Stage 5 – Gardens and Nutrition APR 1 st – MAY 30 th Stage 5 – Gardens and Nutrition has the following activities for your Green Team: 1. Beds for Success – Plan and Plant your Garden - 2 pts. 2. Rainbow Plates Contest - 1 pt. 3. Community Engagement – Gardens – 1 pt. 4. Sustainability Patrols - 2 pts. max – Submit four patrols in each report (e.g. once per week), 1 point per report Students at Sampson Webber participate in the Rainbow Plates Activity
Transcript
Stage 5 – Gardens and NutritionAPR 1st – MAY 30th
Stage 5 – Gardens and Nutrition has the following activities for your Green Team:
1. Beds for Success – Plan and Plant your Garden - 2 pts. 2. Rainbow Plates Contest - 1 pt.3. Community Engagement – Gardens – 1 pt. 4. Sustainability Patrols - 2 pts. max – Submit four patrols in each
report (e.g. once per week), 1 point per report
Students at Sampson Webber participate in the Rainbow Plates Activity
Innovation Opportunities – Earth Day and Green Week!
1. Earth Day and Green Week Celebration – 1 pt.2. Power Down for Spring Break – 1pt. 3. Drew Farms Field Trip– 1 pt.4. Host a Parent Recycling Workshop – 1 pt.
Stage 5– Gardens and Nutrition Challenge - Overview
Overview: Gardens and Nutrition is the final stage of the DPSCD Go Green Challenge. After a long winter, it’s time to take our green teams outside to garden and make the connection to healthy eating! You have worked hard all year so let’s spread the word in your school, DPSCD and the whole city. We look forward to celebrating your achievements during DPSCD Green Week, April 24th – 28th which follows Earth Day itself on Saturday, April 22nd.
Projects: Gardens and Nutrition includes the projects Plan and Plant Your Garden, Rainbow Plates, Community Engagement, ongoing Sustainability Patrols, and a suggested innovation opportunity of celebrating Earth Day and Green Week. All projects, including all innovation projects, are due by 5pm Friday, May 19th 2017.
Prizes: While the Gardens and Nutrition stage itself does not have associated cash prizes, it is the final time to earn GGC points for our final awards! Final Awards are based on earning GGC points. Top 10 overall GGC point earners will win between $550 and $1,000.
Earth Day and Green Week Celebration: We have compiled a wide range of suggested Green Week activities and encourage all creative ways to celebrate Earth Day and Green Week that will be released in early April. How will you celebrate? Please share your activities with us so we can spread the word and support your work. Thank you!
Final Awards Ceremony: Join us at our Final Awards Ceremony for fun, games, student presentations, and most importantly to highlight your accomplishments (date and location TBA). Overall Winners, Energy Challenge Winners and all schools that earned 10 or more GGC points will earn awards.
DSGC Resource Center: Need gardening resources? You are in luck! Two years ago the Detroit School Garden Collaborative (DSGC) received a grant from the State of Michigan Farm to School department. The grant supported the creation of a resource center that aims to increase and enhance student engagement opportunities centered on health and nutrition. The resource center can provide no-cost rentals of food processing equipment and other resources to be used in the classroom. Teachers will be able to borrow blenders, juicers, dehydrators, spiral slicers, scales, movies, books, garden tools, and other materials. Delivery and pickup of the materials will be available during school hours, or you may stop by the Farm & Garden office (located at Drew Transition Center - 9600 Wyoming) to retrieve an item and have any questions answered by a staff member. In addition, DSGC staff and FoodCorps service members will be available for in-class nutrition education demonstrations, including juicing and smoothie making. For more information on equipment rentals and support, please contact the DSGC at [email protected].
High School Students and Summer Work: Got summer plans? 50 high school students who have participated in the Go Green Challenge do! As Detroit Youth Energy Squad members they will earn $900 in wages and a $1,230 educational scholarship while making concrete benefits to the community and environment through their work. Students must
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be 17 years old by April 29th and have participated in Go Green activities during the year. Please ask your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators (who also serve as summer crew leaders) about connecting your high school students to the summer program.
