Systemic Sustainability

1.1 Curriculum and Instruction: Environmental Issue Instruction

1.1 Activities

Elementary & middle schools: At least one example of outdoor and/or classroom environmental investigations instruction per grade level.

High schools: At least one example in at least four subjects for high school; can be non-science subjects, but can also be multiple science subjects, for example chemistry and biology.

All: include a brief explanation.

Grades
Grade 2
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 1 Nov 2019
Lesson / Activity
Use recycled materials to make a cushion for egg turkey eggs for a egg drop challenge
Teacher Name
Benora Mccain-Wigfall
Students Count
100
Description

Students work in the ecology lab to explore ways used materials could be used in new STEM projects. Students used repurposed materials to create cushion for the egg drop challenge. This was a learning activity that showed how we can repurpose supplies. Students enjoyed this activity. Some of the eggs were used as food for Princess Leah (our pet Tegu/lizard).

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Grades
Kindergarten
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 1 May 2020
Lesson / Activity
Growing up Green
Teacher Name
Rebecca Barton
Students Count
100
Description

Students learn about ways to help the environment through the Counties Growing up Green program. Students got to learn about their environment. Students spent time cleaning up the environment. Students shared ways to help our environment with the school and their families. Students learn about ecosystems and create art to display what they learned.

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Grades
Grade 3
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Mon, 10 Feb 2020
Lesson / Activity
Sunfish Program
Teacher Name
Mrs. Benora Mccain-Wigfall
Students Count
100
Description

Students raised sunfish in the Ecology class and learned about the life cycle of sunfish. Students monitored the PH levels of the water to ensure the environment was appropriate for the fish. Fish were to be released into Potomac River, however due to quarantine they had to be released locally.

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Grades
Grade 5
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 3 Jun 2022
Lesson / Activity
Online Camp Schmidt
Teacher Name
Ms. Shannon McVeigh
Students Count
100
Description

Students participated in the counties online Camp Schmidt program. They learned about animal habits. They learned to help the environment. Students made a word wall during a virtual Camp Schmidt field trip sharing words that are important to environmental literacy.

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Grades
Grade 1
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 8 Apr 2022
Lesson / Activity
Recycling Vibrations
Teacher Name
Ms. Abigail Bautch
Students Count
100
Description

In Music Class students studied vibrations, resonance, and all that's needed to make different instruments "play". Parents donated old materials to be reused for a STEM project. Each student created an instrument entirely of their own design! Students learned how to repurpose materials.

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Grades
Grade 4
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 19 Nov 2021
Lesson / Activity
Animal Habitats
Teacher Name
Ms. Crosby
Students Count
100
Description

Students explored animal habitats by listening to the story of three little pigs. Then they used recycled materials to create a sturdy habitat for the pigs.

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Grades
Grade 3
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 30 Sep 2022
Lesson / Activity
Recycled Ball Roll
Teacher Name
Courtney Richardson
Students Count
100
Description

Students collected and used recycled materials, in order to discover which type of ramp would cause a ball to roll the farthest distance.

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Grades
Grade 1
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 22 Apr 2022
Lesson / Activity
Recycle Sort
Teacher Name
Richard Brilliantes
Students Count
25
Description

Students sorted recycling game. Students sort trash, into the appropriate containers. Students enjoyed working to see what items can be recycled.

Other Files

EarthDayRecyclingSortingGame (1.39 MB)

This is the printable template for the sorting game.

Grades
Grade 2
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 22 Apr 2022
Lesson / Activity
How to Grow a Lima Bean for Mothers Day
Teacher Name
Celisa Glasper
Students Count
26
Description

Germinating seeds in a bag is a fun way for kids to view how seeds transform into plants right before their eyes. Seeds don’t need soil to start germinating, so you can place them in a sunny window and they will start sprouting right away. This allows kids to watch how seeds sprout, which is a process normally hidden by dirt. There is a lot to learn in this experiment, yet it is so simple to do! As long as you have dried beans and some plastic bags.

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Grades
Kindergarten
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Mon, 25 Apr 2022
Lesson / Activity
Greenup Cleanup
Teacher Name
Rebecca Barton
Students Count
22
Description

This lesson is about taking care of the earth. Students had a discussion about littering and what can be done to help the environment as a whole. One solution was to clean up trash we see in our yards, neighborhoods, and at school. Students were provided rubber gloves and went around the school picking up trash.

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Grades
Grade 5
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Fri, 7 Feb 2020
Lesson / Activity
Balloon powered cars
Teacher Name
Benora MccainWigfall
Students Count
100
Description

Students used old materials to make balloon powered car. Students learned about alternative energy sources. Students learn ways to repurpose supplies.

