Amazing ESL Projects
Putting Decomposers to Work: How Worms and Bacteria Positively Impact Our Environment
This year, our ESL program has received over 2,750 dollars in grants. These grants have come from the Arlington Education Foundation, The Arlington Elementary School PTA, and Lowe's Toolbox for Educators.
With our grants, the students and I are creating a project that demonstrates the vital role decomposers play in our environment. We started with 2 worm factories. With the worm factories, we use red wriggler worms to compost organic food waste and paper products. These worms can eat half their body weight each day. They break down the organic waste and turn it into nutrient rich worm castings.
The second phase of our project was thanks to the Lowe's Toolbox for educators grant. We are expanding our project to include 10 total worm farms, 4 65 Gallon compost bins, and 2 greenhouses. We will use the compost and worm castings to help us grow plants, mainly tomatoes in our greenhouse. We will be able to show how the nutrient rich compost and worm castings really help the plants to flourish.
This year, our ESL program has received over 2,750 dollars in grants. These grants have come from the Arlington Education Foundation, The Arlington Elementary School PTA, and Lowe's Toolbox for Educators.
With our grants, the students and I are creating a project that demonstrates the vital role decomposers play in our environment. We started with 2 worm factories. With the worm factories, we use red wriggler worms to compost organic food waste and paper products. These worms can eat half their body weight each day. They break down the organic waste and turn it into nutrient rich worm castings.
The second phase of our project was thanks to the Lowe's Toolbox for educators grant. We are expanding our project to include 10 total worm farms, 4 65 Gallon compost bins, and 2 greenhouses. We will use the compost and worm castings to help us grow plants, mainly tomatoes in our greenhouse. We will be able to show how the nutrient rich compost and worm castings really help the plants to flourish.
Rainwater Recycling Unit:
The students and I completed a unit about water conservation. As part of this unit, I wrote a grant and was awarded 500 dollars to create a project that focused on energy conservation. We chose to build a butterfly garden with a rainwater catchment system.
The students and I completed a unit about water conservation. As part of this unit, I wrote a grant and was awarded 500 dollars to create a project that focused on energy conservation. We chose to build a butterfly garden with a rainwater catchment system.
Worm Factory Compost System Slideshow
Greenhouse
Raised Garden Bed
Thanks to the Arlington Elementary School PTA, we will be able to build raised garden beds. We will also use the organic compost and worm castings to help grow amazing plants and flowers in the garden bed. Students will be able to learn about the life cycle of plants, how to improve growing conditions, maintenance of a garden, and hopefully, we will be able to see butterflies in their natural habitat.
Thanks to the Arlington Elementary School PTA, we will be able to build raised garden beds. We will also use the organic compost and worm castings to help grow amazing plants and flowers in the garden bed. Students will be able to learn about the life cycle of plants, how to improve growing conditions, maintenance of a garden, and hopefully, we will be able to see butterflies in their natural habitat.