In computer class, 7th and 8th grade students were asked to create graphic art posters, using Microsoft Publisher, depicting the harmful effects of idling your car. These were intended to serve as reminders to parents to please shut off their cars during dismissal. Realizing we do not have adequate photo documentation of the students actually working on the computers, we're including a sample of some of the final products, mainly for laughs : )

Students applied concepts from the EPA Fact Sheet "Keeping Your Cool" to make predictions about the possible urban heat impacts of the surface materials surrounding our school building. Students used infrared thermometers to measure surface temperatures of, as well as the air temperature above, surfaces such as grass, concrete, asphalt, and mulch in both sunny and shady areas. They then analyzed satellite data documenting local urban heat impacts, including our school. Students integrated their observations and analyses to compose a list of actionable recommendations for reducing the urban heat impacts on our school campus.

Students experienced a guided tour and class at the local recycling center to enrich their understanding of the solid waste streams in our community. They gained knowledge about how to recycle properly and seek out recycled products. They then visited Lake Needwood park featuring a man-made lake with an earthen dam. Students discussed the risks and benefits of the dam to the community and the natural environment. After eating lunch at the park, the students performed a police-line style trash clean-up. Finally, students visited a closed landfill to observe the mechanisms in place for capturing methane, treating leachate, and monitoring the soil and groundwater for possible contamination.

Students studied the design elements of a landfill that prevent contaminating the surrounding land and groundwater. They researched local laws and ordinances governing landfill operations and summarized their findings in an information report.

Students worked in groups to measure and inspect the trash collected in a 24-hour period from two classrooms and the cafeteria. Students discussed their observations and speculated about how the school could reduce its solid waste burden for the landfill, such as by increasing recycling collections and discouraging single-use packaging.

Students worked in small groups to plan and construct a terrarium-like model depicting the cycling of matter (i.e., carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and water cycles) in Earth's natural systems. They gathered biotic and abiotic elements from a variety of local habitats of their choosing. Students then observed the ecosystem interactions in their model over a span of two weeks and analyzed evidence of a self-sustaining food web. Later they examined the microorganisms from their model under microscopy.

Students engaged in four different hands-on activities to deepen their understanding on Chesapeake Bay ecosystems and human impacts on those ecosystems. (1) Students experienced a guided nature walk through a wetland habitat and searched for scat and other evidence of animal activity. (2) Students examined the variety of invertebrates collected in crab pots and sorted them into tanks according to their characteristics. (3) Student observed living plankton specimens under microscopy and discussed their roles in the broader ecosystem. (4) Students donned wading gear and practiced seining as a research strategy to document biodiversity.

6th graders learned how stormwater flows through our watershed around St. Peter’s and beyond. Stormwater from our school collects into a small creek on school grounds. Students examined the variety of life supported in the creek habitat, including frogs, insects, and other creatures. Students studied satellite imagery to understand the path of water from the creek into local waterways and eventually the Chesapeake Bay. Students discussed the potential sources of runoff pollution in our local neighborhood and roadways.

In conjunction with their class discussion on how lichens are key producers in tundra biomes, students had the opportunity to examine lichen samples up close.

The fifth grade students visited the National Aquarium after learning and exploring the life cycles of animals. During a hands-on experience with jelly fish, they learned about the different types of jelly fish and how they lived. Students completed a scavenger hunt throughout the field trip to gain knowledge of all the different types of animals in different ecosystems.

4th & 5th Graders visited the Agricultural History Farm Park for the “Close Encounters with Agriculture” program. The students walked to different stations while learning about the environment, nutrition / diet / health, and the production of Agriculture. Refer to the attached PDF for a full description of activities.

During an in-school presentation by a team member from the Maryland Conservation Core, the 4th graders learned about the Chesapeake Bay, the problems affecting it, and the importance of protecting it for our safety, health, economy, and as an important resource for our future. They also got a chance to meet a rescued terrapin from the Bay.

3rd graders examined the different pollutants that we produce daily that affect our air quality. For each pollutant, a drop of food coloring was added to water to visually demonstrate its effect on the air we breathe. Pollutants included car rides to school, household cleaners or paints, pollutants from lawn mowers or bug sprays/insecticides, and machine use like stoves. They were able to see how quickly our air is polluted, and how the combined effect was so obvious in the discoloration of the water. Questions discussed: What if air pollution was always this easy to see, would we want to breathe this air? How could we lessen the effects of the many pollutants we generate?

2nd Graders raised Painted Lady butterflies in their classroom, and taught the PreK students about pollinators, specifically the butterfly’s life cycle and migration patterns. PreK visited their classroom multiple times as all students monitored the captive butterflies as their metamorphic stages progressed. When the butterflies were mature, the students released them outside.

