The Edison Garden

New location for the blog!

2010-09-07T09:29:00.002-04:00

ATTENTION!

We are excited to announce that we have moved the Edison Garden Blog to a new location! You can now follow us at http://edisongarden.com

Please update your bookmarks and RSS feeds accordingly. See you there!

Robot Milker

2010-07-20T14:15:00.005-04:00

We went to the MSU dairy farm and we saw baby cows and cows being milked by a robot. Then we went to the bird sanctuary.

2010-07-12T11:38:00.003-04:00

Hay have you ever been to the farmers market.Well if you haven't I suggest that you go.

Because edison garden camp student will be selling there crops that were hand grown in

pretty lake garden!!!!

2010-07-06T12:35:00.010-04:00

look at the picture of the frog Esperanza caught at pretty lake.Can you figure out what type frog it is?

2010-07-06T12:29:00.004-04:00

look at the picture of the red tomato that was grown in the edison garden.

2010-07-06T11:52:00.002-04:00

look at the picture of the plant that we cut down from behind Mrs. hansens portable.

Planting in the garden at Pretty Lake

2010-06-29T12:19:00.000-04:00

Working at Garden Camp from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Building Spaghetti & Marshmallow Towers

2010-06-29T11:59:00.002-04:00

Look at this picture of these students building spaghetti and marshmallow towers! Look how huge they are!

In this lesson, we were learning whether it was better to trade or buy materials. We hope where you live you can build one of these by yourself.

Blogger of the day: Elexus, Gaby, and Rusber

Summer break means Garden Camp!

2010-06-22T20:12:00.004-04:00

Another school year has come to an end. It is exciting to see our students progress to the next grade, and some of them to middle school!

But just as the school year concludes, Garden Camp has begun! This year, students are splitting their time between Edison and Pretty Lake. The students have already begun taking care of the raised beds at the school and even visiyed the farmer's market!

Check back throughout the summer, or better yet, subscribe to the RSS for this blog in your reader, to stay up to date with this exciting summer program at Edison Environmental Science Academy.

2nd grade field trip - Finch Greenhouse at WMU

2010-05-18T15:59:00.002-04:00

The 2nd grade classes embarked on an exciting adventure to Western Michigan University last week! Their destination was the Finch Greenhouse. It was a full morning of exploration as they toured the greenhouse, discussed what they saw, and had many of the concepts of our Magnet curriculum reinforced with hands-on learning. Watch part 1 of this exciting field trip!

2nd Grade to WMU Finch Greenhouse Part 1 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Earth Olympics Day 3 - Compost Scavenger Hunt

2010-04-21T10:35:00.003-04:00

It's Day 3 of the Earth Olympics and what a difference we are making for the Earth! Today's event is the Composting Scavenger Hunt.

Students in all grades are gathering 5 pounds of organic material to be put into the composting

barrel in the courtyard. This is a timed event and the team to get 5 pounds the fastest wins!

Earth Olympics Day 2 - Solar Competition

2010-04-20T16:16:00.003-04:00

Day 2 of the Earth Olympics at Edison Environmental Science Academy was an exciting adventure into alternative energy! In addition to the reducing, reusing, and recycling happening around the school, students explored how to harness the sun's energy for a practical purpose: heating water. This event was conducted at every grade level, but this video shows you how the 4th and 5th grade students competed. The real winner? The Earth!

Earth Olympics - Solar Competition from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

The Earth Olympics Have Begun!

2010-04-19T12:05:00.003-04:00

At 8:30 AM today, the Earth Olympics at Edison Environmental Science Academy officially launched! We will be tweeting the events as often as possible at http://twitter.com/edisonesa and posting pictures and videos to this blog. Here's a video of the opening ceremony!

Earth Olympics Opening Ceremony from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Edison and El Sol - Partners for Living History

2010-04-18T17:47:00.003-04:00

Thanks to the International Media Exchange in Kalamazoo, Michigan, students from Edison Environmental Science Academy and El Sol Elementary are working together to create videos of the Latino community in Kalamazoo. These videos will present historical accounts from real people in Spanish to help preserve their stories for generations.

The partnership is off to a great start with the Edison VJ's (video journalists) in 5th grade working with 5th grade students at El Sol. They are learning how to ask good interview questions, how to conduct an interview, and even getting interviewed themselves!

The end result will be a series of videos to be posted on the web and broadcast on the Public Media Network on local cable television. Here is a quick video showing one of the sessions where students from both schools worked together on this wonderful and promising project.

Preparations from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Cleaning Up the Courtyard

2010-04-14T11:06:00.001-04:00

It's Spring and time to cleanup the Edison Courtyard!

Cleaning Up the Courtyard from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Community Night March 2010 - Fill Those Bowls!

2010-03-25T14:38:00.003-04:00

What a great time we had at Community Night this week! Art Teacher Ms. Hansen organized a special cooperative effort with Empty Bowls and Kalamazoo Loaves and Fishes so that we could not only serve soup to our families, but send them home with a ceramic bowl made by an Edison student. In case you missed it, here's a quick video with some highlights. Make plans now to attend the next Community Night in June when we announce the winners of the Edison Digital Film Festival!

Oh, have a great Spring Break too! :)

Vote for your favorite in the Edison Digital Film Fest

2010-03-25T10:10:00.002-04:00

The Edison Digital Film Festival was unveiled at Literacy Night in February. Many people enjoyed the wonderful short films created by students at Edison Environmental Science Academy and were told that yes, they would be able to view them online. Today we are excited to tell you that they are here for your viewing AND voting!

The films that were submitted can be viewed in our Vimeo channel.

To vote for your favorite, head over to twtpoll!

New Daily Announcements Page

2010-03-08T10:15:00.002-05:00

One of the great things we love about Blogger is that Google is always making it better. A recent improvement that we are especially excited about is the ability to make pages, not just blog posts. This is great news if you are using Blogger for a classroom or school blog because you can do neat things like this...

Create a separate page just for daily video announcements!

Click the link at the top of this page or here to see the latest video announcements produced by Edison students.

Students Take Pride in Their Work

2010-02-05T09:43:00.003-05:00

One of the wonderful opportunities students at Edison Environmental Science Academy have available to them is the after-school program. Funded by the 21st Century grant, students are able to extend their school day and accentuate their learning in some very exciting ways.

Students are teamed up with adult coaches who make sure they get their snack right after regular dismissal, work with them on homework, and lead them in special activities. Coach Hillsman gave her students a special assignment this past week: a digital camera safari!

With four digital cameras, kids were split into groups and instructed to take pictures of whatever they wanted to around the school. The catch? They had to be ready to explain why they took each picture!

Here's a video that shows some of those pictures. Notice how many pictures are of projects that they have completed and are displayed either in the hallway or in the classrooms. Students at Edison Environmental Science Academy take great pride in their work...and they should! They are doing great things on their journey to a fantastic future in middle school, high school, college, and beyond!