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Grades
Grade 4
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
k,1,2,3,5
Date
Fri, 11 Feb 2022
Lesson / Activity
Used spoon Catapults
Teacher Name
Sylvia Bryant
Students Count
600
Description

Students used old spoons and old popsicle sticks that fell on the floor to create catapults. Instead of discarding the spoons and popsicle sticks they were repurposed to teach students about potential and kinetic energy as well as simple machines.

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Grades
Grade 5
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Tue, 7 Mar 2023
Lesson / Activity
Diamond Terrapins in the class
Teacher Name
Ms. Latoya Robinson
Students Count
100
Description

In collaboration with the Port of Baltimore, students got to learn about erosion. Students learned about how erosion disrupts the environment for the Diamond Back Terrapin. Students got to have a dialogue about the turtles.

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Other Files

Diamonds in the Bay (updated 11.14.22) (383.01 MB)

The actual lesson students got on Erosion and Turtles.

Grades
Grade 4
Class Name (3rd grade science, AP Biology)
Date
Thu, 2 Nov 2000
Lesson / Activity
WSSC Virtual Field trip
Teacher Name
Michele Moon
Students Count
100
Description

During this program students will learn about WSSC’s work to protect the Patuxent River reservoirs, the drinking water source for 1/3 of WSSC’s customers.

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1.2 Professional Development

1.2.1 School Wide Awareness of Green School Certification

All staff are aware of the Green School application process. A MAEOE Green Leader or school Green Team leader should present information at all-school staff meeting.

Brief Description

As the Green school leaders we ensure all staff members are aware of our Green School Efforts. We have staff meeting biweekly were we share out updates and expectations. We also host an annual Earth day event where all teachers conduct Environmentally friendly activities.

Date
Wed, 7 Dec 2022
Staff in Attendance
30
Description

Bi-Weekly Staff meeting. Teachers learn about our Green School application resubmission. Teachers learn about our initiatives including trash free lunch days. Teachers are invited to share their Green ideas. Teachers are reminded to conserve energy in their classrooms. Teachers are also trained on caring for their in class Aero Gardens.

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1.2.2 Environmental Education Professional Development

At least 10% of teachers have participated in an environmental education PD in the past 2 years (if first time applicant) or 4 years (if a re-certifying school).

Brief Description

Several staff members have attended professional developments. We have participated in the Need program over the past 5 years. We participate in Mathematics Engineering and Science achievement Trainings through John Hopkins. We participate in Kiwanis kids which is a training for Go Green club. We have a staff member in her graduate program for Environmental education. We have participated in Camp Schmidt since the school opened.

Number of Teachers
5
Date
Sat, 10 Dec 2022
Teacher
Mrs. Benora MccainWigfall
Description

Energizing Students Potential training. This training provides training on ways to conserve energy. The training provides resources to teach students about energy conservation. The NEED program has grants for. the school to host energy fairs.

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Date
Sat, 5 Feb 2022
Teacher
Safak Avsar
Description

Ms. Avsar has attended multiple energy training.She has worked with ESP (NEED) to learn skills to create Green conscience citizens. She works with students to teach them about the environment. She uses technology to ensure students reach ways to help their environment.

Other Files

ESP PD- 02_05_22 (229.28 KB)

Energizing student potential workshop Avsar.

Date
Wed, 22 May 2019
Teacher
Michaela Moon
Description

Attended: Green Team Meeting and PD for Schools May 22 8:30 Patuxent River Park. Teachers were introduced to different environmental concepts, previewed field learning opportunities for students, and kayaked in the Patuxent River looking for wildlife.

Other Files

certificate-of-completion (73.23 KB)

MD Green School Program - A Beginner's Guide 8/24/ 22

certificate-of-completion (1) (71.26 KB)

Green Team Meeting and PD for Schools May 22 8:30 Patuxent River Park.

Date
Wed, 23 Mar 2022
Teacher
Barton
Description

Community Scientist Class. (aka collecting data for various programs so they can have data for their studies—I am doing this now on maple trees.

Ms. Barton is currently obtaining a Master's degree in Environmental Education

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Other Files

Transcript (SU22) copy (1.2 MB)

Transcripts showing competition of several environmental science courses.

Date
Sat, 18 Feb 2023
Teacher
Jawaad Nickens
Description

Confidence course training with Green School Component: Hosted by the Schmidt Center, this PD gives participants an overview of the Maryland Green School Program and trains staff how to facilitate the Confidence Course (high ropes) lesson during the 5th Grade overnight trip.

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1.2.3 Additional Professional Development optional

Received earlier than 4 years ago. Information should include dates, length of time, teachers' names, grade levels, and numbers of teachers.

These additional professional development activities do not count in the 10% requirement in 1.2.2.

Brief Description

These are just additional professional development certificates.