Next year: Though spring is in the air, now is the perfect time to think about making the Fall a strong start for your green team next year! Are green team members this year ready to be mentors to next year’s team? Or “green Captains” of their next class? Should a teacher in the next grade be drawn in to support your current team members next year? How can you engage other staff and parents through the hands-on gardening and Green Week projects? Are 8th graders ready to join our high school teams next year? Is your school starting off next year with a recycling launch that your green team alumni can help with? Teamwork makes the green dream work and keeps the green ball rolling! Please reach out with any suggestions or ideas for your team next year at [email protected].
Stage 5 GGC Project: Plan and Plant Your Garden – 2pts
Gardening season is upon us! But before getting our plants in the ground we know that plants require certain growing conditions, such as being planted at the right time and getting adequate space and water. A garden plan will account for these requirements and deepen your student’s connection to the garden, all while earning a GGC point. Tell us about your planting efforts and earn a second GGC point as well!
If your school is in the Detroit School Garden Collaborative (DSGC) please ensure that you coordinate with your school’s lead DSGC teacher before completing this project. Schools not yet in the DSCG may adapt this project as necessary to earn GGC points. Your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators can provide garden expertise themselves or connect you to another community partner to assist your gardening efforts.
CRITERIA:
I. Plan Your Garden (1pt)
1) Visit Your Garden - Consider the placement of the garden. Are all of your beds in direct sunlight? Can your students identify an accessible water source? How big are your garden beds?
a. Extension Activity: Garden Location Log (Grades K-5)
Does your team need to do some further garden investigating before you make your plan? Take a few weeks to log what goes on in the area where your garden is placed and fill out the Garden Log as you go. The Garden Log will help you and your team determine:
How much sun or shade your garden receives How much moisture your garden beds are receiving What types of animals and insects are living in and around your garden How other people are using the space around your garden
b. Extension Activity: Soil Type and pH (Grades 6-8)
Different plants grow in different environments and a lot of their success depends on the type of soil they’re growing in! Work with your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators to do some in depth research into the soil type, pH and health in your garden. Then discuss some options for naturally amending the soil to help you grow the plants you want to be successful in your garden and inhibit those you don’t!
c. Extension Activity: Garden Field Trip (Grades K-12)
Take a field trip to a local urban farm or community garden to see what it can look like on a larger scale and ask experts questions on your garden. You can also sign up to take a ½ day field trip to the Drew Farms facilitated by the DSGC and earn a GGC Innovation Point! Contact Monica Degarmo at [email protected] to set up a tour of Drew Farms.
2) Pick Your Plants - Consult the provided list of transplants that DSGC will have available for your garden in the spring (please note that only cold crop transplants and seeds will be available in April. Hot crop transplants will be available later in the season). Remember that three of your beds must be dedicated to tomatoes, zucchini, and summer squash to make our signature Stoplight Salad, served right in our
cafeterias! The other three beds or additional garden spaces can be planned to your heart’s desire.
a. Extension Activity: Reading a Seed Packet (Grades 4-8)
A lot of the information we need about how, when and where to plant seeds is available right on the seed packet itself! Use this worksheet from The Kitchen Community to practice planning “Farmer Brown’s” garden. Then use the planning skills you gain in your school garden!
3) Document Your Plan - You may need to do some research about the best way to grow the crops you have selected – for example, how much space does each one need? Do they need trellises? Then, draw your future garden using the graphics on pages 7-9. If you’d like, you can put more than 1 crop in each bed.
4) Turn In Your Plan - DUE MAY 1st! – Turning in your plan will ensure it gets back to your school’s garden attendant. The earlier you turn it in, the better. Turn in your plan by scanning and sending it to [email protected] or hand it to your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators. We will then turn your plan into your school’s garden attendant or the Detroit School Garden Collaborative.
