Eco-Campus

Energy Marshall

Category - Energy

        In grades K- 4, each classassigns an student the role ofEnergy Marshall whomis responsible for checking on the lights, computers and anything else that is using energy.  They are responsible for turning anything off when not in use and helping the others in the classroom to be aware of saving energy.  The Energy Marshall is also responsible for turning off lights in empty rooms such as the mailroom and the workroom. This project will run from the beginning of the year until the end of the school year.

This teaches the students about the importance of being good stewards and keeping our energy usage down in our school.  The students at all grade levels study energy and this ties into what they are being taught.

Future Forms of Transportation

Category – Recycling/Waste

      After learning about transportation from the past, present, and future the 1st grade students are asked to create what they think transportation will look like in the future. In pairs, they will make their mode of transportation from recycled materials (for example, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, old coffee sleeves, scrap paper, bottle caps, cut up plastic).

TEK 1.3A_1  the students will compare and contrast transportation from past, present, and future (horses, wagons, cars, bikes, airplanes, space age cars)

This activity allows students to use their creative minds while also learning that you can turn trash into treasure and reuse recycled materials.

We CAN Recycle

Category – Recycling/Waste

      For the first full year, we will set up our We CAN Recycle program to encourage students to recycle at lunchtime. A large aluminum can (up-cycled from cans used in the cafeteria) is placed on the center of each table and will serve as a reminder for students to recycle in the cafeteria. One student from each table is responsible for taking the recycling from the can and separating it into one of six containers including cheese wrappers, lunch kits, drink pouches, healthy snack pouches, granola/protein bar wrappers, and regular recycling (i.e. aluminum, plastic, paper). All recycling, except for regular recycling, will be shipped to Terracycle throughout the year, which earns money for the school. Each grade level will be trained on the different recyclables and the location of the recycle bins in the cafeteria to ensure the correct distribution of recyclables into the six cans.

Willis Lane Recycles Week

Category – Recycling/Waste

      For the 3rd year, the PTA will host a recycling week which will include an e-waste recycle day, informationabout all of our recycling programs, a new tennis shoe recycling opportunity, and the kick off of our very first recycling contest. A local company will pick up the e-waste collected by the school. The recycling contest is designed to promote all of our new recycling opportunities including : brita filters, cereal bags, cheese packaging, crayola markers, diaper packaging, energy bar wrappers, gift cards, go go squeeze, oral care packaging, personal and beauty care and scotch tape. The contestwill run through mid December and several girl scout troops will help with the recycling tallies and sorting each day during the contest. There will be one class winner per grade as well as a staff/teacher award.

Nature Adventure

4th Grade Sky Ranch Trip

Category – Exploration and Play

      The 4th grade students will spend two days experiencing outdoor education with instructors from Sky Ranch. The students will have an opportunity to learn about Limnology, Ranch Life, Forces and Motion and Native Americans during an outdoor hands on experience.  The students will spend one day on campus with the Sky Ranch instructors and one day at Camp Sky Ranch.  The knowledge acquired will be documented in science journals, reports and student presentations.

Green Hour Program

Category – Exploration and Play

      School wide we are going to encourage families to turn off all electronics and spend one hour outside in their favorite activity.  We are tying this in to our fitness and charge to reduce childhood obesity.   The students are taught about health and fitness in PE and in their classroom.  By promoting this as an after school activity, we also want to strengthen family time and sharing interests.   The follow up would be the students will record in their journals the activities from their Green Hour Program.  We will do this once in the fall and once in the spring.

Outdoor PE

Category – Outdoor Skills

      All of the Willis Lane students will participate in the Outdoor PE unit.  This unit will consist of 3 weeks of outdoor activities.  There will be one unit during the fall semester and one unit during the spring semester.  This will allow students to participate in their warm-up, stretches and activities/games outside in the fresh air with more room to exercise.  At the end of the unit the students are going to compare and contrast the activities when they are outside versus inside.  The students will also get to vote which PE setting they prefer. The data can then be used to create graphs and charts to tie into math curriculum.

