Once your students have connected deeply with their local environment and learned about the interconnections within it via your integrated units, they may be ready to take on an action project. In this section, you can find a range of student projects that are developmentally appropriate. All of these projects are based on the idea that young children can be empowered to make changes locally, in their own lives.

Personal Action

SUMMARY: Students make connections between their Hidden Villa experiences and their daily lives. Then students make and monitor personal goals that reflect their Hidden Villa knowledge. DURATION: 1 to 2 weeks GRADES: 4th-5th, can be adapted to 2nd-3rd

Murals

SUMMARY: Students design and create a class mural that demonstrates their ecological knowledge. DURATION: 1 to 2 weeks GRADES: 2nd-5th

Eco-Fair

SUMMARY: Students use everything they have learned about the environment to make informational posters about different topics to present to other classes, their families and the community. DURATION: 1 to 3 weeks GRADES: 2nd-5th

Performances

SUMMARY: Students prepare, practice and perform poems, plays or stories based on their Hidden Villa experiences and environmental understanding. DURATION: 1 to 3 weeks GRADES: 2nd-5th

Persuasive Letters

SUMMARY: Using their knowledge about the environment, students will choose an issue of ecological importance, identify a person or organization that has influence over the issue, decide what actions they would like to see implemented and write a persuasive letter. DURATION: 1 to 3 weeks GRADES: 4th-5th, can be adapted to 2nd-3rd

Composting

SUMMARY: Students create and maintain a class compost pile using the organic waste from their school lunches. DURATION: 1 month- 1 year GRADES: 2nd-5th