Lockhart Elementary Fourth Graders Fight Litter

April 21, 2012 - A science program at Lockhart Elementary led fourth graders to take charge of learning about the Neuse River for class – and a litter cleanup drive for the community.

The 52 students in the program decided to partner with the Neuse Riverkeepers to study awareness of the Neuse River, the source of drinking water for their community.

Using a $300 grant from the Neuse Riverkeepers, the students took a field trip to Anderson Point Park where they took a nature walk and learned about the habitat around the Neuse River.

“We are the facilitators,” fourth grader teacher Cherry Jackson said. “We let the students come up with the concerns and issues and decide what to make the community more aware of.”

The students selected issues, took a vote and decided to work on awareness of littering.

The project tailors the normal fourth grade curriculum for science and social studies. The benefit comes from the students becoming personally involved.

“If we hadn’t used this program, (in our normal course work) we have science kits for the fourth grade that teach students about animal adaptation,” Jackson said.

To find out more about the students' work and what change the made within their community, click here.

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