Natural Resource Impact Project

Sept. 9- 45 mins-Library
Sept. 13- 30 mins -classroom
Oct. 4-Oct. 8- 1:00-1:30 each day- 2 hrs and 30 mins-Library/classroom/computer lab
Oct. 11-Oct. 12- 1:00-1:30 each day- 1 hour/ classroom and computer lab
Oct. 14- 9:00-2:00- 5 hours-Landfill
Oct. 15- 1 hour-at home


On Sept. 9 I took my class to the library to learn about the Super 3 research process. The students were given an the opportunity to apply the three steps in an example of planning for a birthday party. The students did very well with understanding the plan, do and review when it was applied to the birthday party. This is also the day that the natural resource project was explained to them.

September 13 Bretta Baker came to our classrooms to share with the students about recycling. She is the coordinator that we are in contact with for our Landfill field trip in Oct. She showed them several different items that can be recycled. She answered questions that the students had.

Beginning on Oct. 4- students began doing their research in the library. Students were placed into one of five groups based on their ability levels. We have five natural resources that Mrs. Sloop has written research books for" gold, water, wood, aluminum, and petroleum. Each book was leveled for the different abilities. Oct. 4- 6 students researched their natural resource and took notes on what they have found.
On Oct. 7 we went into the computer lab where students drew a picture of their natural resource on Kidpix. We then exported the picture from Kidpix to the desktop and then we dropped it into iPhoto. Students then drug the picture they drew and a real picture of their resource into the wanted poster.

On Oct. 8, 11, and 12 students began working on the Wanted Poster for their natural resource. They took the information the collected in the library and typed it into the correct places on the poster template. Students printed two copies, one in black and white and one in color.

In correlation with our Recycling/Natural Resources project second grade went on a field trip to the Landfill and one of the local recycling centers to give students a real world connection to the project. At the landfill one of the managers came aboard the bus and told the kids about all the different materials that can be brought to the landfill and what should not be brought to the landfill. They got to see all the garbage piled high and trucks working on flattening and covering it. They also got to see the leche pond where all the runoff water is filtered and cleaned. After the landfill we went to the recycling center where each student got to recycle one to two items into the appropriate bins. It was a great experience for the children to have because many families at Mt. Ulla are very near to the landfill and recycling center and do not go there. Hopefully once the students have been, they can encourage their parents to begin going.

Once all of the wanted posters were complete, I sat down with my rubrics and graded each one based on the criteria that my students and I created. This took me about an hour to grade each poster and their research notes.