The students and staff of Corning Achievement Elementary are creating a community demonstration garden. Our garden is in the back field of our school, easily viewed by students, families and community members on the walk to/from school. The garden serves as an outdoor classroom to bring students and community members together to nurture community spirit and environmental stewardship while helping to create a more sustainable future.Working in the garden provides cross-curricular connections with visual art, language arts, math and science for our students. The idea is simple: build a communal garden, combine it with a series of wonderful, cross-curricular lessons, and then invite community members, neighboring schools and families to work in and benefit from the garden.Sculpture Garden. A big part of our garden is the sculptures and mosaic tiles that will eventually decorate it. As an arts-integrate school, our students receive instruction in visual art, dance, vocal and drums weekly. Students are working i small groups to complete the sculpture garden assignments which include: mosaic stepping stones, sundial, rain gauges, clay sculptures of insects and small animals, clay pots, painted sign pickets and painted benches. To seek inspiration, our students are reading fiction and non-fiction books on art techniques, artists, animals and forests. Educational Benefits Research has consistently indicated that learning gardens provide measurable benefits in four core areas: Academic Achievement: This includes academic achievement in core curricular areas, as well as personal development in the areas of emotional intelligence, leadership, teamwork and problem-solving. Place-Based Education: Well-maintained school gardens are a source of community pride, and they provide a way for students to make their classroom learning relevant to their own neighborhood. Wellness: Physical activity and nutrition are a naturally integrated aspect of a learning garden program. Children that are exposed to a variety of fruits and vegetables are more likely to make sustained healthy food choices. Environmental Literacy: By providing students with lessons in ecosystems, food systems and life cycles, they are not only gaining scientific knowledge, they are accumulating the tools they need to behave in a manner that is sensitive to their natural environment. Our financial goal will go towards building a fence around the different sections of the garden in order to protect it from unwanted visitors. Learn more about our garden project thus far here: http://www.achievementschooldistrict.org/corning-achievements-sculpture-garden/

Back Up Plan