Community Night A Great Success

2010-01-28T09:19:00.006-05:00

With tables for every grade setup to show-off student work, and dozens of family members there to take it in, our second quarter Community Night was a wonderful evening for everyone that attended.

Clay models of transportation, posters of alternative energy inventions, videos of students explaining the watershed and dam situation in Kalamazoo County, and radio commercials from specialized and non-specialized (student) farmers. These are just some of the student products that were on display for Community Night.

The highlight of the evening was the presentation of Merit

Awards to several Edison students. Every teacher and the after-school program coaches nominated students to receive this award for good behavior, outstanding citizenship, and the kind of attitude and focus that will see them through to college. There was many a proud parent in the audience as students from pre-school to 5th grade were called forward to accept their awards.

Keep an eye on this blog and our official website at http://edisonmagnet.org for the date of the next Community Night.

Math in the New Year

2010-01-15T12:27:00.003-05:00

There are always great things happening at Edison Environmental Science Academy. As you peek in the classrooms, you might see any number of great learning moments taking place.

Growing herbs in the greenhouse for sale to local restaurants, inventing new environmentally safe cars and power-generating hairbrushes, and learning about gravity. What is one thing all of these have in common? Math!

We started the school year with a new math curriculum designed to bring deeper understanding and higher achievement for our students. Teachers have been focusing on these critical skills in every grade level. With the assistance of hands-on manipulatives, differentiated math learning centers, and continuous peer review with other teachers, we are excited to see our students come alive as they learn math!

An interview with our secretary

2009-11-19T15:17:00.004-05:00

Carmela is one of our 5th grade student Video Journalists (VJ). She had some extra time after school on a half-day to practice her video shooting skills and was able to interview Mrs. Stoeffler, our school secretary. Watch and learn what she does!

Interview with School Secretary from Anthony Gettig on Vimeo.

3rd Grade Store

2009-10-26T12:26:00.002-04:00

Part of the third grade curriculum has students creating marketing materials to sell school supplies to second graders. They give their prospective customers the choice between normal and eco-friendly products. This video shows what happened at the second attempt to sell eco-friendly items to second grade students.

3rd Grade Store Project from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Kindergarten Trip to the Garden

2009-10-08T12:26:00.002-04:00

Kindergarten classes recently visited the garden at Pretty Lake. Here's a video that shows what they did!

Kindergarten Visits the Garden from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

First Day of School 2009

2009-09-08T09:21:00.012-04:00

What an exciting morning it was at Edison Environmental Science Academy this morning! Teachers were making last minute tidy's to their rooms, the office was buzzing with parents, phone calls, and questions, and students began the year with warm welcomes from local celebrities. All of that happened before 8:00 AM!

We had a plethora of celebrity greeters to welcome students and parents alike back to another year of learning. Check out this roster of who's who in Kalamazoo!

Mayor Bobby Hopewell
Chief of Police Jeff Hadley
KPS Superintendent Dr. Michael Rice
Reverend Louis Felton
State Representative Robert Jones

These were just a few of the smiling faces awaiting the arrival of students. Each was equipped with a class list to make sure students knew where their classroom was. Sometimes, they would even walk the student right to class!

We are looking forward to a great school year at Edison. Keep an eye on this blog or follow our Twitter to keep up to date with all the great things happening!

Teachers Learning How To Make Videos

2009-08-26T09:44:00.002-04:00

One of the things we have integrated into our blog, curriculum, and culture at Edison is the power of video. What used to cost multiple tens of thousands of dollars can now be created with easily accessible laptops, hand-held cameras, and a vision.

August 18-20, 2009, we had the wonderful opportunity to have video journalism training with an expert in the field. Robb Montgomery of Visual Editors provided three days of training to many of our staff. This video provides an overview of the training and the kind of rich media you can expect to see from our teachers and students as we continue to Make A Difference!

Classroom Video Journalism from Anthony Gettig on Vimeo.

Building Scarecrows

2009-07-22T07:53:00.001-04:00

Remember when we designed our scarecrows? Today we built them! Watch and see how our ideas went from paper to the garden.

Building Scarecrows from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Week 5 in review, week 6 is underway!

2009-07-20T10:27:00.004-04:00

Week 5 of Garden Camp was full of so many exciting things! Remember when we made pickles? We were able to taste test some of them last week and they were very yummy!

We also went to Ms. Pat's horse farm and rode horses. We learned that horses are prey animals and can get scared. We were very careful and the horses were too. By the end of our time there, they were friendly enough that they were eating right from our hands! That's because we also took time to create a yummy snack made just for horses.

On Thursday, we had a full day. We started the morning at the farmer's market in Kalamazoo. We also went swimming at Kik Pool and had lunch at Food Dance Cafe. The owner of Food Dance Cafe came out to greet us as well. They make their food with ingredients that they get from local farmers. The food was so yummy!

Our student bloggers have been busy writing in their journals (yes, pencil and paper!) but they have resumed blogging today. Here's what they had to say about the questions, "Why is it important to take care of our earth? How do you care for our planet?"

Elexus

7- 20 -09:It is important to keep our earth clean because if it was not clean it would look descusting and if it look descuting no one would want to live there.Icare for are planet so much because I love it and with out it I am nothing.

Brian

7-20-09 It is important to give our earth care because our earth is going bad and doesn't have enough care and needs a lot more care.We can take care of the earth by the three R's and don't do nothing bad for earth.

Week 5 of Garden Camp Has Begun!

2009-07-13T13:47:00.004-04:00

Can you believe we have been at Garden Camp for 4 weeks already? With just 2 weeks of camp left, we are as busy as ever learning and having fun!

Chores on a farm need to be done every day and today is no exception. We worked in the garden and took care of the animals, making sure they have the food and water they need to grow. Speaking of the animals, our chickens are very close to producing eggs! They used to be little chicks but now they are growing up. In addition to the little chicks, Ms. Pat brought 3 chickens that were already able to lay eggs over. We are getting a few eggs now, but in a couple of weeks, we will have a lot more!

We also played a really neat board game that Mr. Johnson created. It was about the business of farming. It was a lot of fun. In the afternoon, Mr. Johnson taught us about profit with a really cool lesson. Some of us were buyers and some were sellers. After that, we worked together to figure out how much it cost to make our pickles last week. We also decided how much to sell them for at the farmers market.

Student Blog Entries July 9, 2009

2009-07-09T09:53:00.004-04:00

Well, more than just July 9. Since we were at the zoo yesterday, here are entries from the past couple of days. We are talking about habitats this week.

Carmela:

7-7-09: If I was a frog I'd would live in a muddy area were I can look like mud.Snakes would never expect me! I'd also like to live in a habitat were there are insects,ponds and mud. It would be like if I was part of nature.

