We want to create an outdoor classroom for students, teachers and parents to work together to maintain and develop.
Leader
Simona Jansons
Location
121 East 3rd Street New York, NY 10009
After an extensive construction project, the STAR Academy is poised to take on the next phase of restoring our school by establishing a school garden. Our school once housed a beautiful garden where students and families were surrounded by nature. However, during the construction, the school was unable to maintain these areas. After four years, the construction has finally ended and the scaffolding has been removed showcasing a beautifully restored building. Our goal, together with our building co-share The Neighberhood School, is to rebuild a green space that provides students (and their families) with opportunities to interact with their natural environment, reinforce classroom learning, and enhance activities that build upon our inclusive community spirit.
We want to set up an outdoor classroom. Seating for academic instruction will also be created providing endless opportunities for integrating our curriculum areas. These spaces will allow students to make observations and analyze their natural world but also serve to introduce topics such as nutrition and healthy food choices. As the curriculum expands, we will explore and grow other plants and flowers in these areas.
Students will have the opportunity to develop gardening best practices by visiting local gardens and farms. Younger students will have the opportunity to explore community gardens such as the Children’s Magical Garden or Governors Island Teaching Garden while older students will visit a farm such as the Queens County Farm. These trips will serve to deepen their understanding about gardening, but most importantly, make connections to the larger world.