II. Plant Your Garden or share your gardening work (1pt)
To earn one additional GGC point, your team can continue your garden work beyond the planning phase. Some ideas are:
1.) Plant Your Garden
Put your plan into action! Work with your school’s garden attendant and lead teacher through the DSGC to order and receive transplants and plant them in your school’s garden beds. Use your team’s research and consult your garden attendant to make sure you are giving plants the space, light, water and soil they need. The DSGC can provide tools for you and your students to use to plant and care for your garden. Please contact Monica Degarmo if your school is in need of tools or supplies at [email protected].
a. Extension Activity- Grow Your Own Transplants (Grades K-12)
If you would like to get an early start on planting outdoors, several green teams have started seeds indoors to transplant outside for later planting or for students to take home. You’ll need some potting soil, small pots and a good source of light to get your seedlings started (a windowsill is a great spot!) Plant your seeds according to the directions on the seed packet and give them a small amount of water regularly to encourage growth. Work with your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators to find a good place for your plants to grow!
Put your plants to good use! Several green teams have had healthy smoothie sales, sometimes with the greens for the smoothies right from the garden. Others have invited student’s families for a cookout, using salad greens from the garden. You may also be able to donate produce to a local church or charitable organization to help provide fresh food to members of your community.
EVIDENCE
In order to earn two points for the Plan and Plant Your Garden activities, you must submit your three (3) garden bed plans AND a photo of your planted garden. If you are not a member of the DSGC and do not have garden beds at your school, please work with your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinator to develop alternative evidence.
CREDLY CODE
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCPlant
School Name: ______________________________Teacher Name:________________________________________
Spacing (# inches apart) _____________________ Days until ready to harvest________________
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When to plant? _____________________________________
How much sun? (circle one)
1 hash mark = 1 foot
STUDENT REFLECTION:
After you and your team have completed the Plan and Plant Your Garden activity, please have your students reflect on and answer the following questions:
1. What do plants need to survive?
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2. When will the plants be ready for harvest? Who will eat them?
3. What are the benefits of having a garden in your school?
4. What can you do to help more people grow food in gardens?
TAKE IT HOME!
What can you grow in your house or in your yard? Not all plants need a lot of space! Could your house put a planter in a window and grow some fresh herbs, lettuce or microgreens? Share what you’ve learned about planning and planting with your family by growing your own food at home! For seeds, transplants and other garden
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resources, check out Keep Growing Detroit’s Garden Resource Program at www.detroitagriculture.net.
Stage 5 GGC Project: Rainbow Plates– 1 pt
OVERVIEW: This challenge is designed to help your students understand the importance of including foods of every color in their diet, especially fruits and vegetables. By eating a
Rainbow Diet, students will get the full variety of nutrients they need to support healthy minds and bodies. In this challenge, your students will take the Rainbow Plate worksheet (see below) and keep track of all the healthy, colorful foods they eat.
This project is ideal to launch during Green Week, April 24th-28th, although it may be completed any time during the Gardens and Earth Day Challenge.
In the attached information packet, you will find plenty of resources to help you educate your students about nutrients that accompany different colored foods. Please feel free to use these resources in any way that works best for you and your students. Some of your students may be able to document foods of every color- that is great! Some of your students may only be able to fill in a few color wedges- that is ok too! Everyone’s participation is welcome and encouraged.
CRITERIA1. Promote! – Let your whole school know that the Rainbow Plate Challenge will be
held over the course of one week – we suggest holding it during Green Week, April 24th-28th.
a) Extension activity: Poster campaign (Grades 3-12)
Have your students design posters or flyers to inform their classmates and teachers that your school is participating in the Rainbow Plate Challenge. The more students who participate, the better your chances for winning one of the top prizes!
Place posters around the school and let students know where they can pick up their “plate.” Have some plates printed and ready to hand out in the office or in your classroom! When students or teachers pick up their plates, make sure to also let them know where to return them at the end of the week.
b) Extension activity: Harvest from your garden (Grades K-12)
If you’re participating in the Rainbow Plates Challenge toward the end of the school year, you may be lucky enough to include some produce from your school garden in the activity! Help promote the challenge an encourage local eating by harvesting produce from your garden and preparing some fresh snacks to offer when students pick up their ‘plates.’ Display photos of your garden to show students what the vegetables look like as plants!