7-9-09: My favorite animal at the zoo was the zebras. I really like its habitat. Because it was BIG! It was so big that there was other animals. There was a pond that was covered up with algae. I really enjoy going to the zoo.

Brian:

7-7-09 If I were a deer my habitat would be in the woods with water and food thats right for a deer.

7-8-09 My favorite animal from the zoo was a monkey.A habitat is a home like place for animals to live.Food and water and the things the animals needs for it to look like home.

Look for the scarecrows

2009-07-06T21:43:00.001-04:00

We have a big garden at Pretty Lake this year and we are working hard to take care of it. We don't want the birds and other animals to take what we are growing, so we decided to add some scarecrows! Watch this video and see how we designed them.

Making Scarecrows from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

We are scientists in the wetlands!

2009-07-06T10:01:00.002-04:00

On July 2, we spent the morning in the wetlands around Pretty Lake observing the different kinds of life there. We took samples of some of the things we saw there and brought them back to our classroom so we could identify them. See for yourself with this video!

Wetlands Field Study from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Student Blog Entries July 2, 2009

2009-07-02T10:11:00.003-04:00

It's a cold day at Garden Camp today. Highs will be in the mid-60's with scattered rain. But the cold weather isn't dampening spirits here! We have an exciting day planned, including going fishing! We will post pictures taken by students once we have them.

Here's what one student blogger had to say this morning.

Carmela:

7-2-09: What is pollution? Where does it come from? How can it help you? Pollution is like when a chemical from a factory goes through a pipe into like a body of water like a lake or ocean. Then it becomes dirty. We can help by being organic and we shouldn't use chemicals.

Chickens? Yes! Chickens!

2009-07-01T13:10:00.000-04:00

Chickens! from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Catching up on the blog

2009-07-01T10:36:00.003-04:00

It has been a busy week at Garden Camp! The Internet connection has been slow too, so we have been a little bit behind getting blog entries posted. But never fear, our sharp students have been working offline and saving their entries for you. We have been keeping our Flickr stream updated. In fact, between Carmela, Brian, Elexus, and Mr. Gettig, we have taken over 500 pictures this week alone!

Here's what Carmela had to say this week:

6-29- 09 : I really enjoy videotaping others. Because you can make a story without writing. There will always be a beginning,middle and end. Videotaping is harder then its looks. Its faster then making a book.

6-30-09: do you think it was cold this morning? I do. Today I and everybody went on a hike. I got to take pictures of a decomposing tree and a decomposer which is something that eats dead things . I go to take a lot of pictures of nature. Don't you you think nature is pretty ? If you do leave a comment. Tell all about it. I'll read it.

7-1-09: Yesterday I really had fun. I can't stop talking about it. I hardly see marshes,wetlands and swamps. I had to out watch out for poison ivy. I discover a diving beetle.Also Zack found a beach which is a beetle and a leach together. I also saw an american toad. Well, there is so much to talk about in one day. Bye! :)!

From Elexus:

7-1-09:yesterday I really had fun.I can not stop thinking about it I am going to tell you about some of the things we caught but not yet I am going to a lot about this gray tree I saw and I think it disolves so that it keeps ants or bug of it so that it could live. now I am going to tell you about what we caught salomns and tadpoles and diving beatle and a soloman with gils the end .

Look for a video about the chickens and the wetlands field study later today!

Construction at Edison

2009-06-25T15:30:00.003-04:00

During the Summer of 2009, Edison is under some serious construction. Below is a video that highlights the construction of the Video Production Studio that will be operational this Fall.

Construction of Production Studio from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Picking and Jamming

2009-06-24T21:52:00.002-04:00

We picked them fresh yesterday, and today we made strawberry jam! Watch and see how yummy strawberry jam is made by Edison Garden Camp students!

Making Jam from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Picking Strawberries

2009-06-24T10:16:00.004-04:00

Here is a look at our visit to the strawberry patch. As you can see, there is a lot to learn at a fruit farm!

Picking Strawberries at Garden Camp from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Student Blog Entries June 24, 2009

2009-06-24T10:06:00.003-04:00

Yesterday, we wrote the old fashioned way...on paper! It is a good way to practice handwriting so we are balancing writing in journals with blogging throughout the camp. Today we have blog posts from Brian and Elexus as they answer the question, "Would you like to be a strawberry grower?"

Brian:

No because all that time in the sun would be really annoying and you could get sunburn.

Elexus:

No because it is horrible out in the sun and it is kind of disgusting when you touch parts that have been bit out of.

Today, we are making strawberry jam from the strawberries we picked yesterday. We will have video of this interesting and yummy process when it is done.

Daily Chores - Gardening

2009-06-23T12:43:00.001-04:00

There are many things that have to be done every day at a farm. One of our daily chores is to work in the garden area. Here is a video that shows a typical morning planting in the garden.

Daily Chores - Gardening from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Student Blog Entries June 22, 2009

2009-06-22T09:49:00.001-04:00

Carmela didn't make it Garden Camp today, so the responsibility for blogging falls on Brian's shoulders! Here's what he has to say as we start week #2 of Garden Camp.

From Brian:

Where did your juice come from?Its called mixed berry so it must be from berries.I expect to see a lot of strawberries and a lot of boating.I have a new friend here at garden camp and his name is Zack.

Student Blog Entries June 18, 2009

2009-06-18T10:30:00.005-04:00

From Brian:

Yesterday we picked weeds and I thought I had a allergic reaction to one of the weeds,but i didn't.We did some farm chores and I met Ms.Pat's husband,son, her son's wife,and Ms.Christy who had plants to give us.These are three reasons I like garden camp so far.(1)I am apart of the vj/video journalists,(2)Everybody gets to have a fun time with Mr.Johnson,Mr.Gettig,and Ms.Butter Fingers.(3)Everybody's so nice.

From Carmela:

Q: What do stems do?
A: Stems support plants like making them stand, helping water and nutrients get inside the plant which help it grow. We also did an experiment with celery. We put the stems in regular water and blue colored water and today the stem and plant were greenish blue. I was really surprised by the results I think it will also surprise you too! :) !

Planting Experiment

2009-06-17T15:48:00.001-04:00

Filmed by Edison VJ Carmela, this video shows the setup of a planting experiment by two students attending Garden Camp.

Garden Camp Planting Experiment from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Student Blog Entries June 17, 2009

2009-06-17T10:06:00.003-04:00

Two of the students attending Garden Camp are learning to shoot video and use Internet tools like blogging. They are the documentary filmmakers and student video journalists (VJ's) for our camp.

One component of Garden Camp is daily journaling. The VJ's will be periodically making blog entries for themselves and for the younger students at camp. Here are blog entries from each.

From Brian:

I learned how to use a tripod and I got to record kids in the garden picking weeds and putting benches in the garden to look at the garden without standing you can relax and see our wonder garden.Don't be afraid of our wonderful garden,and garden club out at pretty lake vacation camp.I have been at garden camp for 2 years and why stop there I could work with garden camp when I get older.S please don't keep me away from garden camp.