Students were challenged to "mine" the most chocolate chips "minerals" out of their cookie "Earth's surface" by using toothpicks while causing the least amount of damage to the cookie. In addition to the activity, the class discussed how their mining affected the condition of the cookie, related this to how real mining may affect the ecological systems in and around the disturbed area, and the cost of environmental repair.

During our field trip to Sharp’s at Waterford Farm, second graders learned how important bees are and how they help Farmer Chuck with his crops. They participated in a bee keeping class, and listened to various guides speak about natural resources, human resources, and conservation.

First grade students researched birds to learn more about their habitats. After reading a book about them, they observed and sketched some birds trying to nest in the bushes outside their classroom. During their observations, the students noticed that these bushes were dying. Concerned that the bushes may be removed because they were sick and the birds might lose their home. Refer to Objective 2 Habitat Restoration section to see what the students chose to do to create a safe home for the birds.

Kindergarten students read and discussed books about ladybugs and bees to learn more about their habitats and how important these insects are to plants and humans. Refer to Objective 2 Habitat Restoration section to see what the students did to create a safe home for these insects!

(This is an extra as we realize we do not have students shown in our supporting documentation, but it is a cool activity that occurs annually in 4th Grade) In this activity, students participated in an interactive story about the changes humans have made to a river over time and learned how many of our rivers have become polluted. This example demonstrates that just as we each contribute to the problem, we can also be part of the solution. Students: Discussed ways people pollute a water source; Proposed methods for preventing and cleaning up water pollution; Explained why it is more effective to prevent pollution than to clean it up after the fact.

Joe Tremblay presented an introduction to the Green Schools program, and explained the application process per his email summary provided below.

Part 1- Kelly Nichols sent a staff-wide email with a pdf of the application guidelines with comments marked up by the Green Team Chair. We did this so that we wouldn't have to print out 40+ copies of the application guidelines. Copy provided below.

Part 2- Kelly then presented an outline version of the application process during an all-staff meeting. Copy provided below.

Signature sheet indicating that teachers read the email and attended the staff meeting is provided below.

During the webinar "Simple Strategies for the Green Classroom", by Nature Forward, attendees learned how to implement energy conservation projects in the classroom, and how to create a healthier school environment. They broke into small groups and discussed specific ideas for how to implement each of these topics.

During the webinar "Simple Strategies for the Green Classroom", by Nature Forward, attendees learned how to implement energy conservation projects in the classroom, and how to create a healthier school environment. They broke into small groups and discussed specific ideas for each of these topics.

During the webinar "Simple Strategies for the Green Classroom", by Nature Forward, attendees learned how to implement energy conservation projects in the classroom, and how to create a healthier school environment. They broke into small groups and discussed specific ideas for each of these topics.

All students (roughly 450) watched two 5-minute videos on recycling and Laudato Si'. After the videos, each class discussed answers to the questions: Why do we love God's Earth? What will we do to protect it? and Why do we need to? Each class then prepared a written response on a paper Valentine heart, and all hearts were displayed on a bulletin board near the school lobby.

Earth Day 2022 occurred over Easter break, so the school promoted an Earth Day Family Challenge where families shared photos, on social media, of their "green" activities over Break. Some of the lower grades also celebrated Earth Day ahead of time by creating posters of what they plan to do to help the Earth.

All students participated in a scavenger hunt buddy activity (where older students are paired with younger grades). Students searched around the school grounds for items in nature whose name begins with each letter of the alphabet.

The second graders also spent time outside shadow tracing.

The Green Team maintains a bulletin board in the middle school hallway for the purpose of displaying student project photos and green information.

We also have a new website dedicated to Green announcements and photos of the student green projects: https://stpetershsb.membershiptoolkit.com/story/392295

Students designed a rain garden to collect roof downspout water to prevent it from washing into a nearby storm drain. Math classes calculated the runoff collected by the downspout and determined the required rain garden size. 7th grade Science classes performed a PERC test and determined that the clayey soil in that area did not drain very well and needed to be replaced with topsoil. 2nd grade students helped by monitoring the sun/shadows to determine what kinds of plants would thrive best in that area, and the Environmental Club researched and selected the native plants and shrubs that will be used. The garden has been excavated, backfilled, and mulched, and students will plant this spring.

Since its inception in 2016, the student Environmental Club has regularly picked up trash around the school and church campus, as well as the surrounding community.

The Environmental Club members (roughly 25 different students) crafted signs with phrases and artwork encouraging students to turn off the classroom lights. The signs, largely made from upcycled cereal/chips boxes, were laminated, and the students posted them above the light switches in every classroom. Announcements were made on the school's Morning Show to explain to the students why it is important to turn off the lights, not only while the classrooms are empty, but also sometimes during class time for added savings and for relaxation. Links to video clip and full Morning Show are provided below.

