Projects

Easel Project

Hamilton/SOTA I has a beautiful shared outdoor classroom space, and 300 students have the opportunity to use it through at least three garden lessons presented by GROW La Crosse staff in the spring and the summer/fall. Building teachers are able to utilize the garden to assist in teaching classroom standards that correlate with all of the curricular areas (i.e. science, math, art, reading, writing, and social studies.) It is also a space used for community-building activities for classrooms and during informal recess lessons and maintenance.

While the time in the garden is often hands-on planting, tending and harvesting, there is also an introduction and instructional aspect that requires a visual aid such as a diagram or a writing prompt or literary connection. This is often difficult in the outdoor garden due to the fact that there are no easels or white boards. By having an easel, lessons and learning can be enhanced.

Compost Project

  At State Road, Jamie O’Neill and Preceptor Jimy Chun have a goal this semester to create a sustainable composting program in which cafeteria food scraps go into the school compost tumbler.  Students will be observed for how much they already know about composting and then we will see if we can increase the amount of food that is composted (that would otherwise go in the trash).

If you have any tips or educational materials regarding composting with elementary students, please let us know.

Farm Days for Everyone

After the recent news stories on our Farm Camps, more people have been interested in coming out to the camps themselves.  Please join us for the Fall Festival on the Farm and our Life Drawing and Print Making Class.  These are both fun for adults and children. Everyone is welcome.