From Carmela:

Yesterday I went swimming at Pretty Lake with Mr.Johnson, Ms.Smith, Ms.Pat.and Mr.Gettig . We also went fishing. At least three (3) of the boys caught a fish. Mr. Gettig took a picture of the fisher boys and their fish. We also took a swimming test. There was also a lifeguard . His name is Zack. He'll save you if you drown. Then free swam and change and left to Edison.

Garden Camp 2009 Day 1

2009-06-15T22:03:00.002-04:00

Garden Camp 2009 kicked off today with a fantastic time at the farm! We are at Pretty Lake this summer and looking forward to learning and fun.

On this first day, we took a tour of the areas we will be spending time in and did a little bit of work. Some planted in the garden while others painted crates for the chickens to lay eggs in. We also took time out to "chillax" and read in peace and quiet. We also had a wonderful lesson called "Rooting for the roots" where we found plants with big roots, brought them back to the classroom, and took scientific measurements with rulers and magnifying glasses.

Like last year, we will be posting pictures, videos, and written updates from Garden Camp. We also have some students shooting and editing video this year. Here is a video that was made by two 5th grade students and Mr. Gettig. Check back often to see more great happenings at Garden Camp 2009!

Garden Camp 2009 Day 1 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Two Spanish Language Public Service Announcements

2009-06-06T13:21:00.003-04:00

Over the past several weeks, Spanish speaking students at Edison have been working closely with Spanish class students from Kalamazoo College. The goal: to produce Public Service Announcements for the benefit of the Spanish speaking community in the West Michigan region. Edison students were involved in every step of the process, from brainstorming script ideas to shooting video.

The two videos produced cover the topics of Type 2 Diabetes and Pesticides. Check them out here, pass along the link to others, and let us know if you know of someone that could benefit from seeing these.

Congratulations to Ms. Vo, Ms. Alia, and all the Edison students that made this project happen! We are so proud of the bilingual students at our school and the important job they did to get this information in a format that will benefit the Spanish speaking community!

La Diabetes Tipo 2 PSA from Anthony Gettig on Vimeo.

Pesticidas PSA from Anthony Gettig on Vimeo.

2nd Grade Planting Experiment - Week 2

2009-05-18T13:57:00.002-04:00

Week two brought some surprises for the second grade students in Mrs. McElroy's class. Watch and see what started growing and where!

2nd Grade Growing Week 2 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Baby Chicks at Garden Club

2009-05-16T12:10:00.002-04:00

This blog started in the summer of 2008 when we started to chronicle the great things happening in our Garden Camp. The enthusiasm and success of the summer program was carried into the school year and now we are preparing for Garden Camp 2009.

Like all living things, we are growing! Garden Camp this summer will be at Pretty Lake Vacation Camp. We are very excited to be able to partner with the wonderful people there, especially Ms. Woollam. She loves the outdoors, gardening, and most importantly, children! Watch this video and see what we're doing in Garden Club...and get a taste of what Garden Camp will be like!

Baby Chicks at Garden Club from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

2nd Grade Planting Experiment - Week 1

2009-05-08T11:11:00.003-04:00

Second grade students are addressing the question "How does economics affect what crops or livestock are produced?" in unit 4 of the new Magnet curriculum. Like all the wonderful teachers at Edison Environmental Science Academy, Mrs. McElroy is leading her students through the inquiry process to find answers to the questions the students created when discussing this.

This is the first video in a series as we track the progress of this exciting scientific inquiry by the amazing second grade students at Edison.

2nd Grade Planting - Week 1 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Teacher Appreciation Assembly

2009-05-06T12:40:00.004-04:00

On May 5, 2009, the entire school assembled in the gymnasium for a very special award ceremony. Ms. Hillsman, the PTO President, led the students in cheering for their teachers and giving every teacher in the school a certificate of appreciation. Each also received a small potted plant in which were the seeds that had not sprouted yet. Ms. Hillsman said they represent the seeds that the teachers had planted over the years and the seeds they will plant in young people in the years ahead.

Take a moment today to contact your student's teacher and tell them you appreciate them!

A taste of history New Orleans style

2009-05-01T14:42:00.002-04:00

Ms. Spicketts and her 5th grade class recently read the book "Satchmo's Blues", a story all about Louis Armstrong. Watch this video to see what they did to finish up their learning experience!

Cooking in 5th Grade from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

National Green Week Video - Accepted!

2009-05-01T14:29:00.004-04:00

We are excited to share the great news that a video that Mr. Brinkman and his 3rd grade class made has been accepted for the National Green Week video competition. Here is a direct link to their site.

Congratulations to Mr. Brinkman's class!

Community Night Highlights

2009-04-05T15:29:00.003-04:00

March 25 was a busy day at Edison Environmental Science Academy! Not only did we have Kindergarten orientation, but it was our third Community Night of the school year. Several students received merit awards and the hard work of every grade was on display for all to see. Here is a video that shows highlights from the evening. Join us for the next one in June!

Community Night March 25, 2009 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Kindergarten Orientation

2009-03-27T18:32:00.001-04:00

Kindergarten orientation was this week. What a great time we had! New students and their parents had the opportunity to visit the school, meet the Kindergarten teachers, and even take a ride on a school bus! Here is a short highlight video.

Kindergarten Orientation 2009 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

3rd Grade Recycling

2009-03-20T10:58:00.003-04:00

This video is a short update on a project in Mr. Brinkman's 3rd grade
classroom. The students have been learning about how devastating littering and inappropriate disposal of waste can affect our environment as well as our wallets. Here the students are picking up litter, sorting through it, and coming up with ideas for what to do with it.

3rd Grade Recyclers from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Bagels and Books 2009

2009-03-17T10:43:00.001-04:00

Each year during Literacy Month, Kalamazoo Communities In Schools brings the Books and Bagels event to Edison Environmental Science Academy. Community leaders and volunteers take time to read with third grade students, share a bagel, and show they care. This video shows highlights of this year's event.

Books and Bagels 2009 from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

LINKS Dedication Ceremony

2009-03-16T08:44:00.000-04:00

The Kalamazoo chapter of The Links, Inc. Made a generous donation of books to the Edison library. We had many very special guests here for the event, including the chief of police, the mayor, and superintendent of schools. This video shows highlights of this wonderful occasion.

LINKS Dedication Ceremony from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

KCIS Board Presentation

2009-02-20T21:31:00.002-05:00

Principal Chuck Tansey had the opportunity to speak to the board of Kalamazoo Comunities in Schools. Our VJ's (Video Journalist) were there to capture the event.

KCIS Presentation from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

Kindergarten Energy Lesson

2009-02-18T14:42:00.003-05:00

As Ms. Wright participates in a Kindergarten lesson study, she shares the purpose of the lesson and what the students are learning. Watch as Kindergarten students learn about energy, where it comes from, and how it is used, all within the context of our Magnet theme of Environmental Economics.

