Elementary students are always excited to be free from homework and test prep, but a recent effort spearheaded by a second-grade teacher wed getting outside with learning.
Jefferson Elementary School in Rotterdam recently welcomed a butterfly garden and pond into its courtyard. Funds were provided by the district’s Schalmont Ideas Grant, which allows teachers with innovative ideas to apply for funding to make them a reality. Pattersonville-based Decker’s Landscape and Aquatics also donated two days of labor to construct the new space.
Second-grade teacher Shannon Farrell said she developed the concept for the project based on her class’s study of life cycles. The school has had butterfly larvae sent to the classroom before, with students watching the growth, but she wanted to create that lesson in its natural environment.
“It came out even better than we could have imagined,” Farrell said. “It is unique. A lot of my friends said they have never heard of such a thing and they think it is amazing.”
She said the garden provides a “nice learning environment” outside of the traditional classroom setting.
The first day of pond construction was strictly Decker’s helping lay the groundwork, but there still was a little helper.
Jodi Decker, co-owner of the family business, said her youngest son wanted to tag along and help dig up the ground for the pond, which is about 8-by-10 feet with a 3-foot waterfall.
Decker’s kindergartener, Nicholas, now going into first grade, appears to have a passion for the family trade.
“He was there the day we did the pond … he did all the prep work and site work,” she said. “He was hands-on building the pond.”
Nicholas also came back the second day of site work when second graders got their hands dirty and helped plant flowers, with a focus on plants attracting butterflies.
“They had a lot of questions on the pond. … They had a lot of good questions,” Decker said. “I love seeing the excitement on the kids’ faces. Every one of them wanted to stay out there. One of the kids asked ‘Are you going to be here every day?’”
Farrell said it was good for students to help with planting, too.
“It was nice for them to take a little ownership of it,” she said.
After all of the plants were in the ground, the last group of students spread mulch.
Farrell said maintaining the garden would be a joint effort between teachers and the custodial staff. Part of the school’s budget also has a line item for garden supplies, she said, allowing the school to get chemicals to keep the water clean and other supplies.
“It made the school more beautiful, and the staff has enjoyed it I think as much as the students have,” Farrell said. “It has made the learning all the more real … and meaningful to them.”
She said she has seen more teachers going outside, whether it is for lunch or to meet with parents, or to read a book with a student.
Some ideas to expand on the garden for the future have also been brewing, she said, with a three sisters garden possible in the future.