T.E.E. - Planning

Our classes have official started planning for the T.E.E. (Terrace Environmental Expo) The T.E.E. will be May 18. We will have students presenting information in the library part of the day and again in the evening from 6-7pm for their parents and other community members. Each student has a T.E.E. project folder where they are taking their notes & writing reflections and setting goals for the next meeting. Students were also given a calendar with 3 important dates - their planning deadline, project deadline, and the T.E.E. Annie and I realized we needed to teach our students the steps in which you complete such a big project and we wanted to them to use their time efficiently so we gave them calendars.

We have been conferencing with students to help focus their ideas/passions. Time for Kids and National Geographic Explorer are wonderful resources of information and have really opened our eyes to problems of the world. Students have become so passionate about parrots and other endangered animals. During one class discussion about the California Condor my students couldn't believe everyone didn't care about saving them. I told them a lot of people just aren't aware this is a problem. Awareness is key to making change!

We laid out the expectations for T.E.E. and the process leading up to it, then posed the question to students "What are your passionate about? How are you going to share with others your passion?" We brainstormed a list of conservation topics, gave each student a netbook or iTouch, and they were off. Students discussed the list of topics with their partner did some research and came up with a topic. Students have made plans to bring awareness to their topic during the specific day(s) in April to the rest of the school. We spent last week gathering supplies, making posters, and getting boxes ready. Some students will start their projects this week others in the coming weeks.

Check back for pictures!