Kindergarten Energy Lesson from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

5th Grade Research Lesson

2009-02-17T11:51:00.001-05:00

Join Ms. Cornillie and her students as they research new and old technologies, write reports, and prepare to present them to the class.

5th Grade Research Lesson from Edison Environmental Science Aca on Vimeo.

4th Grade Water Lesson

2009-02-12T08:37:00.003-05:00

In the Great Lake State, we are surrounded by opportunities to use water for more than just drinking and pleasure. Water is a great natural resource for creating energy, jobs, and even entire communities. Watch as one of our 4th grade classrooms explore water and the environmental economic impact it has on our community.

Fourth Grade Water Lesson from Anthony Gettig on Vimeo.

Edison Podcast #4

2009-01-26T12:10:00.003-05:00

On this episode, hear about the wonderful Community Night, the new VJ Club at Edison, sharing the good things at Edison on a national level, and a call for your pictures to post on this blog!

Flash Mp3 Playergreat free widgetsWidgetbox

VJ Club

2009-01-09T13:44:00.002-05:00

Here is a post that highlights our VJ Club...for those of you who don't know what "VJ" stands for...it stands for Video Journalism. This is a lunch program offered to the students who attend Edison Environmental Science Academy and is headed up by our resident Super Geek, Mr. Gettig.

3rd Grade Store

2009-01-08T09:30:00.003-05:00

In this second quarter of learning, the 3rd grade had a project where they created a survey for 2nd graders to see what school supplies they might buy. They also gave them the opportunity to buy recycled or non-recycled supplies. Here is how that assignment looked in action.

Back for the New Year

2009-01-05T13:16:00.004-05:00

Our last blog post was in November, but that doesn't mean we weren't busy in December! Holiday time in a school brings many learning opportunities. December in Michigan adds to that fun with snow and more snow!

The entire second grade went to a landfill and learned about the systems in place there. They learned about recycling and where garbage goes when it leaves our homes. It doesn't just disappear, but it has to go somewhere. They also learned about the opportunities for alternative energy sources from landfills. It was cold, but it was a trip well worth it!

What would the holiday season be without a holiday program? Our music teachers organized a wonderful event for all of our students to participate in and for our families to enjoy. Here is an Animoto showing some pictures of the program.

There was a lot of work on the new curriculum in December. Mr. Johnson and the rest of the dedicated staff have been hard at work refining the work that was started over a year ago. The teachers are teaching the new curriculum, video taping each other for critical review, and look forward to making it even better.

Looking forward, the second half of the school year has a lot of exciting things in store for us. Camp, Community Nights, student created video and audio podcasts, and more learning centered around theme of Environmental Economics. The best is yet to come!

5th Grade Native American Trade Story

2008-11-25T13:45:00.003-05:00

In the first quarter of the school year, the 5th grade learned about many things, including economic systems in the Native American cultures throughout history. Two students wrote and filmed this wonderful story. Enjoy!

3rd Grade Video Podcast

2008-11-25T12:00:00.004-05:00

Check out one of our 3rd Grade Student's video podcast that highlights the learning of our students during the 1st quarter here at Edison.

Community Night - Success!

2008-11-20T13:43:00.004-05:00

Everyone that came to Community Night had a wonderful time! Here is a highlight video that shows what the night was like.

Podcast Episode #3

2008-11-14T13:46:00.002-05:00

On this episode:

what has been happening in the first quarter
the all new Edison website is online
4th grade teacher and students talk about Isle Royale

Google Audio Widgetgreat free widgetsWidgetbox

Holiday Parade 2008

2008-11-10T16:33:00.003-05:00

Saturday November 8 was a big day for Edison Environmental Science Academy! We had more than 30 people from our school, including teachers, parents, and students, march in the annual holiday parade in downtown Kalamazoo. We also launched our new website at http://www.edisonmagnet.org

Here is a montage of pictures from the parade.

Gathering Data From Students

2008-10-31T10:58:00.004-04:00

Edison students have been busy learning and are wrapping up the first quarter. One of the ways teachers can assess student learning is with Classroom Response Systems, or "clickers".

Each student is assigned a clicker that communicates back to the teacher computer wirelessly. A test is projected onto the SMARTBoard, the students make their choices, and their answers are recorded. The teacher is then able to analyze that data, adjust instruction if necessary, and provide data to administration.

The clickers are one more example of using technology to engage students in the learning process. Students have been gathering data throughout the quarter, and now they are excited to give data back to their teachers in a new and fun way!

1st Grade Pumpkin Seed Counting

2008-10-21T15:47:00.002-04:00

Two of our first grade teachers brought their classes together for a messy and fun counting activity. There's nothing like putting your hands down inside a slimey pumpkin and pulling the seeds out!

3rd Grade Visits Gene the Pumpkin Man

2008-10-16T12:54:00.003-04:00

The entire third grade took a field trip to see Gene the Pumpkin Man this week! Gene is a local farming legend, having been in business for 51 years. He was also recently recognized with an award from the Farm Bureau. His pumpkin farm has been in his family since the late 1880's when his grandfather started it.

We learned many things from Gene. Did you know there are the same number of seeds in a small pumpkin as there are in a large one? Pumpkins don't grow as well when there is too much rain. We were learning about scarcity and surplus as Gene explained that some years he grows more pumpkins than others. Scarcity can affect the prices people pay at the store.

Here is a video of our trip to Gene the Pumpkin man. Thanks again, Gene!

Recycling with Art

2008-10-15T10:01:00.002-04:00

Fourth grade students recycled old jeans from home into book bags for the back of their classroom chairs. Recycling is good for the environment and can be fun and useful!

Fish Hatchery Video

2008-10-08T10:04:00.001-04:00

Here is a video from our field trip to the fish hatchery.

Fish Hatchery Field Trip

2008-10-03T09:29:00.009-04:00

The entire first grade went to the fish hatchery this week. There was a lot of learning happening there and back at the classroom as Edison students were able to see firsthand part of the life cycle of fish in Michigan.

Each year in October, the people from the hatchery collect eggs and milt from the fish in their native habitat. Then they put the two together so that little fish are made. Different fish are treated in different ways as they incubate. Some do better in warmer water while some do better in colder water.

We learned that fish are an important part of our environment and our economy in Michigan. Fish contribute to the health of lakes and streams, but they are also popular for sport fishing, which affects our state economy.

After our trip to the fish hatchery, we came back to school and enjoyed a wonderful lunch as we discussed all the things we learned. Fish are important to Michigan and we need to take care of them!

Slideshow from Cleanup Day

2008-09-26T19:00:00.004-04:00

Here is a Flickr slideshow from the awesome cleanup day we had last weekend. In total, we had nearly 40 volunteers come to help. Thanks to Lowes for the generous grant that paid for the materials! Special thanks to Big Apple Bagels on South Westnedge for the morning bagels and Water Street Coffee Joint for the great coffee all day!

