

This unit, designed for my enrichment class, is a year-long study of seasonal changes of the classroom garden at my school. Throughout the year, students will form valid conclusions about seasonal patterns present in the garden as well as the city of Houston. The unit will be divided into studies that focus on three of the four seasons. In addition to a study of interactions in the environment, students will establish a link on the school’s webpage, participate in a national bird database with Cornell University, and develop a field guide of the plants in the garden. Students will plan and design a portion of the garden as well as maintain the existing garden. The culminating activities include a bird festival and a Gallery Walk to showcase the activities of this unit. To teach this unit effectively, I plan to use several different strategies, including hands-on activities, field trips, technology activities, group work, fieldwork, journal reflections, and literary studies. Many of these activities will be taken from existing outdoor education curricula including Journey North and Flying WILD. With this unit, I will create an enrichment class with a focus that encourages students to work together to create a series of projects. Together, we will create a habitat that will become a learning instrument for many future students.