Planet Patrol needs leaders!
We are currently looking for parent volunteer to lead our environmentally conscious students as they strive to make our planet a cleaner and safer place!
If you're interested in learning more, please contact Cristin Zegers at
environmentaleducation@eastsideelementary.com.
We could really use your help!
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Outdoor Classroom Inspiration
As we prepare to design a useful, natural, and inspiring Outdoor Classroom at East Side, let's take a look at what some other local schools have done (taken on a Saturday morning "latte school garden tour" by Mrs. Zegers and Miss Larsson):
This is going to be fun!!
Thursday, October 13, 2011
One Beach Film
Technical difficulties kept us from being able to watch this inspirational movie at this morning's Planet Patrol meeting, but I encourage you to watch it at home. Here's a link:
It encouraged me to think differently about the packaging choices I make, and also the potential of what may look like simple garbage.
All new Planet Patrollers got their tshirts today! Wear them with pride at all our meetings, school functions, and when you're out about town.
Everyone went home with permission slips for our field trip to Lake Lanier on October 28. These are due in the PTA mailbox by Friday, October 21, along with the $10 payment. If you have any questions please get in touch with me. I have three chaperones already but will probably need more. Mrs. Ranger, our wonderful science teacher, may also join us on this trip!
We have a cool new activity coming up too: Project Candy Wrapper. More details will be sent out on that soon!
Thanks for being at school for our early meeting this morning, and for being patient with our technical difficulties. I enjoyed hearing your stories about beach encounters with trash. We're doing a good job as individuals and as a group at East Side. We're really making a difference, guys!
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Here's some information on this year's Outdoor Classroom Symposium. Last year's symposium was really fun, very educational, and was full of inspiration on how we can get our kids out in their natural world to learn hands on the lessons required at each grade level. I'm unable to attend this year but if you're a teacher or a parent that is interested in learning more, check it out! The PTA may even be able to pay your way!
We had a super fun meeting last Thursday after school to make posters for
No Idle Awareness Week
Waste Free Lunch Days and
National Walk to School Day
We'll try to do more artsy projects, as you all seemed to really enjoy this. (And we'll plan more time next time!)
Our next meeting is before school on Thursday, 10/13 at 7:10am in the media center.
An email went out with the schedule of volunteers for No Idle Awareness Week.
I'm working on a schedule for helpers on Recycle Fridays, but in the meantime make sure your class is recycling as much paper and cardboard as possible! We recycled much less last week. I'll be posting our graph on the blog soon. We can do better!
We have more fun stuff on the horizon so check your emails and the blog. And for all you new Planet Patrollers, tshirts have been ordered! I hope to have them at the next meeting.
Thanks everyone! Hope you've been enjoying the great outdoors this weekend--it has been beautiful!!
Thursday, September 8, 2011
2011-2012 Planet Patrol Gets Started!!
This morning was the first meeting of the 2011-2012 school year. We've got a great group--about 30 kids! Thank you to Laura Bango, Glynis Holihan, and Idit Ben-Simon for volunteering your early morning time to help with our first meeting!
After introducing ourselves we talked about CHOICES. We all make choices throughout our day that can help or harm the Earth. Here are some examples:
- whether to purchase something new or used
purchasing used or recycled keeps items out of the landfill
choosing not to purchase but to swap or use hand-me-downs saves natural resources
- checking packaging--is it recycled? is it recyclable?
- where to put our trash
putting it in the landfill is a last resort
recycling it keeps it in the flow and helps protect our air, water, and animals
In Planet Patrol this year we have some great opportunities to make a positive difference!
- In school: Recycle Fridays, No Idle Awareness Week, Waste Free Lunch Days, Walk to School Days, etc.
- In our community: cleaning up our parks, understanding how to protect wild animals and their habitats, planting trees and flowers to help with erosion or just to give back to the Earth
- In our homes: being a good example by leading our families in making Earth-friendly choices, like recycling, conserving water and energy, and more!
Wonderful team work (and patience!) was shown when we worked together to assemble 6 new recycling containers for bottles and cans.
They can be found now in the cafeteria, teacher lunch room, gym, and some teacher work rooms. Great Job!!
I will be sending out an email in the next week with some opportunities to help make posters for No Idle Awareness Week, a cool recycled-material card for Custodian Appreciation Day (they help us a lot with recycling at the school), and to remind you all of National Walk to School Day on Oct. 5. In the meantime, our next morning meeting will be Thursday, 10/13 so put that on your calendar!
If you have any questions or want to add something to the blog, just email me!
Thanks everyone! ~Mrs. Zegers
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Inspiration from Ford Elementary
Here is a link to the school gardens at Ford Elementary School in Acworth. They have done a beautiful job and as we begin to think about what we can save from the DEAR Garden and what our new outdoor classroom/school garden will look like, we can look at these pictures for ideas and inspiration.
http://eeingeorgia.org/net/org/info.aspx?s=70349.0.0.4863
http://eeingeorgia.org/net/org/info.aspx?s=70349.0.0.4863
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Contests for Artists!!
The Georgia Department of Natural Resources and The State Botanical Garden of Georgia encourage K-5th grade students to compete in the Give Wildlife a Chance Poster Contest. This popular conservation art contest provides a unique opportunity for students to explore the wonders of Georgia's nongame plant and animal species. This year’s competition theme is “Celebrating Georgia’s Wildlife Diversity from the Mountains to the Sea.”
Eligibility:
1. The contest is open to individual students (no group drawings) in kindergarten through 5th grades.
2. Home-school groups, public schools and private schools are encouraged to participate.
3. Schools/groups may enter one poster from any or all divisions:
Division 1: Kindergarten
Division 2: First and second grades
Division 3: Third and fourth grades
Division 4: Fifth grade
4. Artwork must portray Georgia nongame (not legally hunted, trapped or fished) wildlife and plants.
Participants turn the posters in to the State Botanical Garden by March 21, 2011 for judging.
More information: http://www.georgiawildlife.com/node/1110
hildren ages 6-14 are invited to submit paintings with the theme of 'Life in the Forests: Biodiversity' for the 20th Annual International Children's Painting Competition on the Environment.
Organized every year since 1991 by the United Nations Environment Programme, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, Bayer and Nikon Corporation, the competition has received more than 3 million entries from children in more than 100 countries.
The first- and second-place winners will receive cash prizes of $2,000 and $1,000, respectively. Each winner will also receive a fully paid trip for themselves and a chaperone to the Tunza International Childrens Conference (date and venue to be announced later). Third through fifth place winners will each receive a certificate.
More information: http://www.unep.org/tunza/children/inner.asp?ct=competitions&comp=int_comp&int_comp=20th
Did you know ...
Emissions from cars and trucks harm the air we breathe. In fact, one mile of driving produces one pound of air pollution. Every mile counts! And even small actions like sharing a ride with a friend or riding the bus can make a big difference.
Your voice can be heard!
Create a comic strip that illustrates how everyday actions help reduce pollution and be part of the solution. Your message can be directed to your peers, your parents, or the general public and should relate to one or more of the following actions: no-Idling, riding a bus, carpooling, riding a bike, walking, riding the train (i.e., MARTA) or combining car trips.
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