Kindergarten Trip to the Farmers Market

2008-09-26T07:42:00.003-04:00

Last week, all Kindergarten classes visited the local farmer market. They did this because they are learning about living things that we can use. What better place than the farmers market for something yummy and healthy!

Ronald McDonald Fire Drill

2008-09-25T11:28:00.002-04:00

We had a surprise fire drill today as Ronald McDonald showed up with fire engines, Sparky the Fire Dog, and a whole lot of noise! The entire school assembled outside in front of the building as Ronald came to participate in our fire drill. Here is a short video with the highlights.

Reptile Visitors to Edison

2008-09-18T13:56:00.011-04:00

The biggest news story in Kalamazoo this past week was the flooding. Not only were human lives affected by the floods, but many other living things had their natural environment interrupted as well. One example of this is the salamanders that one of our students found.

Salamanders are normally underground, but the flooding has brought many to the surface. A sharp eyed Edison student was able to safely capture three of these wonderful creatures and brought them to school to share.

In addition to the salamanders, we also have Edison the Iguana in the library and various little geckos. Reptiles are always welcome at our school...as long as they are in a cage!

These students are explaining to Principal Tansey what a salamander's habitat is, what they eat, and what they need to survive.

After a few days of observation by students, the salamanders will be released to their natural habitat.

Changing Environments Experiment

2008-09-18T13:56:00.006-04:00

This week, third grade classes visited Mr. Johnson in the science lab to conduct a new experiment and check on their ongoing plant experiment.

Before beginning, the young scientists all wrote down what they predicted would happen. Then Mr. Johnson took a brine shrimp from an eye dropper and put it on a microscope slide. Using a special camera connected to a microscope, he was able to project the camera onto the screen for the whole class to see.

First, the students counted how many times the brine shrimp flapped over 10 seconds in its undisturbed environment and recorded the data. Then Mr. Johnson changed the environment by introducing the chemical caffeine. Caffeine can be found in many places, like soda pop and coffee and will make your heart beat faster. (Mr. Gettig perked up when he heard "coffee" mentioned!)

After introducing a chemical change to the brine shrimp's environment, the students counted how many times the creature flapped over 10 seconds and recorded the data again. They repeated this 3 times to make sure they had a good amount of data to analyze.

The results were amazing! As many students predicted, the introduction of caffeine caused the heart rate of the brine shrimp to increase.

After the brine shrimp experiment, the students observed and recorded data about the plants they are growing. They planted seeds in different kinds of dirt to see how they would grow. Some were planted in good soil, some in sand, some with fertilizer, and some without fertilizer.

Edison Podcast #2

2008-09-12T14:51:00.004-04:00

You can now subscribe in iTunes using the link on the sidebar, or listen right from here. On this show:

A successful open house.
Students start using the new technology.
The new magnet curriculum in action.
Announcements of interest to the families of Edison.

Open House 2008

2008-09-10T08:57:00.008-04:00

Thanks to everyone who came out to see all of the great things happening at Edison Environmental Science Academy last night! We had our Fall Open House from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM. Many families came through to see their wonderful teachers and hear about the great things happening here.

Here are a few pictures from Open House 2008.

Just before Open House, Mr. Johnson picked some of the fresh vegetables from the Edison Garden. Families that visited his room were able to take some of these fresh goodies home!

Mrs. Buckhannon had her new SmartBoard and digital projector on so that students and parents could see and use it for themselves. This student is not only writing on the board, but he is actually writing on the computer screen. Interactive SmartBoards are in every classroom at Edison.

This student is sitting at the podcast studio desk while her parent takes a picture. You can hear her voice soon on the Edison Environmental Science Academy podcast.

Edison Podcast #1

2008-09-07T13:40:00.002-04:00

We are excited to unveil the Edison Environmental Science Academy podcast! Subscribe with the links on the side of the page, or listen in your browser with the player below.

A Simple Math Activity

2008-09-04T18:33:00.003-04:00

It has been an exciting first week at Edison Environmental Science Academy! Learning opportunities are everywhere as we begin the new school year and start using our new curriculum. Two of our teachers teamed up today and shared an engaging classroom activity experience. Here is a video that shows what they did.

First Day of the 2008-2009 School Year

2008-09-02T12:46:00.002-04:00

Welcome back! We are so excited to start a new school year at Edison Environmental Science Academy!

As you can tell from this blog, we had a busy summer program with Garden Camp. While that was happening, many of our teachers were working on a new curriculum for grades K-5. We have a lot of new technology for our teachers and students to use, like a SmartBoard in every classroom. Our teachers have been learning how to use them, and very soon they will be teaching our students to use them interactively too!

Here is a quick Animoto of pictures from the first day. Welcome back!

To the movies!

2008-07-23T11:37:00.002-04:00

Today was an extra fun day at Garden Camp. We started by journaling about habitats, then went outside to paint the benches some more. Mr. Gettig was there to capture the action on video. In fact, it seems like every time we turn around he is standing there with a camera!

After painting, we cleaned up and got ready to go to the movies. Yes, the movie theater! We went to Wall-E, which has a theme similar to our school theme. We came back and had our silent reading time and also took time to do some creative writing. We wrapped up the day listening to Miss Smith read more of our book out loud to us.

Check back tomorrow to see the final post for Garden Camp 2008. Even though the summer program is over, this blog will continue to be updated as things happen in the garden at Edison!

Leaving Our Mark

2008-07-22T13:21:00.003-04:00

Since we worked on our designs yesterday, today was the day to paint the benches on the playground! We started by journaling about habitats, plants, and why community service is important. Painting pretty designs on the benches is our community service today.

Before we could start painting, we needed to get our gardening done. Once that was complete, we made our way to the back of the school to the two benches we planned to paint. Here is a video that shows what we did.

It took awhile to get cleaned up from the painting, after which we ate lunch, played, and read silently. We always take time after reading to write in our reading journals so we can look back and see what we learned from our reading time. Sometimes it is fun to go back and read what we wrote too. We sure have learned a lot this summer!

We had a lesson in the afternoon about habitat destruction. All living creatures need habitat and when we disturb that for wild animals it can have unintended consequences. This lesson made us think about the book we have been reading out loud since that is what is happening in that story. (The book is Hoot by Carl Hiaasen.)

Check back tomorrow to see what adventure we have in Garden Camp!

Building, Designing, and Habitat

2008-07-21T21:50:00.002-04:00

After a nutritious breakfast and journaling time, we made our way outside to work on the garden. Some of our peppers were vandalized, which is very sad. We found some of them smashed on the pavement nearby, but we were able to make something good out of it. We took the seeds from the smashed peppers and will replant them. All plants come from seeds so these will be very useful the next time we plant!

