Bird Feeders
Date: Winter 2017-2018
Subjects: ELA and Science
25 fourth grade students created bird feeders using different materials to help the birds during the winter months. They observed which feeders were visited the most based on food/feed used. The students recorded their observations in a journal. They observed not only birds but also some other visitors!
Kindergarten
Checkerspot Butterfly Study
Date: November-May 2016-2017
Subjects: Science and Language Arts
During the 2016-2017 year, 96 kindergarten students learned about the Checkerspot Butterfly and why they are endangered. In November and December, students spent 3-4 weeks learning about the Checkerspot Butterfly and why it is in danger. The students created a structure to help protect the turtle head plant for the butterflies. In May, the students observed caterpillars going through their lifecycle. They kept an observation journal which they wrote in daily.
Bug Hotels
Date: May 2018
Subjects: Inquiry (ELA and Science)
92 kindergarten students worked on creating insect hotels that were setup at school and at home. During our fifth inquiry unit, titled Sharing the Planet, students focused on living things. Students discussed and learned about what makes a bug an insect. They researched and discussed what insects need to survive. Students collected supplies from outside that they thought insects would need in their “hotels”. Recycled plastic bottles were used to create the hotels.
First Grade
Bucket Seats
Date: April 2016
Subjects: Math and Language Arts
91 first grade students worked on creating bucket seats that could be used by all Wellwood students for outdoor learning and exploration. Students first researched prices of 5 gallon buckets. They compared prices of 5 gallon buckets from local home improvement stores. Students were able to find the cheapest buckets to purchase and the store in which to purchase them. Students then worked together to write a “How-To” text. Students wrote about how a bucket seat is used.
School Yard Clean Up
Date: Spring 2018
Subjects: Math and Language Arts
During the spring of 2018, 91 first graders learned about importance of keeping their environment clean and waste free. Students understood the impact that pollution can have on our local ecosystem and waterways. They created informational posters and participated in a school yard clean up.
Second Grade
Clean Green Sign
Date: April 2016
Subjects: Art and Language Arts
18 environmentally minded second graders put old magazines to good use! Collectively, they brought in over 75 magazines destined for the trash. We had a contest to see who could come up with the best Green School slogan for Wellwood. The winning slogan was: CLEAN GREEN WELLWOOD TEAM. Each second grade classroom took a word and cut out pictures from the magazines to create a mosaic on each letter of the word. We cut them out and hung our slogan in the front lobby!
Pollinators
Date: May 2018
Subjects: Science and Language Arts
95 2nd grade students learned about pollinators. They went on a field trip to a farm and learned how bees pollinate plants. They researched pollination and took notes about different pollinators. To share their information the students made bookmarks to encourage people to love pollinators. Each student made 3- one to keep and one to share with other students in the school.
Third Grade
Safe Racer
Date: March 2017
Subjects: Science and Language Arts
All 89 3rd grade students participated in the Safe Racer Challenge. Teams of students had to design a car from recycled materials that would protect an egg passenger, and travel far. Old party balloons, leftover wood pieces, and bubble wrap were some of the recycled materials used. Even the wheels used to build this year’s safe racers came off of the cars from past challenges. Students were able to see the purpose in repurposing an used item, and students worked hard to turn trash into a safety or distance feature for their cars. Check out some of Wellwood’s third grade teams with their cars.
Sea Turtle Sponsorship
Date: Spring 2018
Subjects: Inquiry (Science and Language Arts)
Third graders at Wellwood have been inquiring on human actions that impact the environment and actions humans can take to preserve the environment. This inquiry process led our classes to discover the work of the Turtle Hospital in Marathon Key, Florida. The hospital has been preserving the lives of sea turtles since 1986 with the goals of rescuing injured sea turtles, rehabilitating them, and returning them to their natural habitat. However, some injured turtles must remain permanent residents of the hospital and need the support of generous citizens willing to contribute money to support the efforts of the 24- hour care provided by the hospital. Wellwood and its 87 third-grade students took on this challenge, adopting 4 sea turtles: Bender, Bubble Butt, Rebel, and Montel. By adopting these turtles, we have contributed to the care for one year of each of these permanent residents of the hospital. Students enjoyed receiving updates on their adoptees. Through this effort, students were able to experience how their inquiry process can lead them to acting to improve the planet that they share.
Click Here for a letter from MDE
Fourth Grade
Recycling Team
Date: 2016 - 2019
Ms. Watts' 4th grade class (20 students) contributes to Wellwood's green initiatives by collecting the recycling from each classroom and office at the end of the day. These responsible students ensure everyone in the building in recycling properly and that the recycling is ready to be brought outside by our custodians.
Fifth Grade
Bio Blitz
Date: Fall 2018
Subjects: Inquiry (Science and Language Arts)
During the 2018-2019 school year, 79 fifth-grade students learned about the importance of biodiversity in the world. Through this lens they explored different food chains as well as the producers and consumers that go along with that. In conjunction with these lessons, the fifth grade traveled to “Oregon Ridge,” a nature park, to learn how to survey the biodiversity of an area. This type of survey has been termed “BioBlitz.” Next, the students returned to school to “BioBlitz” their own schoolyard. They identified species in the schoolyard and discovered our schoolyard has low biodiversity. Students are currently working on projects to address the low biodiversity at our school.
Energy Saving Tips
Date: Fall 2018
Subjects: Inquiry (ELA and Science)
During the 2018-2019 school year, 25 fifth-grade students completed a unit surrounding the importance of conserving resources on our planet. One of the topics addressed was saving energy. Students realized that many measures could be taken in our own school to help save energy. Therefore, students researched how much excess energy is used in school and ways to improve our school’s energy use. Each student created an “Energy Saving Tips” poster to place in teachers’ classrooms throughout our school.