Green Learning Spaces Overview

GREEN LEARNING SPACES

Our initiative, Green Learning Spaces, offers an innovative and fun way of learning through hands on and experiential learning. The outside garden for example is exposed to the elements. This offers real life challenges such as irrigation, temperature and dealing with visitors in the garden that are not always friendly.

It is environmentally focused. It allows students to reinforce their understanding and awareness of their impact on the natural world and to better understand their role as guardians of the planet.

It has a classroom-to-table aspect.

Students can learn how to grow things together and follow the process back to the school cafeteria, the WP community and the outer wider community. The classroom-to-table concept will enable students to develop their skills as entrepreneurs, creators and producers as they assume ownership of the learning through the GLS.

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Green Learning Spaces (GLS) Mission: TO CONNECT LEARNING EXPERIENCE AND communities to the natural environment, food production and beyond (green learning).

What is GLS?

The Benefits of GLS

GLS is a fun, innovative and environmentally focused initiative at WP with the objectives of:

GLS introduces new opportunities to develop IB learning profiles.

1) creating and reinforcing enquirybased learning 2) connecting communities to nature to better understand our role as custodians of the planet 3) increased awareness of our impact as we share the planet.

It is a joint collaboration between WP and the PTSA, reaching out to the outer communities for greater impact.

It connects communities.

and

strengthens

It reinforces the WP learning experience as students develop and assume their roles of entrepreneurs, creators and producers.

A better understanding and increased awareness of our impact on the natural world is vital for environmental, financial, economic and social sustainability.

Our students will be tomorrow’s global leaders.

What we learn and do today, will shape our future.

Together, let us embrace Green Learning for a brighter future.

Projects The creation of outdoor classrooms through outdoor garden/farm – creating a productive and sustainable organic farm to help supplement the school cafeteria and supply fresh produce to the WP community and beyond.

Mobile microgreens in Classrooms – an innovative way of growing food, learning about flavors, textures, nutrition, eating healthy and culinary opportunities.

Vertical garden – Explore innovative ways of growing food vertically Pollinator habitat – introduce native plants and wildflowers to attract pollinators that will benefit the outdoor garden and create stations for migratory species (hummingbirds/monarch butterflies) Bike initiative – Facilitate and encourage biking to school to help reduce individual carbon footprints, promote awareness for our impact on the environment and communities.

Composting – Introduce waste management initiative and recycling.

Composting produces compost as a byproduct to benefit the outdoor gardens and farm.

Promote student driven initiatives with teachers, parents and other stakeholders as facilitators of learning.

MICROGREENS PROJECT Partnering with International Chefs Students at the Woodlands Preparatory School are growing microgreens, partnering with Zero Point Organics. The initiative is part of The Green Learning Spaces initiative introduced last Spring. Students learn how to grow microgreens, which can then be served in the school cafeteria or enjoyed by the WP community. While learning is the prime objective, the initiative is also a fund-raising tool for the GLS project. So far, growing microgreens have been a success and well received by the WP community. One of the challenges we face as a society is the lack of knowledge and information about what we can do with microgreens. What are the different ways we can enjoy them and what are their benefits?

We propose a project that will take the initiative to the next level: community-based learning (how we can impact lives) by introducing an event that will help to bridge the gap between food production (in this case microgreens) and the culinary scene.

WP is partnering with chefs to introduce chef inspired / student inspired cafeteria style menus into our school. Going forward, this model could be replicated into other schools.

Frequency Once a month starting in Spring 2020.

Time Evenings – WP families and the outer community Location The Woodlands Preparatory School Theme Taste of Nations / International – Classroom to Table Learning Community based learning Certified Nutritionist at the event – nutrition aspects/benefits