After gardening, we made our way to the back area of the playground where Mr. Johnson has been building new boxes for us to plant in. Here is a video of us at work.

As you can see from the video, we also worked on the designs for the park benches on our playground. They had graffiti on them, which we painted over with primer. It rained today, so we decided to wait until tomorrow to paint our designs on the benches. We all made two designs and presented them to the class. Even Mr. Johnson had a design and presented it!

Miss Smith talked with us about habitats. A habitat is where living organisms live. We took time to draw our habitat...our rooms at home! Mr. Gettig especially liked the pictures we drew so we gave them to him for safe keeping. Speaking of pictures, we took a little time to work on our photo book with Mr. Gettig too. It will be neat to get our own printed copies at the end of Garden Camp.

We wrapped up the day by listening to Mr. Johnson read out loud to us from our book. It is getting near the end and is very exciting! Check back tomorrow for pictures of our benches being painted with our beautiful designs!

Busy Week!

2008-07-20T15:22:00.006-04:00

Indeed, it was a busy week at Garden Camp. There were so many things to learn and do. Meanwhile, some of our grown-up leaders had meetings too. Everyone had something to do, that's for sure!

One of our field trips this week was to Portage Creek to test the water quality. We were volunteer scientists for a day! Here is a video that shows what we did.

After testing the water quality, we walked over to Kik Pool for some fun in the water there. We also visited a local park and lake for swimming this week. Clean water is very important for drinking, cooking, watering gardens, and for our enjoyment (like swimming) as well. One thing we really learned this week was how important the water cycle is and that we can have a positive impact on it.

Next week is the last week of Garden Camp. Keep checking this blog to see how we wrap things up!

Water and Peppers

2008-07-14T16:00:00.006-04:00

Today was unlike any other day at Garden Camp. Miss Smith was stranded and could not make it to school, Mr. Johnson had a meeting and he had to leave early, so Mr. Gettig took over for Mr. Johnson with the help of one of his daughters! (She took all of the pictures for today.)

We started with breakfast and journaling time. Today we learned about water and the water cycle. Mr. Johnson explained how water goes from earth to the sky as clouds. We also watched a little bit of a video about the water cycle from Mr. Gettig's computer. We learned about evaporation, condensation, and water quality. Mr. Johnson demonstrated this by making a cloud in a jar. Here is a video of it.

Part of our lesson was learning about water quality. Mr. Johnson showed us that the quality of water can be measured by looking at what kind of things live in the water. Some bugs can live in dirty water while some are much more sensitive. Tomorrow, we will be measuring the quality of water in a nearby creek and report our findings to the scientists that track that stuff. We get to be volunteer scientists for a day! To practice, we were each given a sheet with a list of bugs found in a pretend river. We looked at the bugs, identified them, and wrote our findings on a water quality data form. Then we calculated the water quality for our pretend rivers. We are ready for the creek tomorrow!

After the lesson on water, it was time for Mr. Johnson to go to his meeting. Mr. Gettig took us outside and we pulled weeds for awhile. The rain over the weekend made them grow fast! Our vegetables are growing good too, especially the peppers. We were able to pick some of them! Here are pictures of our first pepper harvest.

We didn't know it, but Mr. Johnson and Mr. Gettig were busy last Friday building. We went and looked at the new gardening boxes near the playground. They are made from really strong materials and look cool! We lined them with landscape lining and put a layer of dead leaves on top of that. We will be adding soil and planting more very soon.

After lunch and free time, we read, wrote in our journals, worked on our picture book, and listened as Mr. Gettig read out loud to us. Tomorrow, we are going to be volunteer scientists and take a special field trip. Check back for pictures!

A Special Visitor

2008-07-10T13:02:00.006-04:00

In addition to gardening, we are getting really good at journaling. That's because we do it every morning before going outside to garden! Mr. Johnson and Miss Smith write questions on the board to help us get started, but then it is up to us to write in our journals. When Garden Camp is over, we will be able to go back and read them to see what we learned this summer.

We worked out in the garden and in the flower beds in the front of the school. So many of the vegetables look like they are almost ready to be picked. We are excited to taste some of them when they are ready! We have learned that growing food locally is good for the environment because it doesn't take all the trucks to transport it to the store. Also, the things growing in our garden have no fertilizer or pesticides so they will be healthier and taste much better. Who knows, maybe someday some of us will have big gardens and sell fresh vegetables to local restaurants like Food Dance that we visited last week!

After gardening, we had a very special guest come to our class. Ms. Tammy Barnard of the Edison Neighborhood Association spoke to us about our neighborhood and the good things that are going on around us. We told her how we were doing our part to help make things better by working on the flower beds in front of our school, picking up trash, planting pretty flowers and bushes at a nearby house, and growing our own fresh food. Ms. Barnard brought each of us our very own copy of the Edison Voice, the newspaper published by the neighborhood association. You can see the Edison Neighborhood Association website at http://www.edisonneighborhood.com Thanks you, Ms. Barnard, for visiting us!

After a quick snack, we watched "The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss. Wow! It was a neat story, but we all understood it had a bigger idea. If all the trees get cut down, there will be no habitat for animals. If factories keep polluting, the fish will die. And if there are no more trees, we will not have clean air. All the people that bought thneeds didn't really need them. We decided we can all make a difference with the decisions we make.

After lunch and recess, we had silent reading time and reading journal time. Then we all wrote a story about what we would do if someone was ruining the Edison neighborhood, like Mr. Onceler in The Lorax. We finished the day listening to Miss Smith read out loud to us. All in all, it was a great day at Garden Camp!

Field trip to the Nature Center

2008-07-09T14:12:00.004-04:00

Today we took a field trip to the Nature Center! Before leaving though, we took time to eat a healthy breakfast, journal, and think up questions to ask the people that work at the Nature Center. Some of our questions included:

What kind of bugs do you have on the bug tour?
How many different kind of plants do you have?
Do you have gardens? If so, what do you grow?

We packed our lunches in a big cooler that we loaded into Mr. Johnson's Jeep. Mr. Gettig also drove his car. The Nature Center is about 15 minutes away from our school. Here is a video with pictures!

When we arrived, we met Ms. Sarah. She was our tour guide for the morning. There was a lot to see and do! Here's what some of our students have to say about visiting the Nature Center:

Brian: "It was very nice and I liked the birds, the cages, and the Nature Center is awesome. By the way, how did you get all those bees?"

Stephanie: "I liked when we got to see the butterflies in the butterfly garden. I also liked when we got to go around and look at the birds."

A typical morning at Garden Camp

2008-07-08T14:38:00.003-04:00

It was raining when we arrived, so it took a little longer to get outside today. We had breakfast, journaled, learned about recycling, and worked on our picture book before heading outside to garden. Here is a video that shows what we do on a typical morning.

