Students engaged in a role-play activity to gain an understanding of how and why the Chesapeake Bay has been polluted over time. Students took turns adding different pollutants to a jar of clean water to visualize the process. Students were asked the overarching question "who polluted the water?" to discover that humans and their actions have led to an increase in water pollution. Students brainstormed ways to minimize and prevent water pollution in the future.

Students engaged in a long-term project by adding different liquids to different plants over time and observing how each plant changed based on the liquid it received. Students recorded their findings and discussed why water is important, how plants grow, and why it is important to be sustainable.

Students in first grade learned about how bulbs grow and different kinds of bulbs. Each student planted a garlic clove in hexagonal beds that were constructed by High School interns at Baltimore City Public School's Great Kids Farm.

All second grade students learned the definition of the word "environment." Students then took magnifying glasses, whiteboards, and markers outside to observe biotic and abiotic organisms in our school's environment.

Students learned how to estimate the age of a tree by counting the number of rings on a tree circle. Students practiced counting rings and guessing the age of different types of trees. They made their own tree circles on paper to show how many rings they would have if they were a tree.

4th grade students learned about the harmful effects of using too much energy. They engaged in a classroom energy audit activity to build awareness of how much energy they use in their classroom and school every day. Students in this class made signs to post up by light switches as reminders to turn off the lights when leaving the room.

5th grade students learned about the harmful long-term impacts of plastic on the environment. They learned about bioplastic and the benefits of using biodegradable materials. Students then made corn-based bioplastic.

6th grade students learned about what is and is not recyclable, how the recycling process works, and why it is important to recycle. Students made posters to put up around the school to spread awareness about why people should recycle and what is recyclable.

7th grade students learned about native and invasive plants. Their task was to read clues about a plant and then answer questions to give that plant a watershed score. The scores indicated whether that plant was a native or invasive species. At the end of the lesson students discussed the plants on each list and what commonalities they noticed between native and invasive plants. Students identified that Black Eyed Susans are native to Maryland, so following this lesson they planted Black-Eyed Susan seeds.

8th graders learned about native plants and the importance of pollinators. Students then went outside and transplanted native plants to start a native pollinator garden.

The Green Schools application process was reviewed with the whole staff. Information was shared about what it means to be a Green School and the objectives that would need to be met with examples of documentation. Staff were given a link to a Google folder that was created so that everyone in the school could contribute to the process. The slide deck that was used to introduce the application process, professional development agenda, and sign in sheets are attached.

[school-wide celebration led by individual teachers in their classrooms.....] This year students identified that they noticed a large quantity of rotting pumpkins throughout their neighborhood. The Green Team decided to host a school-wide pumpkin drive to collect and compost rotting pumpkins and raise awareness about the harmful effects of food waste. We set a goal to collect 40 pumpkins and met that goal! We held a pumpkin party for each student who brought in a pumpkin to celebrate that we met our goal.

The entire school participated in a "Lights Out Day" celebration to promote awareness about energy consumption and the impact people can have by proactively conserving energy. Students on the Green Team made "Energy Patrol" badges and reminded teachers and students throughout the building to turn their lights off and unplug unnecessary devices throughout the day. Our building has an energy dashboard which provides a daily report of how much energy is used in the building and for what purpose. the data provided by the energy dashboard on Lights Out Day showed a decrease of 400 kwh from the day before, which was a half day.

26 teachers attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

All of the teachers listed attended and engaged in a 2 hour workshop developed and facilitated by Great Kids Farm. Teachers discussed the impacts of outdoor learning on students' social, emotional, and academic development. Teachers also made plans for how to proactively provides their students with more outdoor learning opportunities.

Students learned about the purpose of retention ponds and went outside to observe the biotic and abiotic organisms in our school's retention ponds. Students noticed trash near and in the retention ponds and identified that the trash could cause increased water pollution. Students worked together to clean up trash in and around the area to prevent trash from entering or blocking drains.

Our school has water fountains with filling stations. These fountains encourage efficient water use by only filling up bottles when they are placed beneath the fountain. Students and staff throughout the building are encouraged to and regularly bring reusable water bottles which shows smart water use and decreases the amount of plastic bottles that are purchased and used at our school.

Students on the Energy Patrol regularly remind teachers and students to turn off or dim their lights and use natural lighting whenever possible.

Students have been participating in the BGE Smart Energy Program. This program provides students with appliances, such as LED light bulbs and high efficiency showerheads, that will conserve energy and decrease families utility bills. Students learned about how Electricity works and the importance of conserving electricity. They then took the appliances home to install with their families.

