Grade-Level: PreK-5th Activity Title: Chicken Coup Subject: Animal Diversity Teacher(s): Thompson, Hopkins, Norris When: May 2022-Present Number of Students: 400+ Description: Throughout May, students interacted and observed the chickens once they had hatched and grown inside the chicken coup. Students from all grades took the opportunity to gather various data to share with their families, teachers, and even each other to enhance their own learning.
Grade-Level: PreK-5th Activity Title: Apiary Subject: Animal Diversity Teacher(s): Thompson, Hopkins, Norris, Elliot When: May 2022-Present Number of Students: 400+ Description: Once the apiary was bought and the bees were purchased, students had a blast interacting and learning about bees. Students from all grades had the chance to learn about how bees vital role in our ecosystem at the school. Students also played a role in collecting data about the bees in various activities planned by classroom teachers and the STEAM task force.
School Year 2020-2021 & Prior
Science Lab Creature Feature Expansion
Grade-Level: PreK-5th Activity Title: Creature Features Subject: Animal Diversity Teacher(s): Thompson, Hopkins, Norris When: On-going Number of Students: 150 or more Description: Students expanded the aquarium set up in the science lab to include turtles, trout and two types of fish.
Free Little Library
Grade-Level: PreK-5th Activity Title: Free Little Library Subject: Multicultural & Environmental Literacy Teacher(s): Thompson When: 4/4/2021 and on Number of Students: 150 or more Description: Towson University connected me with a volunteer who helped me construct a free little library on campus focusing on Diversity and Environmental Literacy
Nature Playground & Learning Circle
Grade-Level: PreK-5th Activity Title: Nature Playground Subject: Planning, Organizing and Implementing Nature Playground and Learning Circle Teacher(s): Thompson, Barrett When: 5/4/2021 and on Number of Students: 150 or more Description: Towson University connected me with a volunteer who helped me plan out a learning circle nature playground on the property. It is a work in progress right now.
School Garden
Grade-Level: 5th Activity Title: School Garden Subject: Planning, Organizing and Implementing Garden Projects including winter transplants Teacher(s): Thompson When: Tuesday Afternoons 2:00-3:00 After School Number of Students: 10 or more Description: The school garden has been only used once since we have moved into our new school building. The time was long overdue to gather a student 5th grade team to monitor and work on the garden. The first 18 beds are cared for by the 5th graders. The remaining 14 beds are split up amongst the other grades and some of them are allocated to partnerships. These images are when we planted 18 beds worth of spring veggies!
Garden Engineering Club
Grade-Level: 1-5 Activity Title: Garden Club Subject: Planning, Organizing and Implementing Garden Projects including winter transplants Teacher(s): Thompson When: Monday Mornings 7:30-8:30 before school Number of Students: 10 or more Description: Members of both the regular school community, Eco-squad and varying other partnerships meet on Monday mornings to work on the garden. As winter approaches it has been getting too nasty to work outside. However we are constantly maintaining the garden and working indoors with our indoor greenhouse to grow transplants. With the help of Great Kids Farm we plan to grow indoors and begin planting in the spring. Updates will continue to reflect our progress during this time.
Outdoor Classroom
Grade-Level: All levels Activity Title: Garden Creation and Curriculum Subject: Nutrition, Pollination, Gardening, Agriculture Teacher(s): Thompson, Mitchell (Community Liaison) When: On-going August 24, 2018- Current Number of Students: 565 Description: Arlington is in a transition period. Our first garden four years ago was strong for two years at the old Arlington Building. While the building has been under construction we decided to rehabilitate an old garden that was at the Garrison building (our temporary location while the Arlington Building is being renovated and expanded). We have old raised beds to take care of, a new outdoor curriculum to develop (Thank you Chesapeake Bay Foundation and Green Healthy Smart Grant!). We are going to do our Green Day event outside this year and teach about pollination and nutrition. This garden will be complete in April 2019. When we return to the Arlington Building, our old garden will be gone. We are working with the Inspire program (through the Baltimore City Department of Planning) to create a new community garden when we return that will help connect us more with the community. We are extremely grateful to always have the space and opportunity to have a garden and we plan on creating and sustaining both the Garrison Garden and the Arlington Garden for years to come. A relationship between Arlington and James Mosher Elementary has already been established. Green Leaders will be planning a session to discuss meet-ups and different types of joint school activities to maintain the Garrison Garden for years to come. All transition schools should be able to enjoy an outdoor garden experience, even during their move. All levels at the school will be taught using the garden while only the 7th and 8th graders will build and maintain it.
Update: April 24th, 2019 Progress and Headway!
Nature Trail
Grade-Level: 6th, 7th, 8th Activity Title: A Walk through the Concrete Wilderness Subject: Tree Identification, Animal Spotting Stations Teacher(s): Thompson When: October 21st, 2018 Number of Students: 10 Description: Students at Arlington used to walk by the trees and plants and not know what they were. "Bushes" or "Trees" were the only terminology used to discuss the diverse plant life that was on our campus. To help students identify trees and other plants, my students created a nature trail around the school using a concrete path that already existed. In addition, they placed signs of information for students looking for wildlife. Although we do not have the diversity of some areas in Maryland, my students were very creative and really made the process fun for the younger students. Talks of a scavenger hunt are in the works for teachers to use with their students!
Arlington Butterfly Garden
Grade-Level: 6th, 7th, 8th Activity Title: Diversity in the Bushes Subject: Butterfly Garden Teacher(s): Castro, Thompson, Yorkshire When: April 2016-2017, April 2017-2018 Number of Students: 40 Description: Students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grade created a butterfly garden on the outside of the modular building. The garden space was cleared and lined with cinder blocks to outline the perimeter of the garden. Students planted native species in this area that were popular to species of butterflies. Some of the plants that were included were herbs, grasses, thistles and azaleas. The students took care of the garden during the summer by visiting the school to pull weeds and check on soil moisture on particularly hot days. The garden was used to teach students in other grades about pollination, diversity and the importance of introducing native species into habitats. This was a wonderful experience that opened up the gardening door for our future projects involving agriculture.