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Getting Started on School Ground Greening. Agenda. Introduction to Evergreen Learning Grounds Why start a greening project? Benefits of green school grounds The 5-step process Discussion. What is Evergreen?.
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Agenda • Introduction to Evergreen Learning Grounds • Why start a greening project? • Benefits of green school grounds • The 5-step process • Discussion
What is Evergreen? Evergreen was founded in 1991 and is a national non-profit environmental organization with a mandate to bring nature to our cities through naturalization projects.
The Learning Grounds Program Helps schools green their grounds by providing: • Hands-on expert advice • Funding • How-to resources, in print and online
Goals for School Ground Greening • To improve children’s health and well-being • To nurture child development • To increase ecological diversity • To increase educational use • To improve energy- and cost-efficient design
Why are Green School Grounds Important? • 25 percent of the school day is spent outside • They offer exciting ways to deliver the curriculum and teach ecological literacy • They can protect children from harmful exposure to sun
Research Highlights • 90% of respondents observed an increase in student enthusiasm for learning • 72% of respondents observed that student ability to retain knowledge had increased • 77% of respondents reported student ability to think more creatively had increased
Impacts of Green School Grounds •Educational •Developmental •Social
Provide a variety of opportunities for cross curricular work
Barriers and Challenges • Maintenance • Lack of community support • Volunteer burnout • Staff / parent / teacher mobility • Budget limitations • Vandalism
School Ground GreeningStep 1: Get Started • Form a committee of volunteers • Plan a meeting with committee members • Prepare for volunteers
Identifying Common Themes • Student council meetings • Identify changes they would like to see • Conduct in-class activities to capture student feedback • Provide questionnaires
Key Questions to Ask Yourself • Have you checked with the caretaker and Grounds Department, the main office and the police about required sight lines for safety, fire drills and security? • Where are your sources of water? • Are there any community concerns? • Where does snow get piled up in the winter?