Growing Together: Open Forum

Here are some ideas I have done in the past. I have matched up different grades (1st and 4th, etc.) and had each group  do a different project together using items that can be recycled, reused. On that day, they can meet at whatever time works for them. 

projects:

Planting flowers

Art using old CDs to make fish, other sea creatures and glue it on a large piece of blue butcher paper (waves) or make a mobile.

make birds - Cut a basic bird shape out of cardboard. Students wrap cardboard with colorful yarn and stick feathers in it. Add a google eye, make a tree from butcher paper or cardboard and display birds in it

Design a "city" with lots of green space on a playground or classroom floor. Use small milk cartons from the lunch room for the houses and building. Give students pipe cleaners, construction paper, tissue paper, etc. to create a town with lots of parks, gardens and  more around the buidings.

Make bee boxes - Cut tops off small milk cartons, put a dab of homemade playdo inside on the bottom and fill with paper straws.

Create journals from recycled folders using sticks and rubber bands for the binding.

Make sun tea

Put out lots of recyclable items and let kids create a movable object.

Here are some ideas I have done in the past. I have matched up different grades (1st and 4th, etc.) and had each group  do a different project together using items that can be recycled, reused. On that day, they can meet at whatever time works for them. 

projects:

Planting flowers

Art using old CDs to make fish, other sea creatures and glue it on a large piece of blue butcher paper (waves) or make a mobile.

make birds - Cut a basic bird shape out of cardboard. Students wrap cardboard with colorful yarn and stick feathers in it. Add a google eye, make a tree from butcher paper or cardboard and display birds in it

Design a "city" with lots of green space on a playground or classroom floor. Use small milk cartons from the lunch room for the houses and building. Give students pipe cleaners, construction paper, tissue paper, etc. to create a town with lots of parks, gardens and  more around the buidings.

Make bee boxes - Cut tops off small milk cartons, put a dab of homemade playdo inside on the bottom and fill with paper straws.

Create journals from recycled folders using sticks and rubber bands for the binding.

Make sun tea

Put out lots of recyclable items and let kids create a movable object.

Here are some ideas I have done in the past. I have matched up different grades (1st and 4th, etc.) and had each group  do a different project together using items that can be recycled, reused. On that day, they can meet at whatever time works for them. 

projects:

Planting flowers

Art using old CDs to make fish, other sea creatures and glue it on a large piece of blue butcher paper (waves) or make a mobile.

make birds - Cut a basic bird shape out of cardboard. Students wrap cardboard with colorful yarn and stick feathers in it. Add a google eye, make a tree from butcher paper or cardboard and display birds in it

Design a "city" with lots of green space on a playground or classroom floor. Use small milk cartons from the lunch room for the houses and building. Give students pipe cleaners, construction paper, tissue paper, etc. to create a town with lots of parks, gardens and  more around the buidings.

Make bee boxes - Cut tops off small milk cartons, put a dab of homemade playdo inside on the bottom and fill with paper straws.

Create journals from recycled folders using sticks and rubber bands for the binding.

Make sun tea

Put out lots of recyclable items and let kids create a movable object.

Here are some ideas I have done in the past. I have matched up different grades (1st and 4th, etc.) and had each group  do a different project together using items that can be recycled, reused. On that day, they can meet at whatever time works for them. 

projects:

Planting flowers

Art using old CDs to make fish, other sea creatures and glue it on a large piece of blue butcher paper (waves) or make a mobile.

make birds - Cut a basic bird shape out of cardboard. Students wrap cardboard with colorful yarn and stick feathers in it. Add a google eye, make a tree from butcher paper or cardboard and display birds in it

Design a "city" with lots of green space on a playground or classroom floor. Use small milk cartons from the lunch room for the houses and building. Give students pipe cleaners, construction paper, tissue paper, etc. to create a town with lots of parks, gardens and  more around the buidings.

Make bee boxes - Cut tops off small milk cartons, put a dab of homemade playdo inside on the bottom and fill with paper straws.

Create journals from recycled folders using sticks and rubber bands for the binding.

Make sun tea

Put out lots of recyclable items and let kids create a movable object.

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Alicia, These are temporary, but how about having the older students make newspaper pots? Can you save the single serving milk cartons from the cafeteria? Thinking outside the box, maybe there is a restaurant or a big box store that throws away a lot of something that you can reuse. Check thrift shops for ideas. I know where I live in Sacramento, there is a non-profit that collects trash that can be recycled for school art projects. You might have to find a variety of containers for 900 students.

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Alicia, You could also just have students make seed balls. So easy. Then they take it home and plant wherever they find a green space that needs some color. Goes great with the story Miss Rumphius.

Alicia, These are temporary, but how about having the older students make newspaper pots? Can you save the single serving milk cartons from the cafeteria? Thinking outside the box, maybe there is a restaurant or a big box store that throws away a lot of something that you can reuse. Check thrift shops for ideas. I know where I live in Sacramento, there is a non-profit that collects trash that can be recycled for school art projects. You might have to find a variety of containers for 900 students.