2. Pass out the ‘plate’! – Every student should get a print out of the Rainbow Plate and List of Rainbow Foods so that they can keep track of the healthy rainbow foods they are eating for the week. Every time they eat a rainbow food they should write the name of the food on the matching color wedge on the Rainbow Plate.
a) Extension activity: Felt Rainbow Salad Bowl (Grades 3-6)Not all nutrition comes on a plate- some comes in a bowl! Instead of a rainbow plate, try making a Felt Rainbow Salad Bowl with your students. Have students cut fruits and vegetables out of colorful pieces of felt that represent foods from each of the rainbow colors on their plates. Assemble the different rainbow foods on a felt cutout of a salad bowl. Have
each student share what is in their salad bowl and how the nutrients in each fruit or vegetable help keep them healthy! Post the Rainbow Salad Bowls in your classroom or in the school’s cafeteria as a reminder that salads are a great way to pack a lot of nutrition into one meal!
b) Extension activity: Rainbow Smoothies (Grades K-12) A great way to incorporate rainbow foods into your diet is through a Rainbow Smoothie. Follow the recipe in the Rainbow Plates activity or create your own with your students! If your school has received award money from the Go Green Challenge, you can use that to purchase smoothie ingredients in a variety of colors. If you don’t have access to measuring cups and blenders, they can be rented from the Detroit School Garden Collaborative’s Resource Center at Drew Transition Center. Please contact Monica Degarmo (mailto:[email protected]) or your school’s DSGC Lead Teacher for more information on rentals.
3. Talk about rainbow eating! – Some students may not know why colorful healthy foods are important. Others may think that a bag of skittles will fulfill their rainbow diet. That is ok and exactly why we do this - we have provided guidelines, examples of healthy and unhealthy foods, lessons, and more for you to use at your discretion.
a) Extension Activity: Head, Shoulders, Knees and… Nutrition! (Grades K-4)Different colors in fruits and vegetables represent different nutrients that provide benefits to certain parts of our bodies. Play this fun game developed by a FoodCorps member from the Detroit School Garden Collaborative to visually explore different nutrients with your class.
4. Remind, remind, remind! – We understand that we are asking a lot of our students to keep track of what they are eating for a whole week. Reminders will be a big help.
a) Extension Activity: School Announcements (Grades K-12)
Help students at your school to remember to complete their Rainbow Plates Challenge by making daily announcements. Announcements could include a fun fact about one of the rainbow plate colors or could give tips on what foods to eat to get all of your colors in!
5. Count the students that participated – Once you have collected all the plates, consider posting them in the cafeteria or hallway. Fill out the attached questionnaire with the following information:
a) The number of students who participated in the challengeb) Any interesting conversations or findings that came out of the challenge.
What new foods did students try eating? What were the hardest colors for them to eat?
Record some of the ways that your students are incorporating a colorful variety of foods into their diet by creating a classroom cookbook. Have students work with their parents or caregivers to come up with a recipe that includes at least one of the rainbow plate colors. Organize the recipes that students submit into a ‘cookbook’ that can serve as a classroom resource or be printed as a fun prize for students to take home and share with their families!
EVIDENCE
In order to earn one point for the Rainbow Plates activity, you must submit the Rainbow Plates Questionnaire and 2 photos of your school participating in the activity to Credly.
CREDLY CODE
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCRainbow
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Rainbow Plates Questionnaire
Please use this questionnaire to document your school’s participation in the Rainbow Plates activity. You will submit this questionnaire to Credly to earn 1 point for your team.
School Name: ______________________________________________________________________________________
Dates of the Rainbow Plates Challenge: _________________________________________________________
1.) How many students at your school participated in the Rainbow Plates Activity Challenge over the course of one week?
2.) What were the results of your challenge? Were there any interesting conversations or findings?
3.) What new foods did students try eating? What were the hardest colors for them to eat?
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Stage 5 GGC Project: Community Engagement– 1 pt
DESCRIPTION
In this project, students are encouraged to engage their community members in Going Green, both within their school walls and beyond. In this activity, students are asked to become the experts in gardening and healthy eating and to deliver information and resources to their classmates, teachers, family and community. This is a great time to lean on your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators for support. AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators train extensively on this information and how to deliver it to your students. If you are unable to connect with an AmeriCorps Green School Coordinator, have your students research the water facts and water actions to build understanding before delivering information to their community.
