New Palestine High School students cultivated the seeds of environmental learning during winter weeks of February and March at Southern Hancock elementary schools as teachers of ECOFEST lessons, one of Dani’s Dreams Outdoor Education Programs. NPHS Environmental Science teacher Brittany Bennett and her AP students created the unique STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) hands-on projects especially for elementary students in Southern Hancock Schools.
Businesses can support these innovative programs for our students by donating to Dani’s Dreams HERE!
The APES ECOFEST team traveled to Sugar Creek, New Palestine and Brandywine and Zion Lutheran elementary schools each Friday in February and March, teaching lessons on the following topics:
Farm to Table Sustainability: Where does our food come from? How seeds become our food. Possible activities – Make a mini greenhouse/seed starting
Here Comes the Sun: How do we get energy from the sun? How solar panels work. Possible activities – Make a solar bead bracelet
Animal Habitats/Endangered Species: Learn about native species and where they live. Possible activities: make bird feeders
What a Southern Hancock principal and teachers had to say:
“The girls did a great job! Ana did an amazing job teaching the lesson at a kindergarten level. All of the ladies were kind and helpful. One of my students said, ‘This is the best day ever!’ Thanks for including us in your lesson!”
Brandywine Elementary teacher Kelli Whitaker
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“What a great idea, especially for our little school at Brandywine. We are exploring several options of how we might become more STEM-focused, so your ideas are a wonderful fit for us.
In addition, we are starting a planning process on how we might re-use the space from our old nature center. Your FARM TO TABLE SUSTAINABILITY project coordinates well with our thinking!
Principal Mark Kern, Brandywine Elementary
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“What a great opportunity! Thank you for offering this to our students.”
Teacher Jessica Walker
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Dani's Dreams Outdoor Education Programs 