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Thanks for giving this thought Evelyn! I love the ideas of milk cartons because we have time to save up enough of those I'm sure. Seed balls is a great idea! When I've made them with my students in the past, I used quick air-dry clay, soil and seeds. The clay isn't cost effective for a large number of kids, however. What have you used for your seed ball recipe? 

Alicia, You could also just have students make seed balls. So easy. Then they take it home and plant wherever they find a green space that needs some color. Goes great with the story Miss Rumphius.

Alicia, These are temporary, but how about having the older students make newspaper pots? Can you save the single serving milk cartons from the cafeteria? Thinking outside the box, maybe there is a restaurant or a big box store that throws away a lot of something that you can reuse. Check thrift shops for ideas. I know where I live in Sacramento, there is a non-profit that collects trash that can be recycled for school art projects. You might have to find a variety of containers for 900 students.

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Alicia, You could also just have students make seed balls. So easy. Then they take it home and plant wherever they find a green space that needs some color. Goes great with the story Miss Rumphius.

Alicia, These are temporary, but how about having the older students make newspaper pots? Can you save the single serving milk cartons from the cafeteria? Thinking outside the box, maybe there is a restaurant or a big box store that throws away a lot of something that you can reuse. Check thrift shops for ideas. I know where I live in Sacramento, there is a non-profit that collects trash that can be recycled for school art projects. You might have to find a variety of containers for 900 students.

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

..Believe it or not, my family collected enough yogurt cups to supply my entire school (400 cups)! We get the ones with the removable labels, allowing the students to decorate the outside of the cups. I am confident you could collect enough cups to make this happen for your students. Send out a "reuse before recycle" notice and all the students will begin collecting for your project. (Reminder, you will need to make drainage holes at the bottoms of the cups. I use a soldering iron outside and make 2-3 holes in each.) I have also used compostable (corn-based) bathroom dixie cup sized cups. These only need 2 holes for drainage, which I have made with corn cob holders just punching the holes into the bottoms.

I have used newspaper pots and toilet paper cores. Both will rot fast and fall apart before the students get the plants strong enough to plant out in a garden.

I like the yogurt cups in particular, as they are bigger and can sustain a small plant to get it to flower. (Just my 2¢, but I have tried many things over the years.)

Lori - After giving this all some thought, I would love for each child to be able to plant a seed to take home. How did you handle getting enough containers for this? We have 900 students and the idea of finding that many pots/yogurt containers, etc. is daunting! 

Every year during Earth Week, I plant seeds (marigolds, cosmos, zinnia, sunflowers, etc.) with every child in the building (400) in small groups. While I am doing this, the art teacher is teaching the students how to draw flowers, pollinators, etc. We do a co-teaching "why" prior to breaking into groups. I use upcycled yogurt cups (with holes drilled into them) and use saved seeds and/ or use donated seeds. I start their seeds under lights, but you can send them to the classroom to grow on windowsills. The students love to plant and always report back about their flowers!

Great question with plenty of time to plan!

We celebrate Earth Day every day, but around April 22, there is  a great opportunity to shine a bright light on this day. Did you know that Earth Day is over 50 years old? We have a lot of work to continue to do to grow a healthier planet!

I always read Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, Chief Seattle's address to congress in 1884, about his people's respect and love for the earth, and concern for its destruction. This story still rings true today. 

• Often times, we make zinnia seed bombs to spread beautiful joy and support pollinators. 
• Don't stop at the 3 R's there are 9, and probably even more! 

         Recycle

         Refuse

         Reuse

        Repair

        Repurpose

        Reduce

        Regift

        Recover

        Rot (compost)

• We also take a deep dive into the Monarch Migration, as they are flying back through the Texas skies around Earth Day.
• During the pandemic, we did an Earth Day Challenge that could easily be adapted during Earth Week.

------------------------------
Kim Aman
Grow Garden Grow
Dallas TX
------------------------------

Great question with plenty of time to plan!

We celebrate Earth Day every day, but around April 22, there is  a great opportunity to shine a bright light on this day. Did you know that Earth Day is over 50 years old? We have a lot of work to continue to do to grow a healthier planet!

I always read Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, Chief Seattle's address to congress in 1884, about his people's respect and love for the earth, and concern for its destruction. This story still rings true today. 

• Often times, we make zinnia seed bombs to spread beautiful joy and support pollinators. 
• Don't stop at the 3 R's there are 9, and probably even more! 

         Recycle

         Refuse

         Reuse

        Repair

        Repurpose

        Reduce

        Regift

        Recover

        Rot (compost)

• We also take a deep dive into the Monarch Migration, as they are flying back through the Texas skies around Earth Day.
• During the pandemic, we did an Earth Day Challenge that could easily be adapted during Earth Week.

------------------------------
Kim Aman
Grow Garden Grow
Dallas TX
------------------------------