Summary
Students, grades K-5, researched what would be the best kind of garden for our school to have in order to enhance and support the K-5 curriculum and presented the information to the administrative team. After hearing all the ideas and research behind the suggested gardens, a decision was made as to what type of garden the school would create. Then each class went back to work on designing, creating, and making a model of our garden. Students then presented their designs, models, and research to actual landscape designers from Backyard Farmers, including how they would fund the project, how the garden would be maintained and sustained, as well as why they had chosen particular plants and flowers for the garden. The landscape designers took the students’ designs and created a blueprint for the school garden, based upon the students’ presentations. The students will now work together to create the actual garden.
TIPC Ratings
This project scores in the Ideal/Target range of Research & Information Fluency.
-Students constructed questions from their K-W-L chart to guide their research.
– Students chose and used a variety of tools to conduct their research: PebbleGo, websites, books, guest speakers
-Students evaluated the resources based on appropriateness and quality to their project suing a rubric.
-Students used various types of experts to expand their questioning and revise their projects.
-Students created presentations and made adjustments accordinging based upon new information.
This project scored in the Ideal/Targe range of Communication & Collaboration
-Students chose their own groups and assigned each other roles.
-Students collaborated in teams to research, present information, and create/build a model of the garden.
– iPad videos and photographs, iMovies, and Power Point presentations were used to record presentations to be shared with others within the school and outside of the school.
-Videos were posted on the school website and classroom blogs to share..
-Students were able to use an author/workshop creator as expert sources.
-Students discussed and reflected on their roles as communicators after presentations.
This project scored in the Ideal/Targe range of Critical Thinking and Problem Solving.
-Students used critical thinking skills while trying to solve problems such as: “What would be the best type of garden for the school?” “Why would a vegetable garden not be a good choice for the school?” “What would be the best location for the garden and why?” “How would we fund the garden?” “Who and how will the garden be maintained?”
-Students regularly revised their ideas based on updated information and new knowledge.
-Students were presented with real-life problems realted to Language Arts, Math, and Science.
-Students relfected on their experiences individually and with their partners/small groups.
-Students reflected on the entire project based on the problems posed and the process used to find solutions.
-Students selected digital tools to solve the tasks and present the information.
This project scored in the Ideal/Targe range of Creativity and Innovation.
-Students created their own models of the garden using materials of their choice.
-Students created plans for innovative ways to maintain and sustain the garden (example: a piping system to bring water to the garden).
-Students were encouraged to take risks and share their ideas as they created the garden.
-Students were creative in managing their resources.
-Students evaluated the creative process afterwards through reflection.
