Both fourth grade classes of School Lane Charter School started their Earth Force project by looking at watersheds and sources of water pollution. Initially they hoped to improve local storm water management by designing a rain garden on school grounds. When this project was put on hold due to school construction, students turned their eyes to green spaces in the Bensalem Parks Department, thanks to a partnership facilitated by Earth Force.
Through conversations with the parks department students decided that the best way to move forward was to engage the class in landscape maintenance at Imagination Playground, a township playground designed for children with disabilities. On a warm, sunny June 1
st the fourth grade students, joined by volunteers from Home Depot and their local Kiwanis club, worked with the park’s maintenance team to landscape the site. The students were presented with some detailed instructions and quickly set off to work. Their first task was to collect the dead leaves, pick up litter, pull up any dead shrubs that were lying around and dispose of them. After clearing the area, the students paired off and planted flowers that were donated by Home Depot.
It was an exciting day for the students who gained hands-on experience and worked for the betterment of their community. “Earth Force has been a great resource for the fourth grade science curriculum,” noted Terrie Giardine, the school’s curriculum coordinator. We look forward to expanding our program with the school and continuing to build this exciting partnership!