There are several ways your Green Team can earn this point, including some familiar projects and some brand new! Please read carefully through the options and requirements below and talk with your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators about the best way for your team to earn this point.
CRITERIA
Choose ONE of the following activities to complete with your Green Team to earn a Community Engagement point:
Activity 1: Deliver “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” Information to Classmates
Green Team students learn about the basics of gardening and healthy eating in Detroit with their AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators
Green Team students understand and train on the 5 facts and 5 actions included in the “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” toolkit piece.
Green Team students present the 5 facts and 5 actions included in the “Gardens and Nutrition Detroit 101” toolkit piece to 3 classrooms.
Collect signatures from at least 40 students and/or staff confirming their intent to put what they learned from the Green Team into action.
Green Team submits their signature sheet via Credly.
Activity 2: Deliver “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” Information to Community
Green Team students learn about the basics of gardening and healthy eating in Detroit with their AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators
Green Team students understand and train on the 5 facts and 5 actions included in the “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” toolkit piece.
Green Team students present the 5 facts and 5 actions included in the “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” toolkit piece to family, neighbors, or other community members.
Green Team students collect signatures from at least 20 community members confirming their intent to put what they learned from the Green Team into action.
Green Team submits their signature sheet via Credly.
EVIDENCE
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To earn this point, you must submit ONE of the following materials. The materials you submit are dependent on which of the three activities your team completes.
Activity 1: to earn this point, you must submit the Classroom Signature Sheet via Credly, confirming that Green Team students have delivered the “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” material to at least 3 classrooms and at least 40 students.
Activity 2: to earn this point, you must submit the Community Signature Sheet via Credly, confirming that Green Team students have delivered the “Gardens and Nutrition in Detroit 101” material to at least 20 community members.
CREDLY CODE
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCCommunityGardens
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Gardens and Nutrition 101
To be used to train Green Team students for Community Engagement Activities 1 and 2. Please consult with your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators to help prepare students before delivering this information to their community.
Did you know?
1. All plants need light, water, soil and space to grow. Some plants grow better in cold weather and others grow better in warm weather. In Detroit, food crops grow best from April to October.
2. Urban agriculture is cultivating, processing and distributing food in or around a city. In Detroit, there are over 1,400 urban farms! Urban gardeners can save $250-1,000 in food costs each year.
3. DPSCD has a special program called the Detroit School Garden Collaborative that gives schools 6 garden beds to grow food crops in. Three of those beds are used for the “Stoplight Salad” ingredients, which are tomatoes, yellow squash and zucchini.
4. A healthy diet includes foods of many different colors. The different colors represent different nutrients that affect certain parts of our bodies. For example, the orange carotene in carrots is great for our eyes!
5. Sneaky foods like sugar its substitutes are unhealthy and are in a lot of the foods we eat. One 12 oz. can of Coke has 9 ½ teaspoons of sugar in it!
Take Action!
1. Plant a garden in your school! Is your school a member of the Detroit School Garden Collaborative? If so, work with your school’s garden attendant to help plan and plant vegetables in your school’s garden. If your school is not a part of the DSGC, consider planting some fruits or vegetables that grow well indoors!
2. Plant a garden in your home or community! Starting a garden in your home or community is easy with the help of Keep Growing Detroit! A membership is only $10 a year and will provide you and your neighbors plenty of healthy food. You can apply for the program at detroitagriculture.net
3. Visit a local farmer’s market! Local food is fresh, healthy and supports businesses in the area. There are lots of farmer’s markets in Detroit and there may even be a farmer’s market in your neighborhood! Do some research at EasternMarket.org or DetroitMarkets.org to find a farmer’s market near you.
4. Eat the rainbow! Challenge yourself and your family to eat at least one fruit, vegetable or protein from each color of the rainbow over the course of 5 days. Salads and smoothies are a great way to get lots of colors at once!
5. Rethink your drink! Avoid drinks with a lot of sugars like pop, sports drinks and some juice. Try switching to water or whole fruit juice instead!
