New Earth Service-Learning Lab
Issue: Environmental Responsibility
Grant Amount: $64,080.00
Portland, OR
Year Funded: 2011
Organization: Terra Nova High School and Terra Nova Community Farm
Contact Information
Kate DePaolis
Terra Nova High School
10351 NW Thompson Rd
Portland, OR 97229
503-627-1566
.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Terra Nova High School has a small, very successful working organic farm on the grounds called Terra Nova Community Farm. ‘New Earth Service-Learning Lab’ will focus on concepts of environmental sustainability and develop cross-curricular connections in science, health, and language arts using our existing farm as an experiential service-learning lab. The partnership between the school, the farm and the community will be enhanced as our students complete science experiments that are needed for the farm; as we cook and use farm fresh produce in culinary and health classes and for school lunches; and as our students mentor other district students in environmental sustainability using our farm/learning lab.
New Earth Service-Learning Lab will address issues of environmental responsibility in 3 major ways:
1) Environmental Service-Learning: We will enhance students’ knowledge of the environmental world by directly connecting school science curricula to the farm. Issues and experiments in environmental responsibility and sustainability will be key.
2) Sustainable Nutrition: We will increase student awareness of ‘eating local,’ which enhances their knowledge of environmental responsibility by using more of our farm’s produce right here at school. Students will learn about healthy, sustainable living through organic, farm-fresh cooking.
3) Environmental Outreach: We will enhance community and student awareness of environmental issues (topics like ‘Drip irrigation for water conservation’, ‘Planting Cycles for our Food’, ‘Sustainable Living’, ‘Reducing our Carbon Footprint’) by having student mentors teach young students about our farm and environmental issues both in their home schools and by having younger students from the district visit our New Earth Learning Lab.
Project Updates
September 2011 Terra Nova Service Learning lab accepts check
Terra Nova Service-Learning Lab is awarded a $64,080 grant to enhance service learning and sustainability on the Beaverton School Distirct
September 2011 500 Bonny Slope Elementary students visit our working organic farm
500 Bonny Slope Elementary students visit the Terra Nova Service-Learning organic Farm site in September, 2011. The bus heads back down the hill, is reloaded and brings back every grade level (1-5) throughout the day.
Students' first stop is an introduction to some smelly things and flowers. Terra Nova students lead all the learning areas.
Our small greenhouse gets stuffed full as tours wind their way through all parts of the farm.
Peppers, pumpkins, cold frames and a big new greenhouse under construction.
One greenhouse to another, then up to the washing station and around the field before heading to the gym for a quick guessing game and tasting.
Carrots, cucumbers and cherry tomatoes ("sugar bombs") were on the tasting menu. Yum! Everyclass returned with a hand-chosen bouquet of flowers.
September 2011 Farm Science Class begins
Students begin expoloration of science and organic farming. Horticulture, Biology, Agricultural science. There is so much to learn.
October 2011 Nutrition and Culinary arts exploration class begins ArtsExploration
A PSU grad student leads our students through 4 weeks of organic foods exploration. Students try amazing new foods they've never eaten before. Farro, spaghetti squash with garbanzo beans, pesto mini quiches, poached pears, cinnamon baked apples, sauteed kale, baked butternut squash are just some of the creations.
October 2011 Outreach!
2 more area elementary schools come to visit the farm. McKay Elementary and Oak Hills Elementary bring groups up to the farm and learn about sustainable agriculture and the growing cycles. The get a chance to taste our delicious fresh produce.
We're in the news! Check our these articles and announcements.
Beaverton District-wide announcement
Oregonian Newpaper
http://www.oregonlive.com/beaverton/index.ssf/2011/09/terra_nova_high_school_gets_a.html
December 2011 Agricultural Science equipment has arrived!
We love our new Vernier LabQuest Ag science hand held "do-alls!" Thank you YABBIES! Students will be plotting soil temperatures as we prepare for our growing season. They'll track nitrogen content in various areas of the field to see which crops will do well in different spots. They'll graph precipitation and air temps and plan for the future.
February 2012 Terra Nova is closing next year.
The horrible news doesn't deter us from fulfilling our grant . Terra Nova Community Farm will still be operating next year and there will be an academic agriculture science program tied to it. Our work will not be for nothing. All kitchen and science equipment will be used for students at the farm program next year. The service-learning model will have similar focus but will be a part-time program available to all district students instead of just our students.
February 2012 Culinary Exploration Class begins!
Our 4 week mini-course in the fall taught us a lot about cooking without a kitchen. We've begun our actual course now as we await the building of our new kitchen. Students are learning about cooking healthy meals with organic produce (all using only a toaster oven and microwaves!!)
March 2012 Kitchen plans are approved. Work can begin any time!
We can't wait to get to use our new kitchen. It'll be so helpful as we prepare delicious and healthy meals, not only for class but eventually as a part of school lunches.
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