1st Grade Trip to the Zoo

Category – Exploration and Play

     The students will take a trip to the zoo to learn more about animal adaptations and see the animals interact with each other.  The students will also have the opportunity to take their learning outdoors.  This trip will take place in the spring 2014.  This allows students to learn state standard TEKS in way that makes an impact.  The students will record their learning in a journal with the use of graphic organizers and Venn diagrams.

Health and Fitness

Natatorium Field Trip

Category –Fitness and Physical Education

     Our third and first grade students, here at Willis Lane, get a fantastic opportunity to learn about water safety and how to prevent accidents around various bodies of water. We take a field trip to our school district’s natatorium where the employees there teach a water safety course. At the end of the lesson, the students get to participate in a free swim where they are able to put their newfound knowledge of water safety to use. This is a great opportunity because it promotes accident prevention in, what can be a very dangerous environment for young children or anyone who is not comfortable around water. It also exposes our students to the sports of swimming and diving which may spark a new healthy interest/hobby.

Campus Wide Morning Mile

Category – Fitness and Physical Ed.

     The Morning Mile program began on September 9th this year. Morning Mile is a program where students come before school, 7:15-7:45, and can run or walk as much as they want.  A track has been measured and marked.  4 laps equal a mile.  For every 5 miles, the student receives a charm.  We promote this on morning announcements, our campus webpage and the classroom webpage.  Parents and siblings are invited to walk with the students.  The activity is run by a parent volunteer with support from other volunteers.  Morning Mile is an effective way to promote physical fitness, fight childhood obesity and help the students begin their day with movement.

Hoops for Heart

Category – Healthy Lifestyles

     All students will have the opportunity to get donors for the Hoops for Heart program.  The donors will donate to the American Heart Association for the amount of time the students participate in the basketball unit.  Also, during the PE classes and through American Heart Association lessons, the students will learn how the heart works, how exercise affects their hearts, and how to stay fit for life.

International Walk to School Day

Category – Healthy Lifestyles

     The PTA Environmental Committee promoted International Walk to School Day for the 4th year in a row, which was held on October 9th. Students were encouraged to bike or walk to school instead of being driven if possible. The day encourages healthy environments and healthy students. Flyer and posters were made to promote the day as well as sending out e-reminders to parents about the event.

Natural Classrooms

Rainforest In House Field Trip

Category – Nature Curricula

      Every year we have High Touch scientists come to our school to do a lesson/hands on experiment with our 3rd graders. The lesson that we choose is usually an extension of content we have already taught, specifically the rainforest. The scientists had the students create a mini rainforest, focusing on the different layers and the importance of each layer. It is a great lesson to teach the kids how important our rainforests are and what we can do to help them thrive. Since the scientists come in from outside of the district, it costs $7.00 per student, but is worth every penny. It is an excellent lesson that teaches the importance of an eco-friendly lifestyle.

Growing Grass and Beans

Category – Field Investigation

     All kindergarten students will plant and care for grass seeds and bean plants in the classroom during our study on plants in March and April. They will journal the process of planting, the needs of the plant, and the growth of the plants.This will allow student hands-on experience in seeing plant parts as they grow and to care for the plant, providing all of its needs so it can live and grow.

Ladybug Release

Category – Field Investigation

     On Earth Day 2014 the 1st grade students will release ladybugs into our WOLF(Willis Outdoor Learning Facility. The purpose of the ladybug release is to use our outdoor garden as a learning environment. The students will watch as the ladybugs are let go. Ladybugs are cute bugs that are the favorite of many children but they also eat other bugs that may be damaging the plants in our garden. Using QR codes and our iTouches, the students will learn facts about why ladybugs are beneficial to a garden.

WOLF – (Willis Outdoor Learning Facility) QR Codes

Category – Field Investigation