ECS Earth Week: Days 1 & 2

I've said it before....a day is not enough for Earth Day at Eagle Cove School.  We need a week!

2013 is no different.

For a history of our Eagle Cove Earth Day, check the GTG archives for some great moments in our history (and there have been a slew).

Earth Week Day 1: Earth Day: Monday

Annually like clockwork, "green" author Jennifer Keats Curtis comes to talk about all of her amazing children's picture and non-fiction books. This year, our younger ones heard the tales as she read them; middle-aged kids get to hear of some of her experiences as an author who interviews a lot of environmentalists and were inspired to write their own story of animal rehabilitation (and 3rd graders even got to be animal rescuers by helping a little songbird find its way out of our room after it found its way in); and 4th and 5th graders Skyped with JKC's illustrator for 3 books, Laura Jacques. She inspired both the budding authors within our students AND the animal-loving eco-warrior!

Earth Week Day 2:  Tuesday

School friends Grace Episcopal Day School from Silver Spring, Maryland came our way and spent 4 hours with us doing a Water Walk (Did you know that many people world wide walk 6 km or approximately 3 miles to get fresh, uncontaminated water daily.  It does without saying that women and children are the ones who had to do this.  We carried a set amount of water for 3 treks down the causeway outside our school that runs adjacent to/across the Magothy River and outside our school.  We rotated in 5th and PreK/Kindergarteners, then 4th and 1st graders, then finally Grace's and ECS's 2nd and 3rd graders...all carrying the same water we transferred off to get a cumulative feel of 3 miles.  The water and I felt it.  8,000 steps on my pedometer later.... we had some minimal water loss, but loads of fun on campus doing eco-outdoor games while our walkers all carried on!

Another free photo slideshow by Smilebox

The afternoon had us checking out some river wildlife and playing a fun migratory bird activity.  After Grace Episcopal had to bid adieu's on their bus and head back, we still had one more activity:  the solar power races. Each class designed a car out of recyclables.  Now all we had to do was wait for the sun to arrive, which it finally did around 2 pm!!  It was a heated race indeed.  Check out our Smilebox!

Free slideshow made with Smilebox

More to Come:  Earth Week Days 3, 4, and 5:  Can't wait for the student-led theatrical performance (with humor and music, of course!!) based on Dickens "A Christmas Carol"--aptly named "An Earth Day Carol."  Then we'll have musician in residence Linda Richards here to write Earth Day parodies with the classes, for our Friday grand finale concert!  Fun times still to come!  Stay tuned...

Photos from me and Jennifer Keats Curtis.  All Smilebox photos from my camera.