As part of our ecology unit, 6th grade students participated in an outdoor activity where they assessed the school grounds and identified areas with invasive species. They proposed specific actions that could be done to improve the school grounds and support native species living in the area. Students made milkweed seed bombs and spread them throughout the no-mow zone to support the monarch population.

Driving unit question: How can we support the native wildlife species in our area? Focus question: How are organisms and populations affected by the availability of resources?

8th Grade students were tasked to design a new exhibit that could be used at the Maryland Science Center to transport visitors through Maryland's "deep time." The exhibit should help the visitors understand how the life forms in Maryland changed over time.

6th grade students discuss the problems with our use of plastic (plastic pollution and our reliance on the nonrenewable resource of oil). Students create and analyze a bioplastic using corn.

At the end of the year, 8th grade students complete the lesson "Recycle City" This lesson teaches students the importance of recycling especially in a city situation. Online resource: https://www3.epa.gov/recyclecity/

Students answer questions about their daily activities and use the corresponding values given on the work sheet to estimate their carbon footprint.

Students do not know what this means and this lesson makes them realize what their actions do directly to the environment.

Students in 8th grade Science, identify at least 3 causes for fluctuations in the Blue Crab population and the accompanying effects. Students use online resources to complete the cause and effect organizer.

8th Grade students celebrate the end of the year and the Chesapeake Bay watershed with our annual Bunker Hill Day.

Students get to travel to Bunker Hill and complete various stations including Water Quality station: Students complete a variety of tests, pH, dissolved oxygen, temp. etc. in order to determine the health of the Gunpowder

Benthic station: Students collect various benthic creatures and use their tolerance level in order to determine if the Gunpowder is healthy.

Mrs. Barr's 8th grade Art students research wildlife in the Chesapeake Bay region and use various clay techniques in order to create a Chia Pet based on their selected wildlife.

Students collected data and observations of invasive plants found around our schoolyard and in their own communities and backyards. Students then selected and researched an invasive plant. Students turned their research into a wanted posted to be shared around school.

Students taking Intermediate Spanish and French learned about endangered animals in Unit 2. We began the unit by identifying and comparing how they move, their habitats, their eating habits, and their physical characteristics. We continued with learning why various species of animals are in danger of extinction and what we can do to save the animals and their habitats. Students created a license plate and gave a presentation to their classmates to highlight their importance and how we can make a difference.

Students in 7th grade science completed a survey of plants growing around our schoolyard. Students used various apps to identify native and invasive plants. Students researched invasive plants to determine how they ended up in our ecosystem, the structures of the plants that allowed them to thrive within our ecosystem and how to remove them from our ecosystem. Students then created a wanted poster with their information to inform others about their selected invasive plant.

Students in 6th grade science participated in an activity with Matt Budinger and Katie Dell from the Office of Science. Matt and Katie led an ecology lesson and had students survey the no-mow zone for invasive plants and trees.

The greenhouse is an important part of our agriculture program that helps us teach about sustainable agricultures and teaches students how to raise their own food. 6th grade uses the greenhouse and hydroponics lab to learn about various growing methods and plant growth needs. We raise various flowers and vegetables to transfer to our outdoor raised garden beds and sell what we raise to our staff and community to raise funds to support the next crop and greenhouse upgrades.

Students focus on the following topics: Plants What is agriculture? Growing Plants Photosynthesis Parts of a flower Growing conditions Alternative growing methods Propagation Floriculture History of floriculture Floral Design Using/ marketing flowers

In 7th grade art, students discovered and researched an endangered animal to gather information for an informative painting.

Teacher Directions: "For your next artwork, you will be using various brush techniques and color mixing to create a realistic portrait of an animal.  In choosing an animal, our focus will be on the animals around the world who are endangered, to raise awareness about the status of these amazing creatures.  Today, you will complete some preliminary research about an animal on the endangered list.  Try to choose an animal you are not familiar with, and if possible, choose a different animal then the other students at your table. Use the WWF website to find select your animal. You may do outside research as well. https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/directory?direction=desc&sort=extinction_status "

This unit focuses on energy, energy transformations and the law of conservation of energy. While learning about energy transformations, students learned about energy efficiency and renewable energy like wind turbines. Students applied their learning to design a solar cooker that was used to make a s'more. Students were encouraged to use recycled materials for their designs.

Goal: I can propose ways to make a household appliance more energy efficient.

Overview: For this assignment, you will investigate how everyday appliances work by diagramming the energy transfers within that specific appliance. Objects could include household appliances, pieces of technology, etc. You will research how energy flows and is transformed from one form to another through that object, then propose ways to make that appliance more energy efficient.

The Science Department and Green Team met to discuss the application process. Teachers contributed environmental activities that they use in their classrooms in 6th, 7th and 8th grade.

Information about MAEOE and the purpose of the Green School application was shared with the staff via email and during our after school staff meeting.

