District Administration - October 2010 - (Page D4)

PROJECT PROFILES: Getting Students Actively Reviving a Storied Site in Hawaii: Tracy Foyle’s Fourth-Grade Class Kahakai Elementary School sits across the street from Keolonahihi State Historical Park in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. The park is one of the cultural treasures of the islands, a place where Hawaiian royalty once lived, but it lies overgrown and closed to the public. As part of their Disney’s Planet Challenge project last year, students of Tracy Foyle’s fourth-grade class were interested in learning about animals that live in the historic site, such as Hawaiian Hawks—known locally as “ios”—and other endangered species. Foyle arranged a visit there but her students failed to ﬁnd any of the animals they had studied. Instead of being discouraged, they vowed to restore the habitat. “It was kind of a sad situation,” Foyle said. “The kids decided to take on a job and save this place and bring the animals back. They all became specialists on their animals and what they needed to survive.” “The kids decided to take on a job and save this place and bring the animals back.” By chance, a representative of Blue Planet Foundation—a nonproﬁt group that promotes sustainable energy in Hawaii— came to class a week later and talked about carbon footprints and the impact of global warming. The speaker told the children that Keolonahihi Park would eventually wind up under- water if warming trends weren’t reversed. Students began to ponder the larger issues of environmental duress. “Now it wasn’t just saving the animals,” Foyle said. “It was about saving the park.” The class embarked on an education push for the community, using PowerPoint presentations, plays and posters to get their message out about reducing carbon emissions. Students grew native plants near the school to transplant later at the park, one way to eventually draw endangered animals back. What did the kids take from the project? Foyle rattled off the lessons: “Not to be afraid to ask questions. To be a true advocate for this planet, for these islands. To feel like they have the power to do something.” Grow Your Own Pizza, Hold the Boxes: Keri Dowdy’s science students in rural Mayﬁeld, Ky., started with a simple goal for their project: Reduce waste in the cafeteria. Achieving it was a bit complicated, although it had the side beneﬁt of being scrumptious. week, for a weigh-in of leftover food, boxes, plates and other refuse. It came to 120 pounds of trash for a school of 320 kids. How to cut down on that load? Dowdy’s students decided to grow their “Hands-on projects like Disney’s Planet Challenge ﬁt right into our curriculum.” Dowdy’s fourth-graders were all part of Sedalia Elementary School’s coveted “environment team,” which requires members to submit a 3½-page application. They chose Pizza Day, the most popular lunch of the school own pizza garden, complete with fresh tomatoes, peppers, onions, oregano, basil and cilantro. They set up a portable greenhouse so they could tend to the plants during winter months, and got tips from a neighboring

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - October 2010

District Administration - October 2010
Contents
From the Editor
Letters
News Update
Curriculum Update
Facilities Update
District Profile
Administrator Profile
Conversations
The Price of a Good Education
Dividing Arizona
Making Your School Future-Proof
Connecting Curriculum with Community
A Small District’s Big Innovator
New Books
New Products
Product Focus
Tech Disruptions
Superintendent’s Insights
Online Edge
Professional Opinion

District Administration - October 2010