On its 41st Anniversary, Bede’s Grammar School has been developing throughout the year the theme of “Sustainable Development and Care for the Environment”. As an opening to this, we started the year building a Forest Production Unit. Prefects and students from secondary helped building it before classes started in March. We received the guidance of people from “La Lucena”, a center located in Cordoba, Argentina, that promotes environmental education. The UPF was the number 16th in our country. In ours we can plant trees, produce compost, grow medicine plants, dry leaves and have an exhibition of different plants. We are also planning on building a butterfly garden and a place where birds can feed. The whole school has been working on this Forest Production Unit.
Getting started with environmental education, and having fun!
Kindergarten started being in contact with science and got involved with the UPF. They studied about seeds and living and non-living things. When they knew these things, they planted seeds and as soon as they showed some roots, the children transplanted them. Now kinder is working with the weather station.
Growing our own plants… And taking them home!
Primary has been working on a long-term project. At the beginning of the year, they sewed different seeds. Every week they went to the Forest Production Unit to water them and record changes. Once the plants were mature enough, the students took them home. First form planted oak trees, and second, third and sixth forms leafy plants such as lettuce, spinach, beetroot, arugula and tomatoes.
Taking recycling and growing plants to the next level
Connie Caviezel is the Science Coordinator. She also works as a teacher in an option called Veggie Garden. In Bede’s Grammar School she is working with her students in the UPF. They are doing a solar dryer of medical plants and species. Then they put them in plastic bags. By doing this, they can recycle plastic bags and sell them. Also, they are doing a butterfly garden to attract butterflies with flowers to pollinate. They plant local trees they receive from Buenos Aires or Cordoba. Finally, they have a flower garden to attract insects to decorate.
La Lucena's educational philosophy is the following: “Environmental Education encourages development of life values and a style of living which minimizes destruction and maximizes those relationships that enhance life, and it fosters the constructive use rather than exploitation of the environment”, and through the UPF Bede’s is trying to create in the students exactly that: a sense of belonging and care for the environment.
Natalia Gnes
Renato Di Lisio
Ian Cuello
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