5th GRADERS ARE SCHOOL LEADERS AND THEIR LEARNING EXPERIENCES WITH RESPECT TO CONNECTING TO AND CARING FOR THE WORLD AROUND THEM CHALLENGE THEM TO TAKE THEIR LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITY AND POTENTIAL BEYOND THE CLASSROOM. TEACHERS CREATIVELY WEAVE OUTDOOR INSTRUCTION AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONCEPTS THROUGHOUT THE CURRICULUM, PROVIDING A STRONG FOUNDATION FOR THE PATH THAT WILL SOON TAKE THEM BEYOND FOLGER.
soil observations
Fifth grade students head to the outdoor classroom to observe and gather samples of soil. The outdoor classroom allowed students to explore and investigate the soil surrounding our school. Students documented their observations and illustrated what the soil samples they collected contained and then compared the soil to sand. Students observed soil that is made from weathered rock, plant remains, and may contain living organisms. Using the samples they observed they created an original definition for soil. These lessons were made all the more real as they witnessed the difference in plant life based upon soil within the Outdoor Classroom. During the lesson, students were also called upon to tend to the area, recognizing the importance of respecting for and caring for the world in which they live.
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Eat Ugly
The fifth grade students read a National Geographic article called,“Eat Ugly.” They learned about how a great deal of food is wasted because it is "ugly." The students used what they learned from the article to create informational posters about how we can help the environment by not wasting food and creating less trash. The posters were displayed in the cafeteria and hallway for all students to see. Students were challenged to take a field trip to the grocery store with their families to bring this lesson home and talk about the differences they can make in their own choices and practices.
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Garden measurements
Learning about measuring area makes far more sense when given the opportunity to put the formulas into practice. Enter the Outdoor Classroom, which becomes a math workshop as students are tasked with calculating area and volume of such spaces as the raised garden beds and butterfly garden. They appreciate the difference of such computations in very specific and concrete shapes, as well as more fluid or non-traditional spaces. Their results have been used to determine the amount of mulch needed for the annual Green Apple Day, as well as the budget for this activity.
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Natural Resources
Students use the outdoor classroom to learn the difference between renewable and non-renewable resources. Students went on a "natural resource" hike throughout the outdoor classroom. During their observations students created a circle map to document their observations. Students completed renewable and nonrenewable sorts and discovered why sustainable use of natural resources is important. Finally, students determined if Maryland would be a good state to be a farmer based on the information they learned.
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Drownproofing
In partnership with Arlington Echo, the Outdoor & Environmental education branch of AACPS, the Folger 5th grade students participate in a week-long water safety field trip each year. Classroom lessons, based in Language Arts, complement the aquatics program. While the emphasis is on life-saving skills and general water safety, the lessons are delivered in the context of the local environment, as the reality and urgency of this curriculum is due to the fact that Folger students live on the Magothy River, part of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed. These lessons delve into appreciation for the environment and the impact we have on it. Folger students are experienced in boating, fishing and other recreational activities on the water and as such, these lessons are critical and very real. Drownproofing teaches respect and responsibility toward the natural water environment in which Folger students live.
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The Lorax
Students discussed the concept of natural resources in terms of where they come from, what we use them for and why they are important to us. Students discussed the difference between renewable and non-renewable natural resources. Students posed the question, "What do these important distinctions mean for the future, MY future?" Expanding further on this science unit, students continued the lesson from a different point of view by reading the story, "The Lorax," in Language Arts. They analyzed how the characters used the natural resources differently. Students wrote a paragraph describing a different type of business that the Once-ler could have established that would have a more positive consequence on the environment.
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