I teach at an elementary school in suburban Washington, D.C., and have worked as both an educational consultant and a volunteer at the Smithsonian. There I have learned a great deal about “being green” and climate change. Every day I spend at the Smithsonian, I learn something new from interacting directly with curatorial staff (which this online conference makes possible for thousands of people) and from exhibitions like the Sant Ocean Hall or Doug Owsley's Written in Bone. From that exhibition and working with Doug, I found out how anthropologists use information from burial sites and human remains to understand environmental conditions that existed in the Chesapeake Bay region during the 17th century. I’ve also learned about declining bird populations and other environmental impacts that, as an educator, I want to address.
At my school, the adults have found several ways to model and encourage green practices and behaviors. Kids care about their world, and with a little guidance and support, they can make an impact on its health. Three years ago the 4th graders used a tool from the Chesapeake Bay Foundation called "Schoolyard Survey," to identify the areas on the school grounds that are trouble spots for erosion and runoff. My school is just uphill from Rock Creek, a tributary of the Potomac River. The kids identified some areas around our portable classrooms where erosion had created gullies and where rainwater runoff was causing water to sheet across a staff parking lot, pick up pollutants, and dump the contaminated water into a storm drain that is connected to Rock Creek. The kids talked about possible solutions for these problems and decided to (with the help of staff from the Woodend Nature Sanctuary's Audubon Society GreenKids program) install a 900-square-foot native plants garden and three rain barrels to drain and collect water from the portable classroom rooftops. The children also labeled storm drain openings with Do Not Dump signs. The garden is cared for by the current “crop” of 4th graders and by the 3rd and 4th grade Garden Club members.
Native plants garden created by 4th grade students in Montgomery County, Maryland
(Photo by Jackie Moore)
The 4th grade teachers also schedule guest speakers from NOAA and the Maryland Watermen’s Association to work with the children. Field trips to places like Flag Ponds Nature Center, Woodend, and Hard Bargain Farm provide hands-on environmental learning experiences.
These kids care about what happens on the grounds of their school and in their neighborhood. They easily made the connection that what they do at school and at home affects the Chesapeake Bay watershed. Their garden now has official National Wildlife Federation status, and they speak of their project with pride. Once they leave 4th grade they participate in Green Team activities with their 5th and 6th grade teachers to further their environmental education.
American goldfinch in the students' native plant garden
(Photo by Jackie Moore)
The little spindly plants that were planted three years ago have turned into a veritable mini-forest. We tried to plant things that would allow for something to always be blooming throughout the year, but given our temperate climate, the garden looks best in spring and summer. During the summer and early fall there is a profusion of little goldfinches darting among the sunflowers and black-eyed susans. The kids also chose plants that attract native butterflies.
Working with the staff at the Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies over the past few years has given me access to excellent resources that have the Smithsonian stamp of approval, and it keeps me up to date with educational best practices being used by teachers throughout the country. I have found out about successful environmental projects that other teachers are doing with their kids that I have adapted for use with my students. Through this conference and blog, I'd love to learn more about how others are talking about climate change with children, and about any projects that they are doing with elementary age children.
Jackie Moore is a 4th grade public school teacher in Montgomery County, Maryland, and an educational consultant to the Smithsonian Institution.