Teachers were asked to complete a survey to help support the application process. The survey can be seen here: https://forms.gle/SqnD7ZSvdBsrDCTX6

Terrapins in the Classroom training at the Animal Care and Rescue Center in Baltimore. The training was led by Aidan Murphy and included a lecture and review of data from Dr. Willem Roosenburg from Ohio University.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Teachers engaged in various trainings and session of pd led by the Office of Science.

6th grade teachers focused on their ecology unit and explored an owl population growth simulation.

Two 55 gallon rain barrels were purchased for students to install and use around the schoolyard. The Baysavers Club installed one rain barrel in the courtyard area to add to their pollinator garden and the Agriscience Department added the second rain barrel for students to use near the back gardens.

Students remove litter from schoolyards, focused on removing that litter before it reaches the waterways (stream restoration).

https://www.baltimorecountymd.gov/departments/environment/clean-green/clean-green-15

The Clean Green 15 is a program with the Baltimore County Government. We submit our data and they track the amount of trash collected as part of the Department of Environmental Protection and Sustainability’s Chesapeake Bay restoration goals.

Students create hydroponic gardening systems in our school's green house. Students learn about the importance and purpose of hydroponic gardening systems.

Students performed an energy audit. Students surveyed classrooms at the end of the school day to see if the lights were left on or if they were turned off.

Students label the light switches throughout the school with signs or switch-plates encouraging energy conservation and reducing our impact on climate change

Students in 7th Grade Science researched energy transformations and energy efficient buildings. Students completed an energy efficiency research project, Discovery Education Lab and created public service announcements and posters to promote saving energy in our school building. Students' PSAs included suggestions for students to help save energy in our school.

Students in the Bay Savers Club wanted to promote recycling hall passes during our celebration of Earth Day in 2022. Students placed various collection boxes in teachers’ classrooms to collect the used hall passes. Students created a morning announcement to explain and promote the activity. Once students collected enough passes, they created a tree mural out of the recycled hall passes. They also created a sign that said “We use so many passes every day! The leaves on this tree are made of only 3 days of hall passes from only science rooms. It’s a lot! Remember to recycle.”

Students in our environmental club, The Bay Savers, sign up weekly to pick up recycling. Student create three teams to circulate the school hallways and pick up the recycling from the classrooms. Student Green teams regularly monitor, track, and/or manage the school recycling bins

Students plant and tend a native plant garden in schoolyard (pollinator garden in the courtyard)

Students researched Maryland native plants, they researched and planned for the amount of space each plant would need and the benefits the plants would bring to the pollinator garden (what pollinators were attracted to each plant), they weeded and maintained the area, they watered and cared for the plants, they installed a rain barrel and made and installed blue bird houses

Students researched the design for bluebird houses. They created a budget and build bluebird houses to install around our schoolyard. Students monitor bird boxes throughout the spring and clean them at the end of the nesting season.

Students grow food in gardens at school

The greenhouse is an important part of our agriculture program that helps us teach about sustainable agricultures and teaches students how to raise their own food. 6th grade uses the greenhouse and hydroponics lab to learn about various growing methods and plant growth needs. We raise various flowers and vegetables to transfer to our outdoor raised garden beds and sell what we raise to our staff and community to raise funds to support the next crop and greenhouse upgrades.

Students identify native and invasive trees and plants in the schoolyard. Students identify an invasive species that is negatively impacting our schoolyard community and create a "Wanted" poster to educate people of the harmful invasive plants we have in our community.

In Tech Ed, students learn about Mag Lev trains. They read and research Mag Lev trains and compare them to other types of trains and they design a model train.

Students grow and donate and/or eat healthy food in school gardens

The greenhouse is an important part of our agriculture program that helps us teach about sustainable agricultures and teaches students how to raise their own food. 6th grade uses the greenhouse and hydroponics lab to learn about various growing methods and plant growth needs. We raise various flowers and vegetables to transfer to our outdoor raised garden beds and sell what we raise to our staff and community to raise funds to support the next crop and greenhouse upgrades.

Students look for and collect data on native ladybugs and submit information online

We participated in the program 2022-2023, 2021-2022, 2020-2021 (virtual) and 2019-2020

Each year, we attended a teacher training to review the program expectations, meet the educator from the National Aquarium and review the data from Dr. Roosenburg from Ohio University.

Students participate in raising and caring for a northern diamondback terrapin hatchling. Students collect data weekly. Students feed, clean and maintain tank parameters to make sure the hatchling thrives in our care. Students submit data to the aquarium's animal care team monthly.

Students in the FFA club make blankets to donate to local animal shelters.

Students in the FFA Club are collecting donations for the Baltimore Human Society from 3/13- 3/31 2023.

Students created posters and announcements to share information about the collection.

Students collected pet food, treats, toys, enrichment items, pet care products and janitorial supplies.

Environmental speaker comes to do an environmental education assembly

8th Grade students learned about Chesapeake Bay wildlife and invasives species

7th Grade students learned about animal adaptations and reptiles

6th Grade students learn about Maryland Native Species

National Wildlife Federation Eco-Schools Bronze Award- Schoolyard Habitats