Grades Pre-K through 8 participated in collecting old unusable markers, highlighters, pens and plastic pencils during the end-of-year cleanout. We collected 886 items = 17 lbs! The Environmental Club decorated repurposed shipping/shoe boxes to use as collection boxes, which were distributed to each classroom. After several weeks, the club collected, sorted and counted the items before they were donated to Staples for recycling.

All students schoolwide recycle paper and comingled materials in their classroom recycling bins provided by the 2016 Environmental Club. Subsequent Environmental Clubs have monitored the recycling bins, ensuring that each classroom still has one of each, and that they are used correctly. The club students have provided feedback to the students on recycling 'mistakes' that they have observed. They also implemented and monitor the use of recycling bins in the school cafeteria during lunchtime.

Links to video clip of announcement and full Show on YouTube provided below.

After learning about bees, ladybugs, and other insects, the Kindergarten students wanted to give the insects a place to be safe. They painted bee houses and installed them outside in the butterfly garden so that the insects could have a safe home. Meanwhile, 1st grade students discovered some birds trying to nest in dying bushes outside their classroom and were concerned that the birds would lose their home if the sick bushes were removed. To provide a safe home for the birds, they decided to build some bird houses. With the help of their teachers, they learned about the important parts of a bird house, helped build and paint them, and installed them outside, away from the sick bushes.

Students learn regularly outside at St. Peter’s, and have initiated, decorated, and maintained 2 main learning spaces. The Student Council requested the purchase of picnic tables so they could eat lunch outside. These tables are now regularly used for class instruction. At our teak bench seating area (host to reading time, music classes, choir rehearsals, and more), Math students calculated the quantity of mulch needed for the space; Aftercare students painted stepping stones; 5th graders researched the benefits of learning outside and shared their findings with the school to encourage students to request more class time outside; and EClub students oil the benches regularly.

All students in grades 3-7 (roughly 125-130 students) designed their own "No Idling" poster in Art class after the Art teacher showed them a video on why idling is bad for the environment. All poster designs were judged by the Assistant Principal, and 8 were selected to be printed on yard signs and posted on campus.

The 8 'winning' students stood out in the parking lot during dismissal time to display their signs and then they posted them in strategic locations throughout the parking lot as a reminder to parents to turn their cars off during dismissal.

An announcement was also provided in the school newsletter to further draw parents' attention to the event.

Students created posters and announcements for a Walk N' Roll to School Week and invited students from all grades to participate by walking, riding bikes, and carpooling to school. 10 families formally reported a total savings of roughly 250 car miles that week via all 3 methods. Many more students participated, but did not formally report. Two students who rode their bikes to school that week had so much fun that they plan to continue to do it regularly! Watch their message: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z6jWtcTFWKw Fourth grader Lena carpools with friends every week and says “I love carpooling because it uses less gas, helps the environment, and I get to see my friends in the car!”

3rd graders made reusable disinfecting wipes and all-purpose cleaners using upcycled materials and natural ingredients. After learning about germs and proper cleaning methods, students discussed the harmful effects of using harsh chemical cleaners on our bodies and on the environment, and compared the ingredients lists of two commercially made cleaners to the ingredients lists of their green cleaners. Then they made their cleaners and cleaned their classrooms! They also created posters and presented the project on the Morning Show encouraging everyone to make their own green cleaners at home. See links to the video in the attachments. The recipes were shared with parents in the school email.

Students partnered with local environmental group, Green Olney, to organize a reusable bag drive at the school. The students collected reusable shopping bags to donate to the Olney Farmers Market (via Green Olney). After creating the collection bin, the students announced the bag drive during morning assembly to encourage all students and teachers to donate bags. After the drive was over, students collected, sorted and counted the 56 bags that were collected.

The school plans to continue working with Green Olney to fulfill various needs of organizations in the community. For example, we have discussed collecting old, unusable T-shirts and converting them into shopping bags.

A representative from the ADW’s Office of Social Concerns visited the school to talk to the 6th graders about Laudato Si' (Pope Francis's call to all humankind to be better stewards of the earth and each other). Prior to the visit, 6th and 7th grade students prepared by watching The Letter, a documentary explaining the Pope's call to care for the earth. During small group discussion with the 6th grade classes, the correlation was made between the green initiatives taking place at St. Peter's and our obligations to the Catholic faith and being better stewards of our common home, Earth. The intent is to have the ADW visit every other year to talk with the 6th and 7th grade classes.

In 2012, St. Peter's was awarded its first Blue Ribbon award for Reading, Math and ART.

In 2020, St. Peter's was awarded a second Blue Ribbon for Reading, Math, and STEM.

In 2014, Saint Peter's joined Project Lead the Way (PLTW) as the first school in the state of Maryland to implement Launch, the PLTW curriculum for elementary grades. Teachers at all grade levels implement PLTW STEM modules and additional STEM activities and projects. (*Please note that actual certification date is unknown)