After gardening, we ate lunch and played on the playground. Because the weather got nicer, we were able to have our silent reading time outside again. When we came back in, we journaled about what we read and went to the computer lab to play some Internet games about changing our environment for the better. Who knew learning could be so much fun?

We wrapped up the day by listening to Mr. Johnson read to us. We are getting to end of the book and it is very exciting to hear!

Tomorrow we are taking a field trip. Check back to see pictures and maybe a video!

The Environment: Carbon Footprint

2008-07-07T14:15:00.005-04:00

We took care of our morning gardening chores after a good breakfast and journaling time. There was plenty to do because weeds grow fast! We planted more cucumbers too. We also worked in front of the school more to help it look even better. A gardener's work is never done!

While we took a break for snack, Miss Smith shared with us what a carbon footprint is and helped us think of examples in our own lives. A carbon footprint is how much carbon we as humans create. Some of us create more and some of us create less. Our decisions about how we travel, the kind of light bulbs we use, the kind of food we eat, and many more things can have an impact on our carbon footprint.

After lunch in the courtyard, we stayed outside for our silent reading time. We came inside to journal more and to prepare to go into the computer lab. Miss Smith found a cool website that helped each of us calculate our carbon footprint. You can calculate yours by clicking on this link. We wrote down our results and came back to class to talk about what we discovered. Some of us had a bigger carbon footprint than others, and we all agreed that there are things we can do to reduce our carbon footprint.

We finished the day feeding the frogs and gecko's in the library and getting ready for tomorrow. We are excited that sometime this week Miss Tocco might stop in to tell us about her gardening experience this summer!

Field trip to Food Dance

2008-07-03T20:34:00.004-04:00

It was an exciting start to Garden Camp today. There was a lot of rain last night and branches down outside. The roof was also being repaired, but our part of the building was fine. We started with breakfast, journaling, and writing a list of questions to ask when we get to Food Dance. Yes, today we went to Food Dance Restaurant in downtown!

Before leaving for the field trip, we worked on the flower beds in front of the school and planted many daisies. We also pulled weeds. Our school is looking better every day and we are doing our part! After cleaning up, it was time to leave for our field trip!

Here is a video that shows what we did at Food Dance.

Food Dance buys as much of their food and products from local and Michigan farmers as they possibly can. They are doing what we learned about yesterday: buying from local places helps to keep money and jobs in our local area! This was especially interesting to us as gardeners because we are growing fresh vegetables and fruits. These are the kinds of things a business like Food Dance would buy for their restaurant.

The nice people at Food Dance gave us all a brownie to take back to school to enjoy for our afternoon snack. It was extra neat to eat them because we knew they were made from locally grown ingredients. While we enjoyed the brownies, we listened to Miss Smith read out loud to us. We also picked pictures and wrote captions for our story book with Mr. Gettig.

Tomorrow is the Fourth of July, which means Happy Birthday America! See you next week!

The importance of local

2008-07-02T12:46:00.008-04:00

After breakfast and journaling, we went outside to work in the garden. There is always something to do out there! Our hard work is starting to show as we see the tomatoes, carrots, peppers, strawberries, and other plants starting to get bigger...even bigger than they were just last week!

When our gardening was done, we went to the front of the school to work in the flower beds near the main entrance of the school. We pulled weeds, trimmed bushes, and planted many pretty flowers like hostas. It is a good feeling to know that we are making our school look better all the time.

After cleaning up and enjoying a snack, we played a game. Mr. Johnson gave half of us tiny marshmallows and half of us pieces of spaghetti. We also got post-it notes that represented money. We could buy more marshmallows and spaghetti from each other or from Mr. Johnson. In fact, Mr. Johnson sold them to us at a lower cost. He said that we represented the local people and he represented the big store. That's why he could sell them to us cheaper. Here is a video that shows what we did.

Our goal was to build the tallest building we could using those materials. But since no one had all the materials to start with, we had to buy from each other and Mr. Johnson. At the end, some of us had buildings that stood and others did not. But the real lesson came when Mr. Johnson showed us that he, the big store, had all of the money! He showed us how when we buy locally, the money and the jobs stay in our local area. But the big store is owned by someone who doesn't even live here and so all of the money left our local area, or "economy". We all agreed that buying locally whenever we can is better than buying from a big name store.

After lunch and silent reading, we all wrote thank you notes to Mrs. Gardner for the dirt pudding and juice she brought us last week. It was very tasty!

Tomorrow, we are taking a field trip to a local restaurant. Check our blog tomorrow to see pictures and read all about it!

Service and Learning

2008-07-01T16:03:00.006-04:00

We started the day with a great discussion of plants again. There are so many things to learn about plants! Later this week, we are going on a field trip to a place that uses plants that are grown locally. That will be fun!

Today we finished up at the house of the Grandpa of one of our students. We got a lot planted yesterday, but today we did the edging and added some wood chips.

We came back, cleaned up, and starting working on our memory book. Mr. Gettig showed us a website where you can build a picture book and add your own stories. We thought about the adventures we have already had in Garden Camp and started to put them together as story pages in our book. When the book is done, we will all get a copy of it to remember this summer by.

Speaking of books, the nice people from Kazoo Books came by and brought us three big stacks of books that are related to our summer program and our Magnet school theme. Because they looked for all of these books just for us, now the nice people at Kazoo Books understand better what we are learning at Edison and will let us know if they see more books that would be good for us!

After lunch and reading, we had another great lesson from Mr. Johnson and Miss Smith. They are great teachers and keep our attention. They really make learning about plants fun!

We finished the day with a snack and listening to our book being read to us. Tomorrow, we will learn more about plants we eat and why it is good to eat locally grown food.

Week 3 is underway!

2008-06-30T13:35:00.009-04:00

We started week three of Garden Camp today!

After a healthy breakfast, we wrote in our journals and answered two questions: what are the parts of the plant we eat? Why do we eat plants?

Plants have leaves, roots, a stem, seeds, flowers, and sometimes fruit. We eat plants to help keep us healthy. They have many nutrients that people need.

We pulled weeds in the garden today. It is important to pull the weeds so that the plants get all the nutrition, not the weed. We also pulled weeds in front of the building to help our school continue to look great!

We did some planting at one of our neighbors, who is also the grandad of one of us at garden camp!

After lunch and free time, we spent time reading silently. Then Mr. Johnson shared with us what the parts of plants do. There’s a lot going on in there!

Then we cleaned up, watered the garden one more time, and finished the day listening to Miss Smith read out loud to us.

Here is a video of today:

Garden Camp at Edison rocks!

Week 2

2008-06-26T13:32:00.002-04:00

This week was awesome! We learned all about farms and how farmers grow plants and raise animals to make money. We were able to visit a farm and see how these farmers raised cows to get milk and fertilizer. We also designed our own farms. We made posters and went to the computer lab to make advertisements. Overall, this week was just as fun as last week, and I can't wait for next week!!