To be used and turned in via Credly for Community Engagement Activity 1. Forty (40) signatures from at least 3 classrooms are required to earn this point.
By signing below, I confirm that I have received Garden and Nutrition training and pledge to keep my school healthy!
#Classroo
mSignature
Will you take
action?
EX 201 Gino Green Yes!
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Community Signature SheetTo be used and turned in via Credly for Community Engagement Activity 2. Twenty (20) signatures are required to earn this point.
By signing below, I confirm that I have received Gardens and Nutrition training and pledge to keep my home healthy!
Green Teams that patrol their school are effective at conserving resources and lowering utility costs by reducing or eliminating wasteful practices and promoting environmental stewardship behaviors among the whole school community. There are several simple, no-cost actions that green teams can take to reduce the school’s utility costs and save natural resources:
Checking for accuracy in recycling bins and dumpsters Turning off lights and appliances in unoccupied classrooms Checking for and reporting any water leaks to the facility manager Making posters and announcements to promote sustainability in your school
In addition to the resource savings, sustainability patrols are also vehicles for other student benefits:
Instill a sense of responsibility and ownership Enhance problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills Fostering leadership
Eliminating waste and changing behavior requires on-going efforts from a committed group of people, especially students.
CRITERIA
1. RECRUIT a group of students to conduct sustainability patrols. An entire class can be selected for this responsibility or students may be asked to complete a simple application. Group size could range from about 4 at the lower end to 10-12 as an upper limit.
2. SCHEDULE A MEETING with your students and your AmeriCorps coordinators, who will present the project to students, provide materials such as student badges and report forms, and train your students in their first sustainability patrol.
3. CONDUCTING PATROLS. Students should patrol as many rooms in the school as possible (classrooms, offices, gym, cafeteria, etc.). This takes some time, and it is essential that students are respectful of others while patrolling.
4. REPORT: Each Patrol should complete a report. Turn in eight reports to earn the maximum 2 points for the Garden and Nutrition Stage (4 reports=1 point).
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You can conduct Water Patrols, Energy Patrols and/or a Recycling Patrols (see earlier toolkit entries for details on Water, Energy and Recycling Patrols). Schools without a single-stream recycling program can still conduct recycling patrols as long as they have a program in place to at least recycle one type of material, such as paper, water bottles, or electronics. There is a section in both patrols to report other observations and suggestions to improve your school’s sustainability.
FOR ALL SUSTAINABILITY PATROLS
1. INFORM teachers and staff that students will be on patrol. An announcement and possibly a quarter sheet in their mailbox would be a nice courtesy.
2. TURN OFF any sources of energy or water waste – lights, computers, other appliances, running faucets, etc. If there is the potential that turning something off will cause harm (e.g. a teacher’s computer), please leave a note that you noticed an opportunity to save energy, but do not turn off computer or appliance.
3. RECORD the items that are provided on the Patrol Reports – clipboards can be very useful.
4. COMPLETE four Patrols reports to earn one GGC point.5. SUSTAIN YOUR PATROLS. Set a regular time each week or day to do patrols.
Report your patrol results to the school or create a poster to track the number of teachers that are practicing environmental stewardship. Your AmeriCorps Green School Coordinators have door hangers, certificates, and suggestions for numerous activities like creating a PSA that can make your patrols fun, interesting, and effective throughout the whole school year.
EVIDENCE
To earn two points for Sustainability Patrols, you must submit two (2) Sustainability Patrol Reports (a total of eight (8) sustainability patrols) via Credly.
CREDLY CODE
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCPatrols
Stage 5 GGC Innovation Project – Earth Day and Green Week – 1 pt
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OVERVIEW: Earth Day, Saturday, April 22, is celebrated in over 192 countries and is considered the largest holiday that is not tied to a specific religion. Many communities, such as DPSCD, celebrate the week around Earth Day, which we are calling Green Week. This year, DPSCD will celebrate Green Week from April 24th – April 28th. A Green Week calendar will be released in early April- keep an eye out for more details soon!
