🌱 3. “Healthy Soil, Healthy Food” NGSS Connection: 3-LS1-1 (Develop models to describe that organisms have unique life cycles) 3-LS4-3 (Construct an argument with evidence about environmental changes affecting organisms) 3-ESS2-1 (Use data to describe environmental conditions) Driving Question: How can we improve soil to grow healthier plants in our community? Community Issue: Poor soil quality impacting gardens, food growth, and agriculture Student Experience (Workshop Format): Students investigate soil types and how they affect plant growth. They test soil samples, add natural materials (compost, sand, etc.), and observe changes. Students explore composting and sustainability practices. Final Product: Improved soil mix or compost system Student-created “Grow Better Gardens” guide for families/community Graduate Profile Alignment: Innovative Problem Solver: Improving soil conditions Community Contributor: Supporting local food systems Mastery Learner: Observing and analyzing results Effective Communicator: Teaching others sustainable practices

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Students will create a portfolio that includes the following: a cover page, a table of contents, and two flash memoirs (i.e. ultra-short creative nonfiction, typically 750 words or fewer, that captures a "flash" of insight by exploring a specific, often small, moment in time that reveals a larger emotional or universal truth. It focuses on vivid, sensory details—often using a concrete object as an entry point—to evoke memory and meaning, acting as a magnifying glass on a singular experience)

🐝 3. “Helping Pollinators Thrive” NGSS Connection: 2-LS2-1 (Plants depend on animals for pollination or seed dispersal) K-2-ETS1-3 (Analyze data from tests of two objects) Driving Question: How can we help bees, butterflies, and other pollinators in our community? Community Issue: Decline of pollinators and its impact on food systems Student Experience (Workshop Format): Students learn how pollinators help plants grow food. They investigate which flowers attract pollinators and why. Students design and create pollinator-friendly solutions such as mini gardens, seed balls, or habitats. Final Product: Pollinator garden plan or seed kits (to plant at school or home) Student-created “Pollinator Protection Guide” Graduate Profile Alignment: Community Contributor: Supporting local ecosystems Innovative Problem Solver: Designing habitats Effective Communicator: Sharing environmental knowledge Self-Directed Navigator: Making design choices

🏠 3. “Safe Homes for Severe Weather” NGSS Connection: 1-ESS1-2 (Make observations of patterns in the sky/weather) K-2-ETS1-2 (Develop simple sketches/models to solve problems) Driving Question: How can we design homes that keep families safe during strong weather? Community Issue: Severe weather in Kentucky (storms, heavy rain, wind, flooding) Student Experience (Workshop Format): Students explore different types of weather and their impacts. They test materials (paper, cardboard, foil, etc.) against wind (fan) and water (spray bottle). They design and build model homes that can withstand these conditions. Final Product: Weather-resistant house model “Stay Safe in Storms” family safety guide (student-created) Graduate Profile Alignment: Innovative Problem Solver: Designing strong structures Productive Collaborator: Working in teams Self-Directed Navigator: Making design decisions Effective Communicator: Presenting solutions

Ecosystems and Warer in Bogota and Cundinamarca

Lord of the Flies, by William Golding

Implement a weather station project, where students build instruments to measure and record weather patterns, analyzing data as part of their science and math curriculum.