|
EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AWARD 2005
|
|
 It is the goal of fourth grade teacher Bev Grueber of North Bend
Central Public School that agriculture be one of the main links
to technology, health, and economic understanding in her classroom.
She brought this together in developing the Salsa Garden. The project
has developed into many different curriculum areas, touching numerous
state standards in writing, science, social studies, and math. Students
first interviewed Senior Citizens about farm life and gardens, preservation
methods, and tips for raising plants. They later returned to share
a jar of salsa they made. Students were involved in each step from
planting, taking care of the garden, harvesting the crops, and ending
with canning salsa for Christmas sharing. The project developed
stewardship as students took ownership of a garden plot, and gained
self worth in their responsibilities of caring for the garden.
Other projects include Trucker Buddy, where a driver sent weekly
postcards during his delivery of irrigation pipe. Students learned
how irrigation is used in other states, compared seasons, and different
crops across the U.S. Virtual tours were taken to farms in other
states, and a pen pal program with Colorado was conducted to help
compare agriculture jobs and products in different states. Parents'
jobs were charted, then each occupation's reliance on the agricultural
economy of the sate was traced.
Mrs. Grueber's classroom is an exciting place to be; innovative,
hands-on activities in science, math, state studies, and other curriculum
areas are always occurring and students reflect an interest in exploring
and learning.
|
|
|
