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Grade Level: 9-12
Academic Areas: Science-focused, Interdisciplinary
Duration of service: Year-Long
Character Virtues: Giving, Civic Virtue and Citizenship
Service Areas: Environmental
Service Learning Project:
Over the course of a year, students will build a park on school
grounds to create a community gathering place. The park will include:
park benches, picnic tables, landscaping, and a small pond. Students
will be responsible for all research, design, construction, and
maintenance of the park, including finding out which plants will
thrive in their climate, how to take care of plants, and proper
planting techniques. Fundraising will require that students solicit
donations and in-kind contributions from local businesses and
that teachers and students write grant proposals. The project
will begin with a ground-breaking ceremony and will culminate
with a grand opening celebration. Future classes of students will
be responsible for maintenance of the park.
Goals and Objectives
Academic
Learning Goal: Students will use mathematical, artistic, technological,
and scientific knowledge to design and construct a community park.
In particular, they will learn how to properly plant and maintain
plants in their climate.
Standard: MST-1,2,3,4,5,6,7 PE-3 CDOC-2
Learning Goal: Students will practice research skills while designing
the park. They will use oral and written language to communicate
with project participants, potential donors, the media, and local
government.
Standard: ELA-1,3,4 SS-5
Service
Community need: Connection between the school and the surrounding
community.
Possible Community Partners: local businesses/contractors, various
community groups (ex. 4H, church groups), local garden shops,
and various government groups.
Objective: Students will construct a small park to serve as a
community gathering place.
Objective: Students will construct a working ecosystem to be used
in science labs for all age groups.
Character
Virtue: Giving
Objective: Students will use their time to create an environment
for gathering and study for their community.
Virtue: Civic Virtue and Citizenship
Objective: Students will put values into action in order to create
a closer bond between the community and the school.
Key Activities
Key Planning Activities
1. Teachers and students will collaborate to write grant proposals
to provide funding for the project.
2. Students will research and decide what flora and fauna would
be appropriate for the park.
3. Students will design the layout of the park.
4. Teachers and students will get approval from administration
for the students’ plan for the park.
5. Students will contact local businesses to solicit funds, materials,
and services.
6. Students will create a timeline for construction of the park.
Key Service Activities
1. Students, parents, and community volunteers will work together
during construction of a small park and pond.
2. Students will maintain the pond and park once it is completed.
Key Reflection Activities
1. (oral – civic virtue and citizenship) Throughout the
project, students will hold project meetings (including all students
and community members working on the project) to discuss the progress
of the park, the need for improvements, and possible changes.
2. (written – civic virtue and citizenship) Students will
survey the community on the quality of the park. They will also
publish a newsletter outlining public opinion, progress of the
project, future plans, and student journal excerpts.
3. (performance – giving) Students and participating community
members will create a video montage of the process of the project,
the sacrifices made, and the benefits gained.
Celebration Activity
The students will host a groundbreaking and grand opening. The
community will be invited to join the students who will introduce
the flora and fauna in the park and the process of its construction.
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