Parks and Ponds (Building Communities)

Grade Level: 9-12

Academic Areas: Science-focused, Interdisciplinary

Duration of service: Year-Long

Character Virtues: Giving, Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Service Areas: Environmental

 

Service Learning Project:

Over the course of a year, students will build a park on school grounds to create a community gathering place. The park will include: park benches, picnic tables, landscaping, and a small pond. Students will be responsible for all research, design, construction, and maintenance of the park, including finding out which plants will thrive in their climate, how to take care of plants, and proper planting techniques. Fundraising will require that students solicit donations and in-kind contributions from local businesses and that teachers and students write grant proposals. The project will begin with a ground-breaking ceremony and will culminate with a grand opening celebration. Future classes of students will be responsible for maintenance of the park.

Goals and Objectives

Academic

Learning Goal: Students will use mathematical, artistic, technological, and scientific knowledge to design and construct a community park. In particular, they will learn how to properly plant and maintain plants in their climate.

Standard: MST-1,2,3,4,5,6,7 PE-3 CDOC-2

Learning Goal: Students will practice research skills while designing the park. They will use oral and written language to communicate with project participants, potential donors, the media, and local government.

Standard: ELA-1,3,4 SS-5

Service

Community need: Connection between the school and the surrounding community.

Possible Community Partners: local businesses/contractors, various community groups (ex. 4H, church groups), local garden shops, and various government groups.

Objective: Students will construct a small park to serve as a community gathering place.

Objective: Students will construct a working ecosystem to be used in science labs for all age groups.

Character

Virtue: Giving

Objective: Students will use their time to create an environment for gathering and study for their community.

Virtue: Civic Virtue and Citizenship

Objective: Students will put values into action in order to create a closer bond between the community and the school.

Key Activities

Key Planning Activities

  1. Teachers and students will collaborate to write grant proposals to provide funding for the project.
  2. Students will research and decide what flora and fauna would be appropriate for the park.
  3. Students will design the layout of the park.
  4. Teachers and students will get approval from administration for the students’ plan for the park.
  5. Students will contact local businesses to solicit funds, materials, and services.
  6. Students will create a timeline for construction of the park.

  

Key Service Activities

  1. Students, parents, and community volunteers will work together during construction of a small park and pond.
  2. Students will maintain the pond and park once it is completed.

Key Reflection Activities

  1. (oral – civic virtue and citizenship) Throughout the project, students will hold project meetings (including all students and community members working on the project) to discuss the progress of the park, the need for improvements, and possible changes.
  2. (written – civic virtue and citizenship) Students will survey the community on the quality of the park. They will also publish a newsletter outlining public opinion, progress of the project, future plans, and student journal excerpts.
  3. (performance – giving) Students and participating community members will create a video montage of the process of the project, the sacrifices made, and the benefits gained.

Celebration Activity

The students will host a groundbreaking and grand opening. The community will be invited to join the students who will introduce the flora and fauna in the park and the process of its construction.