In 2021, the Green Team applied for a grant called the Green Healthy Smart Challenge to start a composting program at school. Our school was awarded $1,000 to purchase materials to start the program. Students built the compost tumbler and have since then been engaged in educating their peers about how to compost and have regularly collected compostable items to make their own compost. The compost will be ready to spread in the garden this Spring.

Students have identified that excessive food waste in the cafeteria is a consistent problem. Students were frequently throwing produce away without eating any of it. Students started putting the food they did not want into a "share basket" so that other students could eat it instead of wasting it.

Maryland State Bill 124 advocates for there to be food waste reduction programs in schools. Students wrote letters to the governor to ask that he fund SB124. In their letters, students shared why composting is important and shared positive experiences of composting at Holabird.

Students on the Green Team made signs to put on and next to recycling bins throughout the school to remind the community to recycle. Each week Green Team members collected recycling from bins in classrooms to put into the recycling dumpster.

The Student Government Association started a Sustainability Committee. At the first meeting they discussed environmental concerns at school. Their top concern was the amount of trash that was accumulating in the school garden area and playgrounds. Students decided to collect trash to use to create a bulletin board in the school's main hallway that would inspire others to not litter and pick up trash.

Students brought in old sneakers to send to a program that recycles shoes that might otherwise be thrown away.

Students in Green Team and in Environmental Science classes collaborate to maintain the school's gardens.

Students and teachers utilize a variety of outdoor spaces that are conducive to outdoor learning. Our school has tables in our main garden area, a rooftop learning spaces, and benches around the outside of the school. All of these places encourage students to engage with their environment outside and embrace opportunities to take their learning outside.

Students wanted to beautify their garden space and decided to make a rock garden. Students painted and sealed rocks to add some color and creativity to the school garden. Students used the rocks to outline trees in the garden. This project creates a structure for environmental learning because it encourages students to take responsibility for and feel ownership over the community garden space.

Students were excited to engage in the process of hatching chicks and to create a space for the chicks to live at school. Students will be responsible for maintaining the chicken coop and taking care of the chickens. This is a structure for environmental learning because it provides students with an opportunity to learn about where food comes from, how to care for animals, and it encourages students to be outside in the garden to observe and take are of the chickens.

The school was provided with Hexagon Beds that were constructed by Baltimore City high school interns. Students used some of the hexagon beds to plant garlic and will use the remaining beds to plant herbs in the Spring. In 2021 a pile of tires was discovered close to Holabird. Students and staff members worked together to bring the tires to the school garden and repurpose them as flower beds.

Students on Green Team propagated Spider plants and Pilea plants to distribute to teachers throughout the building. These plants are excellent air purifiers so students encouraged teachers to take one or more plants in an effort to create healthier learning spaces.

Students went on a field trip to visit the Baltimore Compost Collective to learn about composting on a large scale and to engage in the composting process. After the field trip, one of the Baltimore Compost Collective employees came to Holabird to help improve the composting program at school.

On Earth Day in 2022, students on the Green Team attended an event hosted by Blue Water Baltimore to help clean up a local park. Students were so excited to participate and asked to return and continue to help clean up their city. Students will return for the Earth Day clean up hosted by Blue Water Baltimore in 2023.

Middle school students identified that they noticed a significant amount of trash in the neighborhood around school. Home depot donated buckets so that students could walk around the neighborhood to clean up trash. Students did this multiple times and each time felt like they had a positive impact on their community.

Green Team students went on two trips to Marshy Point Nature Center. They participated in a "Habitat Explorers" workshop during the first trip and helped clean up trails around the nature center during the second trip. This is an example of a sustained partnership where the school is active in the community because our school has visited multiple times and has engaged in civic work in collaboration with Marshy Point.

ClearShark H2O is an organization that provides educational programs that are meant to inspire students to learn about their impact on water and to enhance environmental literacy and stewardship. ClearShark has led programs with multiple grade levels at our school and has attended family events. This partnership has led to an improved school-wide awareness of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and the influence that humans have on local water health. This is an example of a sustained partnership because ClearShark has returned multiple times to provide as many opportunities as possible to students throughout the school.

Fangs, Frogs, and More is an organization that provides children with the opportunity to learn about and how to care for reptiles. They frequently run workshops during the school's after school program and have attended family nights as well. This is a sustained partnership because they have provided a wide range of students on multiple occasions with the opportunity to learn about animals.

Great Kids Farm has been an active partner with Holabird Academy by providing support with planning the school garden, leading professional development, and facilitating educational workshops for multiple grade levels. This partnership has directly led to an enhanced school-wide initiative to be more sustainable and provide students with opportunities to develop their environmental literacy.

Holabird Academy has been awarded the LEED Platinum certification which is the top