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USDA FOREST SERVICE ADOPT A SCHOOL PROGRAM AT FRANKLIN SQUARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL. Quin Holifield USDA Forest Service Janie Gordon Baltimore Ecosystems Studies Parks and People Foundation Baltimore, Maryland October 19, 2006. INTRODUCTION. ADOPT A SCHOOL. Michael T. Rains
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USDA FOREST SERVICE ADOPT A SCHOOL PROGRAMATFRANKLIN SQUARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL Quin Holifield USDA Forest Service Janie Gordon Baltimore Ecosystems Studies Parks and People Foundation Baltimore, Maryland October 19, 2006
ADOPT A SCHOOL • Michael T. Rains • Director of the Northern Research Station USDA Forest Service • Initiated the Program • Newtown Square, Pennsylvania • Developed in direct response • “No Child Left Behind” mandate • Specific goal: • Increase environmental literacy • Educators • Students • Family members • Surrounding communities
GOALS • To improve environmental literacy • To provide positive role models • To provide positive career choices in the fields of math and science • To track academic achievement • To increase diversity among our rank and file scientist in the USDA Forest Service
THE TEAM Janie Gordon- BES Education Coordinator, Parks and People Foundation Joyce Wheeler- BCPSS Elementary School Science Curriculum Officer Barbara McGuiness- USDA Forest Service David Garrison- USDA Forest Service Grants Specialist Terry Patton- Principal, Franklin Square Elementary School Natasha Thurmon & Arsenia Ponce-Fourth Grade Teachers Sherwood Lennon-Fifth Grade Teacher Ted Dixon- BCPSS Legal Advisor
WHY FRANKLIN SQUARE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL? Existing youth environmental enrichment after-school program: “KidsGrow” Baltimore Ecosystem Study for Long Term Ecological Research (BES-LTER) Parks and People Foundation
WHAT’S THE BIG DEAL? Some Very Important people are finding out about the environmental activities taking place in Watershed 263…………………
“KidsGrow” Presentation Public Speaking Confidence Building Character Development Sharing Science-Based Information
OVERVIEW FOURTH GRADE FIFTH GRADE
FOURTH GRADE • Alignment of Lesson Plans with Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Voluntary Standards • Unit One Life Science: A. Diversity of Life • Lesson Plan: “How Healthy is the Soil? Soil Testing of School Yard Soils” • Unit Four Life Science: E. Flow of Matter and Energy • Lesson Plan: “The Root Race Experiment”
FIFTH GRADE • Alignment of Lesson Plans with Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) Voluntary Standards • Unit One Life Science: A. Diversity of Life • Lesson Plans: “How Healthy is the Soil?” “Soil and Plant Connections”
FIFTH GRADE • FIELD TRIP • SOLDIERS DELIGHT NATURAL ENVIRONMENT AREA “How Healthy is the Soil?” “Soil and Plant Connections”
CONCLUSIONS • Curriculum Development • Conducted by the Academic Development Team • Ensuring scientific accuracy of knowledge presented • Assisting with writing curriculum text • Working with interested teachers • Approval from Baltimore City Public School System • Curriculum is being implemented as a pilot program
FUTURE DEVELOPMENT • Adopting a New Science Curriculum • To be later used by science teachers from all 125 schools in the Baltimore City Public School System • To include levels of instruction for • elementary schools • middle schools • high schools