1st Grade Environmental Instruction
In first grade, students use the First Grade Pollination garden and surrounding campus for many learning opportunities. For example, in their STEM unit, titled Best of Bugs, students use the garden to study how insects pollinate plants, and which types of plants are best at attracting insects for pollinating. They are also responsible for caring for the garden by maintaining a weekly schedule of watering and weeding. First graders often use this time to journal about how the garden is changing in relation to the seasons.
The school campus is also used for many other learning opportunities. First graders walk through the campus to look for signs of animals during their Tracks and Prints unit. They discover animals that live on our campus along with signs of migrating animals.
First graders also head outside during a unit on shadows. The students take multiple trips outside to examine shadows in nature and also how shadows change depending on the location of the sun and the weather.
Students use their understanding of pollination, and native animals and plants to focus on how seeds are dispersed in order for new plants to grow. In this STEM unit, the first graders are tasked with creating a seed dispersal invention. They are given time to plan, create, test and evaluate and make changes as needed to improve their design.
The school campus is also used for many other learning opportunities. First graders walk through the campus to look for signs of animals during their Tracks and Prints unit. They discover animals that live on our campus along with signs of migrating animals.
First graders also head outside during a unit on shadows. The students take multiple trips outside to examine shadows in nature and also how shadows change depending on the location of the sun and the weather.
Students use their understanding of pollination, and native animals and plants to focus on how seeds are dispersed in order for new plants to grow. In this STEM unit, the first graders are tasked with creating a seed dispersal invention. They are given time to plan, create, test and evaluate and make changes as needed to improve their design.
Following the Pollination unit, students take a trip to Summer's Farm to see real-life effects and the importance of pollination and seed dispersal.