Date
Wed, 8 Feb 2023
Teacher
Benora MccainWigfall
Description

Green school information session and grant opportunities to expand Green school efforts.

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1.3 Sustainable Schools

1.3.1 School-wide Environmental Behavior Change

Demonstrate the non-student driven sustainability practices your school has taken school-wide to make your school green. If there is student involvement, the actions should be documented under Student-Driven Sustainability Practices in Objective 2.

Behavior Change
  1. The students and administration chose to cut off the water fountains. Instead, entire school uses refillable bottles instead of single-use plastic bottles. Staff and students are all using reusable water bottles.

  2. Transitioned from using traditional trifold boards for the STEM Fair to a virtual fair.

  3. Host trash free lunch days.

  4. Transition to online work.

  5. Student lead environmental efforts to keep the school grounds clean.

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Other Files

Sun Ray All Day! - Miracle Wigfall__20230212200296 (824.73 KB)

Virtual STEM Fair Projects are mandated by the school's STEM Committee for all students. Students use Google slides or other virtual means instead of trifold boards. This helps reduce waste.

1.3.2 Systemic Partnership

Demonstrate one partnership within the school system that supports an aspect of the Maryland Green School Program. This partnership needs to reach beyond your individual school to the "higher" or central office level.

Brief Description

We partner with the PGCPS Building Services with the Office of Recycling each year to complete a waste reduction plan.

Other Files

CMIT NES Waste Reduction Plan 22-23 Signed (1) (64.82 KB)

22-23 Waste Reduction Plan - This waste reduction plan helps to reduce the number of things wasted. This plan shows how we minimize food waste, reduce trash waste, and reduce energy use.

1.4 Celebration

1.4 Celebration

At least one school-wide, annual environmental event with a brief description of the celebration, the number of students involved.

Brief Description

CMIT NES scholars have several opportunities to learn about their environment. They participate in fun and exciting environmentally friendly activities. They participate in some environmentality friendly competeition. Students participate in MESA, Kidswind, and Kiwanis clubs which all are Green friendly clubs.

Grades
Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5
Other Grades
Date
Fri, 22 Apr 2022
Celebration / Event title
STEAM vocabulary parade
Description

Students love to participate in our recycled costume word parade! Students pick their favorite STEM word and use old materials to create a costume. This has become a school wide tradition. Students learn to be environmentally aware off ways they can help the environment.

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Grades
Grade 1, Grade 2, Kindergarten, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5
Other Grades
Date
Fri, 27 May 2022
Celebration / Event title
Butterfly Release
Description

All Students and Staff gather, to celebrate all of their hard work, raising butterflies, planting gardens, and learning about their lifecycle. They gather and release the grown butterflies into nature.

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Student-Driven Sustainability Practices

Schools are required to submit information and documentation for actions in all Eight sustainability categories These actions must be from three or more practices.

These are student actions not adult actions. Adult sustainable actions can be documented in Objective 1.3.1

2.1 Water Conservation/Pollution Prevention

2.1 Water Conservation/Pollution Prevention

Date
Wed, 8 Mar 2023
Activity title
Storm Drain Stenciling
Description

The Green Team Students Partnered with the Schmidt Center, to have our students label our storm drains to remind everyone that the storm drains lead to the Chesapeake Bay.

Images
Date
Mon, 1 Feb 2021
Activity title
4th Grade WSSC Field Trip/Reusable Bottle Campaign
Description

During this field trip to WSSC, students learned about WSSC’s work to protect the Patuxent River reservoirs, which holds the drinking water for 1/3 of WSSC’s customers, including all of the northern CMIT schools. Students rotated through 3 activities during their time on site. This new information and hands-on experience led to the students returning to school and advocating for personal reusable water bottles and water fillers at school. They were successful. Each grade level got a reusable, personalized bottle and the school got water filling stations.

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2.2 Energy Conservation

2.2 Energy Conservation

Date
Thu, 7 Apr 2022
Activity title
ESP Energy Audit
Description

Students participated in an annual energy audit. They look for ways to conserve energy at the school. They surveyed the building and reported their findings to the program coordinator, including suggested modifications. Students suggested that we raise awareness of lighting use, and remind classrooms to shut off lights when not in use.

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2.3 Solid Waste Reduction

2.3 Solid Waste Reduction

Date
Fri, 28 Oct 2022
Activity title
Student Led Waste Reduction Audit
Description

Before completing a yearly County required Waste Reduction Plan, students conduct an in-house audit of our school's energy reduction and recycling efforts. In addition to an energy audit, students took inventory about the current status of recycling. After conducting the audits, students reflected on the findings and then brainstormed ways to encourage the school to reduce, reuse and recycle more. Students then gave input to our school wide plan.