Green Week is your time to shine! Beyond celebrating the great work you and your green team have accomplished, Green Week is a great opportunity to get the whole school involved in going green!
CRITERIA:
1) Plan ahead – Take a look at the suggested Green Week activities and the Green Week memo. Your AmeriCorps Green Schools Coordinators also would be happy to support your school in celebrating Green Week. Please share your activities with us so we can spread the word and support your work. Thank you!
2) Celebrate Green Week – It is your time to shine! Hopefully your whole school can be involved in celebrating green week and recognizing the great work your green team has done throughout the year.
3) Share Your Celebration – We want to share your work with the district and beyond, so please send up photos and stories of your events as they happen. We will highlight as much as we can in DPSCD Go Green and DPSCD-wide communications throughout the week. In the past, a few highlights have even made it to local news! Please send photos and stories to [email protected].
4) Earn a GGC point – Sharing your photos and stories with us via Credly will earn a GGC Innovation Point.
EVIDENCE:
To earn this point, you must submit an Innovation Project Submission Form along with two (2) photos via Credly.
CREDLY CODE:
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCInnovation
Stage 5 GGC Innovation Project – Power Down for the Break– 1 pt.
Holiday breaks are a well-deserved time for you to relax, but can your school’s heating system? Are lights and appliances left on that no one is using? Are faucets left running that will be wasting water 24-7? One of the simplest but most effective strategies to save energy and water is to put your building to sleep before the break. When you power down you double down – earning a point in the Go Green Challenge while taking a big bite out of your school’s energy and water consumption. You can earn one GGC innovation point by powering down for Spring Break (4/14- 4/21)!
PROCEDURE
1) Meet with your green team – Plan who will take the lead and when.
2) Work with your facility manager – Your facility manager holds the keys – both to your building and to success in powering down. Schedule a meeting with him or her and share the goal of this project – to use as little energy as possible over the holiday break. See what s/he is already planning to do and thank him or her for any existing efforts to conserve energy. Then, you can specifically ask for help in the following areas:
Can we safely lower heating in areas to 55 °F for the full break? Can we lower the water heating to a vacation setting or turn it off completely? If one part of the building will be used by a small group of people (e.g. gym for
practice), can we heat just that space or use a space heater for a few hours? Are there other large appliances we can shut down or lower over break? Can we unplug vending machines? Can we turn off the refrigeration for water fountains?
3) Plan a school-wide power down sweep – To save the most energy, you’ll need every light and appliance in every classroom and office turned off, which means this needs to be a team effort from everyone in the building. We suggest making a PA announcement the week of 4/10 and the morning of the last day, Thursday, 4/13. We also suggest distributing reminders to power down to teachers and staff and during the last period ask students to take five minutes to power down each classroom before they leave.
4) Submit your results via Credly
EVIDENCE:
To earn this point, you must submit an Innovation Project Submission Form along with two (2) photos via Credly.
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CREDLY CODE:
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCInnovation
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Student Reflections – Power Down for the Breaks
1) What action(s) do you think will save the most energy? Why?
2) How could you motivate more people to power down every day?
3) How could you help your family power down to save energy at home?
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Sample Power Down PA Announcement(please feel free to edit and adapt this for your school)
Good morning, Go Green Elementary! I’m sure you can’t wait for the holiday break to begin, but there is one more thing we all need to do before we leave today. Our school is competing in the DPSCD Go Green Challenge to win thousands of dollars in awards and we want to win! To do that, we have to save as much energy as possible, and we need everyone to pitch in. Today, we’re asking you to help us power down the school for the holidays. We want to make sure no lights or computers are left on, the windows and blinds are completely closed, the water faucets are turned off, and that our building is using as little energy as possible.
The Green Team, known as the Green Groundhogs, will be doing a sweep of the building during last period to turn off lights and electronics. We’re asking each class to help with this by making sure everything is off, and if you can, unplug it to save even more. So before you leave today, make sure to Power Down and help us win the Go Green Challenge! Happy holidays!
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Dear Teachers and Staff, Today is Power Down for the Holidays! Please contribute to our school’s participation in the DPSCD Go Green Challenge and help us save energy and water by:
1. Turn off all lights before you leave2. Turn off all electronics. Make sure
they are fully off. If they are on a power strip, turn off the strip or unplug them. Any computer or appliance left on all break will waste energy.
