Prairie builder schools ahlene shong

Katy Prairie Conservancy

Prairie Builder Schools

Ahlene Shong Texas and Cajun Prairie Symposium Lafayette, Louisiana September 24, 2016

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Frostwood Elementary September 2014 2

Rummel Creek Elementary February 2016 3

Kolter, April 2012

A PRAIRIE, REALLY? Why call these little patches, a prairie?

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Berry Elementary September 2016 5

Griffin Elementary September 2016 6

Culture Connections - Bison 7

Cultural Connections - Bluebonnets 8

Cultural Connections - Rattlesnake Master 9

Cultural Connections - Monarch Butterflies 10

Starting a pocket prairie Concerns, considerations?

Kolter, October 2011 11

COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT

Eagle Scout project to build a frame of landscape timbers around the Kolter pocket prairie.

We used some of our grant money to pay for the landscape timbers and rebar, etc Neil Doughty’s Eagle Scout project March 2011

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Nice separation of playing field and prairie 13

Edging the mowed trails

EAGLE SCOUT PROJECTS ARE GREAT!!

We had a fundraiser to pay for materials.

Gino Dima’ala’s Eagle Scout project October 2012

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FUNDRAISING Grants (TDA, Urban Schools) Prairie Pennies Bison Bucks (contest) Bison Boogie Fun Run PTO budget allocation October 2012

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Picnic tables and shade cover April 2016 16

Welcome to the Kolter Pocket Prairie Take a Deep Breath Smile and Enter 17

Science lab measuring skills Aug 2011 18

November 2014

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Dr . Chelsea Prather collecting insects with Kolter students, May 2014 20

Growing Plants for Ourselves and to Share

May 2015

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Seed Collecting

October 2015 22

“Haircut” Time December 2015 23

Bringing in the “big” haircutters January 2016 24

Prairie Partners Recess Club

October 2015

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STUDENT ART AND POETRY Pocket Prairie

by Lyla Terlinsky, age 7 , Ms. Cotton There was a prairie in my pocket.

It was sitting next to my locket.

The flowers are colorful and the grass is green.

It was the most beautiful prairie I have ever seen.

I love the prairie in my pocket.

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All Around the Prairie Lands When the tall green grass starts to blow The pretty flowers start to bloom.

The buzzing bees collect their pollen When the ants make their homes While the fairies are fast asleep in their houses.

Ava Silk, age 7

Prairie Day Prairie, full of life.

Like a sea of grass.

The butterflies dance.

Nora Jabir, age 10

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Just Having Fun - Prairie Fairies Day

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The Future for KPC Prairie Builder Schools:

Increase educational uses, public understanding, and appreciation for prairies Build a larger base of volunteers and teach them about native plants and wildlife Increase plant diversity/fight invasives Provide seeds and plant material for others schools

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