Finding projects to challenge my GIFTED AND TALENTED students has been a struggle. I teach 3rd grade now, but when I was teaching 4th grade, I started looking into hands on, real world projects that could help my students make a difference or learn something unique. Here are a few of the projects we’ve completed. More coming soon!
Landscape Architect Project
What do you do with an idea? YOU CHANGE THE WORLD!!!
I have no doubt these kiddos will! I have loved teaching this group of kids!
I am so excited! My 3rd grade class and I (and my GT students) have been working on an extension project and learning to think like Landscape Architects since the beginning of the year!
The Plan
The project began with students decided on a section of our school that could use a little TLC. The front of our school was overgrown and needed some attention.
Before students started their research, we discussed that we do not go out to the front of the school much and it needed to be easy to maintain. Students started brainstorming what a “low maintenance” space would look like. They decided we needed less grass in the area, maybe a rock garden, with a few garden planters with low maintenance drought tolerant plants. Then they started researching water conservation, drought tolerant plants and different types of rocks.
The Process
The students conducted research and we integrated this into a semester of projects. We wrote a grant to a foundation that works with our school. Gifted and Talented students also created a slideshow to present to our PTO too see if some of our school fundraiser funds could be used for this project. For this, we had to measure the area and figure out how large the garden beds should be. We contacted a local plant shop that recommended some drought tolerant plants for us. Students drew out the space then created a 3D model on cardboard to show at the PTO meeting.
Integrated Subjects!
We have studied water conservation, budgeting, hands-on measurements, calculating area and perimeters, persuasive writing, presentation skills and how to think like architects. We even worked to learn TinkerCAD!!! I’m so impressed with these 3rd graders! So fun! We sure did beautify our school!!!
Want to do a similar project?
Check out my TPT lesson option for Growing Landscape Architects Project
Our School Garden = Native Wildlife Habitat
In August of 2016, I attended a training with a fellow teacher called a L.A.N.D.S (Learning Across New Dimensions in Science) Teacher Workshops through Texas Wildlife Association in Dallas, Texas. This workshop is focused on how to incorporate natural resources into classrooms. Lessons we learned focused on teaching land stewardship, native wildlife, and water conservation and they were TEKS-aligned. This inspired me to start thinking of how to incorporate more hands on learning into my classroom.
I created a lesson plan to allow our students to work toward the goal of creating a Native Wildlife Habitat in our School Garden.
Research
First step, Our students researched what it means to have a Native Wildlife Habitat and made lists of what was needed, brainstormed ideas for the grant writing portion, measured our beds for amount of soil needed, researched pricing, calculated mileage for a field trip to learn about native Texas plants and created our budget. One student saw our quote for garden soil and went home that evening and talked to his dad about getting soil for less expensive. That new quote will save us $400! We are so very proud of our students at JWE.
My students worked hard to write a grant proposal to a local foundation that supports our school district. I run our afterschool garden program and I encouraged them to get involved also.
January 2017… Wow! We received a $1900 grant from Wimberley Education Foundation! Our Garden Club members have been working hard to get everything in order. We submitted the required paperwork and became a Certified Wildlife Habitat!
Want to read more about this, see our school garden blog posts…
