:00

Green Leaders learn how their choices impact their home, their school, their community, and their planet. They make connections between what they do and their effect on the planet. Green Leaders make a choice to be peaceful and be green. Each morning during morning meeting the students recite their mantra.

Green Leader Promise

I choose peace.

I choose to apologize.

I choose to forgive.

I choose to be green.

And I choose to lead.

Global Studies Standard 1-1: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how individuals, families, and communities live and work together here and across the world.

Global Studies Standard 1-6: The student will demonstrate an understanding of how and why people make economic choices and the importance of these choices for families.