Green Highways

Cultivating Fruitful Citizens

Molly “Irene” DoddPete FarnessSilas PencilleDarice Terry

Purpose

• Exploration of tension in life– Explicitly, the tension between consumerism and

stewardship– Fast pace verse slow pace – Related to water and food

• Additionally:– Demonstrate activism breeds optimism rather than

cynicism • Slower, less harried can be better

– Promotes healthy relationships– Engenders lively discourse– Embodiment of democratic ideals

Enduring Understandings• New technology presents new possibilities and

problems.• Media has different points of view.• Awareness is the first step of activism.• People have always had an impulse to record

their experience with nature, whether through artistic expression or scientific inquiry.

Form and Function

• Four Broad Units1. Preparation – 3 Weeks2. Stewardship – 7 Weeks3. Harvest – 4 Weeks 4. Sharing the Bounty – 2 Weeks

• Units centered on responsible life choices using the metaphors learned in the garden– Water– Food– Community Involvement

16 week course

Planting the Garden

• During the Preparation unit

• Gardening practices – Model the course themes– Provides metaphorical scaffold for students– Supplies for implementation for some newly

acquired knowledge – Develops sense of community in the

classroom

Unit 1: Preparation• Art

– Ecological art • English

– Information literacy• Life Skills

– Preparing the garden• Social Studies

– Critical thinking - water

Unit 2: Stewardship• Art

– Altered Books• English

– Land Ethic and Cadillac Desert• Life Skills

– Nutrition and Sensitive Gardening • Social Studies

– Conservation and Cadillac Desert• Choose Exhibition Content Area Focus!

Unit 3: Harvest• Art

– Installation• English

– Coming Home to Eat and Nature Writing• Life Skills

– Food Preservation and Harvest• Social Studies

– Field Trip and World Water Issues

• Students finalize exhibition form!

Unit 4: Sharing the Bounty• Art

– Exhibition work• Life Skills

– Packing and Marketing• English

– Exhibition work• Social Studies

– Exhibition work

Service Learning and Student Exhibition

• Combined effort– Students, Teachers, Community

• Students– Exhibit work to community

• Teachers– Facilitate student work and community

outreach• Community

– Supporting student efforts and raising awareness

Service Learning and Student Exhibition

• Students decided on their content focused • Presented during the service learning

community awareness fair• Theme will highlight the tension of consumer life

and stewardship of the Earth• Focus on raising community awareness • Develop closer ties to community

Content Specific Example:

Possible exhibitions for the community awareness fair

Art Exhibition

English Exhibition

Life Skills Exhibition

Social Studies Exhibition

•Our Vision:•Modeled on a farmers market•Garden at the center•Booths set up to engage community•Student presentations raise awareness

Conclusion

• Lessons will focus on alternative choices

• Critical examination of costs and benefits

• Many alternatives presented require a shift in priorities– Speed is not a measure of success– Quality of life is attained not given

Thank you for your kindness towards us and graciously

allowing us into your classrooms.