Options

Option #1:

EcoSkit: “What a Waste!”

Students had to create a spoken, acted, or sung piece (comic or serious) about the effects of waste on the environment. As an assignment given in class, students in Mr. Leon’s Advanced Academics class wrote various skits. The best one was then chosen for the Challenge, created by Andres Castro, Shania Robles, Edgar Flores, and Zeida Velez. Since schools who included an adult received 50 extra points, Mr. Ventura, Media Specialist, and Ms. Cruz, Art Teacher, also performed. Our school ended up receiving an Honorable Mention. If you wish to see the performance by our students, you can find it at youtube.com!

Option #2a:

Fairchild Challenge Design

Students had to create a one-color image with an environmental message that represents the mission of the Fairchild Challenge and include a paragraph explaining the relevance to the theme. The winning design will be used on t-shirts and drawstring backpacks for 2009 participants. Eliane Gonzalez and Annie Jara both received Honorable Mentions for their designs!

Option #2b:

Pine Rockland Postcard Design

Students had to design a postcard featuring a plant, mammal, bird, reptile or insect that lives in a pine rockland habitat in Florida. Then, they had to write a short note to a county commissioner explaining why the chose the subject and why it is an important part of our ecosystem. Jessica Posada and Genesis Charles both received Honorable Mentions for their postcards and letters!

Option #3:

Environmental Cartoon w/ Letter

Students had to create an environmental cartoon with up to four panels about climate change with a 200 word letter to to the editor explaining your cartoon and how it informs or educates others about climate change. Our school submitted three entries and Jessica Posada’s entry placed FIRST and Andrea Centeno received an Honorable Mention!

Option #4:

Research Poster:

Carbon-Cycling in the Rainforest

This was the most difficult challenge of all! Ms. Midence’s students (all sixth-graders!) tackled carbon-cycling in the rainforest. Using a special program provided by Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, students used a computer model that demonstrated the effects of deforestation/agriculture on animals living in the rainforest. Students had the opportunity to manipulate the levels and study what happened when they did so. The best projects were selected and two were submitted for consideration.

Option #5:

Art: Plants and their Pollinators

After visiting our garden and learning about plants and their pollinators, students in Ms. Cruz’s Art classes created drawings and watercolor paintings using our garden as their inspiration. The images pictured here were the ones chosen as the best from all of her classes.

Option #6:

Green Treasures:

Intergenerational Interviews

Students in Ms. Vera-Leon’s civics classes and in Ms. Galindo’s Advanced Academics class participated in this event. Students had to interview an adult about the healing qualities of plants. They had to do a report on the plant itself and a report on the person they interviewed. Students learned not only about plants and people, but how to interview as well. The ten best summaries were then selected and submitted in booklet form.

Option #7:

Environmental Action

After working year-round to take action to promote environmental awareness at home, in school, and in the community, students had to create a booklet that documents our school’s efforts using words and images. Some examples of what we have done and continue to do are:

*school-wide recycling program

*environmental posters (several language arts classes, 6th grade bilingual students, and art class - Clean Up & Green Up)

*community recycling program (St. John Bosco Church in East Little Havana)

*Connect to protect - pine rockland habitat exhibit

*Energy Hogs and Energy Squirrel program

*Dream in Green

*Ink recycling

*Environmental Exhibits

This project is currently ongoing - so stay tuned! Our final booklet is due on April 15th.

Option #8:

School Garden/Habitat Restoration

Going on our third year with a school garden (started by Ms. Midence and Ms. Humara in 2006), students and teachers had to expand and maintain it using a specific theme. This year, we chose to re-establish corridors between pine rocklands, joining a countywide effort. This year, we applied and received a mini-grant to help us with this aspect of the project. Also, with the help of our winnings from last year’s Challenge ($1,000!), tons of materials were purchased, from plants to shovels, to help us achieve our goals.

This project is currently ongoing - so stay tuned! Our final booklet is due on April 15th.

Option #9:

Newsletter in Two Languages

In order to document what our school has done all year, students in Ms. Phillips’ and Ms. Humara’s classes kept a record of all the Challenge options we participated in, with the help of a big chart in Ms. Cruz’s class. This option then asks students to create a newsletter that details what our school has done or is doing to compete in the Challenge.

This project is currently ongoing - so stay tuned! Our final newsletter is due on April 15th.