Growing ConnectionsThrough Outdoor Education

Mary Van Dyke for Green Schools @ Green Living Expo

Where?

Arlington Traditional School (ATS) Garden

Players….Connections

• Identify your community webs

Goals?

• Increase biodiversity– Native/non-native

• Build community– Awareness– Appreciation– Stewardship and Outdoor Learning

Make it happen…

• Info exchangesLiaise with school communityPublicity, blog, invite experts and volunteers, google groups, email,apsgreenschools

• Plant exchanges

Low Budget - High Value

• Donations• PTA Funds• School Budget

•Grants•Plant Sale

Plan B - bees, rakes, rain…

Risk Management Trainings: 4-H, Arlington Regional Master Naturalists, Master

Gardeners

Link it!

• SOLs• Science• Social Studies• Art• Math• Curriculum• Be creative!

Stage events…

Just do it! Plant Sale funds Pollinator

Garden

• Community awareness and participationGo with what you’ve got - the Second Grade Team

Neighborhood Day

• Spanish/English flyer• Invite the neighbors!• Link with County and Civic Association

Colonial Williamsburg Garden

• 4th Grade Virginia Studies• Study and label plants - properties

and uses• Native and non-native plants

Veg Patch - Food to Eat

• Start small and grow• Link growing and eating• Give to own community• “Plant a Row” for AFAC• APS Food Services accept vegetables and

herbs

4th and 5th Grade Lunch Bunches“Found Nature!”

• 6-8 self-selected kids• Pilot Outdoor Learning • Lessons curriculum-

linked1. Our Colonial Garden2. Plant/Weed ID3. Bug Hunt and Food Web4. Seeds and Food5. Bulbs and Corms6. Watering Techniques7. Dig it! Soil Science8. Tweet Tweet: Look Listen

and Learn about Birds

Uganda Garden

• ATS has a sister school in Uganda• 3rd grade study Mali too• Make people and crop connections

– Plant bananas, peanuts, beans, sesame

Trees - The Big Picture

• What do they need to thrive?– Water, soil conditions, sunlight, care

• “Adopt a Tree”: county/staff/students/PTA memorandum• Technology and Trees: Tree ID, Calculate Tree

Benefits online and Map trees with Googlemaps• Extended Day and NOVA Outside Tree Lessons

Summer Watering

Have fun!

Maintenance?

• Who does what when?• Make opportunities

– “Green Hours”– Weekend “Big Projects”– Students recess lunch bunch and classes– Volunteers– Custodians– Just hire folks in - if so who, and who pays?

Native Habitat Project and Stormwater

Management• Best Management Practices– Native Habitats – Rain Cisterns,– Rain Garden

• Players– County, PTA, Staff,

Students, Earth Sangha, ACE, AudubonCommunity Volunteer Network

• Learning opportunities- Chesapeake Bay issues- 4th and 5th curriculum

• Funding $$$– Fundraising, Grants

Native VA Landscapes

Thanks everyone!

Contact: Mary Van Dyke, maryvandyke4@gmail.com

The ATS Gardening Blog is on Arlington Public Schools website.