3. Completely close all windows and blinds.
4. Turn off any faucets or other lights or appliances in the school that you notice no one is using.
This is a great way to get your students involved and start the break off on a high note!
THANK YOU!
Dear Teachers and Staff, Today is Power Down for the Holidays! Please contribute to our school’s participation in the DPSCD Go Green Challenge and help us save energy and water by:
1. Turn off all lights before you leave2. Turn off all electronics. Make sure
they are fully off. If they are on a power strip, turn off the strip or unplug them. Any computer or appliance left on all break will waste energy.
3. Completely close all windows and blinds.
4. Turn off any faucets or other lights or appliances in the school that you notice no one is using.
This is a great way to get your students involved and start the break off on a high note!
THANK YOU!
Dear Teachers and Staff, Today is Power Down for the Holidays! Please contribute to our school’s participation in the DPSCD Go Green Challenge and help us save energy and water by:
1. Turn off all lights before you leave2. Turn off all electronics. Make sure
they are fully off. If they are on a power strip, turn off the strip or unplug them. Any computer or appliance left on all break will waste energy.
3. Completely close all windows and blinds.
4. Turn off any faucets or other lights or appliances in the school that you notice no one is using.
This is a great way to get your students involved and start the break off on a high note!
THANK YOU!
Dear Teachers and Staff, Today is Power Down for the Holidays! Please contribute to our school’s participation in the DPSCD Go Green Challenge and help us save energy and water by:
1. Turn off all lights before you leave2. Turn off all electronics. Make sure
they are fully off. If they are on a power strip, turn off the strip or unplug them. Any computer or appliance left on all break will waste energy.
3. Completely close all windows and blinds.
4. Turn off any faucets or other lights or appliances in the school that you notice no one is using.
This is a great way to get your students involved and start the break off on a high note!
Detroit Public Schools Community District Office of School Nutrition provides hands-on, STEAM centered field trips for Prek-12th grade DPSCD students. This full day experiential learning opportunity is supported by the DPSCD Office of Science and integrates Next Generation Science Standards into the day’s activities and lessons. We hope to see you and your students at Drew!
Drew Farm is a 2.5 acre farm located at Drew Transition Center (a DPSCD school) that grows over 20,000 pounds of produce per year that goes directly into Detroit school cafeterias. Drew Farm is operated by the Detroit School Garden Collaborative staff, a farm to school program operated through the DPSCD Office of School Nutrition.
Field Trip Agenda:
All age groups will participate in the following activities:
Interactive Farm tour Hands-on High Tunnel lesson Nutrition lesson & cooking demo
Field Trips at Drew Farm are offered March-November on Wednesdays. The full day experience is 9:30am-1:30pm. Time can be flexible based on school needs. We have a maximum of 40 students and 10 chaperones. Schools are only responsible for covering the cost of transportation. If bus cost is an issue, we will work with schools as best we can. We ask for sliding scale of $1-5 per student to cover programming costs.
To sign up please contact:
Monica DeGarmo, Program Manager313-651-3457 (office); 313-450-2437 (cell)[email protected]
EVIDENCE:
To earn this point, you must submit an Innovation Project Submission Form along with two (2) photos via Credly.
CREDLY CODE:
Use this code to claim your credit on Credly: GGCInnovation
Green Living Science, a partner of the DPSCD Go Green Challenge, delivers recycling education across the city of Detroit. As a part of this education, Green Living Science is offering Parent Recycling Workshops for schools participating in the Go Green Challenge. Participating in a Parent Recycling Workshop not only gives attendees the opportunity to receive a free recycling cart at their home, but will also earn your team an Innovation Point!
CRITERIA:
Workshops are 20 minutes long and can be scheduled before, during or after school hours.
You may invite the broader community or keep it closed to your students’ families. All workshop attendees residing in a single family home or in a complex up to 4
units will receive a free recycling bin (normal value is $25). Call Green Living Science at 313-871-4000 ext. 3 or email at