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Date
Tue, 17 Dec 2019
Activity title
Crayola ColorCycle Program
Description

Students collected used/broken markers donated them to the Crayola Education Recycling Program. All of those markers are diverted away from our local landfill and returned to Crayola for processing.

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Date
Fri, 28 Oct 2022
Activity title
Share Tables
Description

In order to cut down on landfill waste, students place extra unopened lunch on the share table to be used for snacks later.

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2.4 Habitat Restoration

2.4 Habitat Restoration

Date
Fri, 3 Jun 2022
Activity title
Butterfly garden
Description

Students watch the life cycle if the painted lady butterfly. Students and the community work together to plant a butterfly garden. This helps attract pollinators. Students also make butterfly feeders. Students later celebrate by releasing the butterflies back into the environment.

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Other Files

2022 Butterfly lifecycle project (564.59 KB)

CMIT Butterfly Lifecycle Unit Plan developed by our STEAM Committee.

2.5 Structures for Environmental Learning

2.5 Structures for Environmental Learning

Date
Fri, 22 Apr 2022
Activity title
Outdoor Learning @ CMIT North
Description

Students create outdoor learning space by setting tables for learning. Students went on nature hikes, had outdoor lunch, and explored animals in their environments.

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Date
Wed, 8 Feb 2023
Activity title
Second Grade Tulip Beds
Description

Second Grade is doing their part to help beautify the outdoor learning space by planting tulips. They collected data by making observations and measuring their growth.

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2.6 Responsible Transportation

2.6 Responsible Transportation

Date
Fri, 3 Mar 2023
Activity title
No Idle Zone
Description

Students researched signs to purchase to start a no idle zone. Students provide link for no idle zone signs for the school to purchase. Students create their own No Idle zone signs to help decrease pollution.

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2.7 Healthy Home/School Environment

2.7 Healthy Home/School Environment

Date
Mon, 9 Jan 2023
Activity title
Class AeroGarden
Description

Each office and classroom received a AeroGarden to grow fresh vegetables or herbs in their classrooms. Students were put in charge of feeding, trimming, maintenance and harvesting. Students learned all about their specific plants (vegetable or herb) and how to prepare and eat them.

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Date
Thu, 30 Sep 2021
Activity title
Fresh Air for All
Description

Each class adopted an indoor plant. The intention was to enhance our air quality. Student took turns caring for the plants needs.

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2.8 Citizen Science / Community Science

2.8 Citizen Science / Community Science

Date
Thu, 2 Feb 2023
Activity title
Tulip Test Gardens
Description

Students plant Tulip Gardens, and track their emergence and bloom. They then submit the information online to the Journey North.

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Community Partnerships, Awards and Special Recognition

Community partnerships are important for schools to be successful in building long-term sustainable practices.

3.1 Community Partnerships

3.1.1 School Active in Community

At least one sustained partnership where the school is active in the community.

Date
Mon, 12 Dec 2022
Partner name
LARS (Laurel Advocacy Referral Services) - Service Spirit Week
Description

We collected reusable water bottles, tubberware, toys, covid supplies, blankets and more. These supplies were delivered to homeless people in Prince George's County. We also delivered to LARS a local community organization. Toys were picked up by Toys for Tots.

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Date
Tue, 13 Dec 2022
Partner name
Energizing Student Potential
Description

We also have partnerships will Esp Need program. They provide resources and professional developments to promote energy efficiency knowledge amongst stakeholders.

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3.1.2 Community Active in the School

At least one sustained partnership where the partner is active in the school.

Date
Fri, 28 Oct 2022
Partner name
PGCPS Office of Recycling
Description

Each year we partner with the PGCPS office of recycling to promote a reduction of waste. Recycling bins are in each room of the school. Students are encouraged to recycle.

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Date
Sat, 10 Dec 2022
Partner name
Schmidt Center
Description

The 5th grade scholars took part in the virtual camp schmidt trip. Students enjoy learning about the environment. They practice recycling. They learn about the deer population and how to identify their poop. They learn how deer poop can be used as fertilizer for plants.

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Other Files

PGCPS Mail - Virtual Camp Schmidt Follow Up (107.16 KB)

Follow Up email from the Schmidt Center from our 5th Grade Virtual Field Trip

3.2 Awards and Special Recognition

3.2 Awards and Special Recognition optional

Information here enhances your application. If your school or students have received awards or special recognition, include a few sentences describing the activity, grade level, number of students who participated, and date.

Date
Sat, 14 May 2022
Title of award
STEM Awards
Description

Student’s participation in a serious of STEM challenges. For the storybook Themepark ride they have to create an amusement park ride that is-made of 50 % recycled materials. They selected the book Smile. They won first place in the regional competition.

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