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| Project Title: | Squantum Beautification Program |
| School Year: | 2006 |
| School - District: | Squantum - Quincy |
| Contact Name: | Barbara Arnold |
| Contact Email: | barnold@quincy.k12.ma.us |
| Contact Phone: | |
| Content-Area(s): | English Language Arts, Mathematics, Science & Technology |
| Grades: | 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Community Need: | Community Development, (school) |
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Brief Description of SL Project:
Using language arts, math, and science students will come to understand how important it is to respect the environment and their surroundings. The students will learn this respect by beautifying the outside of their school and maintaining that beauty and as a result the students will become aware and appreciate the beauty of nature. |
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The Community Need the Project is Meeting:
Students discovered what needs and problems to investigate by teachers telling the students about the Beautification Program that is now in its tenth year, and how effective and beneficial the program is. To learn more about the problem students were given the opportunity to have a hands-on experience with the program. As a result of the students’ experience, students learned beautification of a school is important because it decreases vandalism and promotes school pride. |
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Service Component:
Students plant and upkeep a school/community garden. |
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Connections with Massachusetts Curriculum Frameworks:
Students studies trees, identified plant life and other organisms that use trees and plants for their habitat (PreK-2 Life Science Strands 1, 3, 7, and 8). |
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How Youth Voice Helps Shape Project:
Students can have their say in the project when it comes time to select what flowers are planted. Giving students some responsibility can create a feeling of ownership of the project. |
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Student Reflection Component:
Students made connections between their projects and learning when the students understand the sense of school pride and community pride the garden brings to the community. Also the connection was made when students who participated in the program previous years before often returned to the school to volunteer with the younger gardeners. |
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Community Partners Involved:
Community partners could include local home and garden stores or local government’s parks and recreation department. |
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Demonstration/Celebration of Students' Work:
Enthusiasm and accomplishments were recognized when the garden had grown to its full potential in the springtime. |
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Evaluation of Project's Impact:
Students evaluated the impact their work had on the identified problem by watching their plants grow and learn that they have acquired an understanding of civic responsibility, an understanding of school pride, and an understanding of pride for the surrounding community. |
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Challenges/Solutions Identified by District:
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* NOTE: This project summary was written by the district/community. Any text in italics was added or modified by the Department (ESE). Most of these projects were supported with Learn & Serve America funds distributed through the ESE. |
