Courtyard Ecosystems
By:  John Hann

Project at a Glance :

This project is for a middle school Science class  to understand the concept of an ecosystem. They will be tasked with obtaining a space in the courtyard to create and maintain a space for future students to observe and learn about ecosystems.
       
Driving Question:

How can we use our courtyard to teach other students about ecosystems? 

Standards:

• Core Idea: LS2: Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics
• LS2.A: Interdependent Relationships in Ecosystems State Standard for General Education: MS-LS2-2: Construct an explanation that predicts patterns of interactions among organisms across multiple ecosystems.
•  EE.MS-LS2-2 Target Level: Use models of food chains/webs to identify producers and consumers in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.

Team / Culture Building:

• The class builds group culture with inclusion activities to start each class period. This includes practicing 4/7/8 breathing to start followed by a spin of the "Wheel of Names" to see who will lead quick connection activities such as: My weekend in 10 words or less, Teaching Tuesday, Like Me Wednesday, On My Mind Thursday, and Common Grounds Friday. 
• Hopes, Fears, & Norms protocol

​Entry Event:

• Bob Wandel, from the Outdoor Discovery Center, introduced us to ecosystems. As it was fall and the milkweed pods were opening, he taught us how to separate and distress the seeds for planting in the early spring.

Stakeholders:

• ​Cityside Middle School Staff
  
• Cityside Middle School Students
• Cityside Middle School Administrators
  
• Cityside Middle School Maintenance employees
  
• Monarch butterflies
  
• Outdoor Discovery Center

Empathy Building:

• Stakeholder Map

Inquiry / Need to Knows:

• Researching Monarchs, Lifecycles, and Milkweed - Students used books and internet searches to become familiar with where monarchs fit into an ecosystem and what their needs.

• Speedboat Protocol - As the courtyard project started to take shape, the class thought about the anchors that could slow us down.

Incubation:

• Idea Quota - students had 10 minutes to come up with 10 ideas on where the potential spaces could be and what they might include. ​

Cityside Middle School Courtyard

• Yes, and ​- During the project the class checked in with Bob Wandel at the ODC and got to see where they may think differently. We used the "Yes, and" approach to document our ideas.
• Field Work - The class took a field trip to Meijer Garden to look at presentation and signage to enrich their understanding of butterflies.
  

Checking in:

• Wild Postcards​ - a new protocol for checking in. The students really enjoyed it as a way to communicate in a creative way.

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Solution Building:

• Dot Voting - Students used this protocol to narrow down choices for spaces to pitch to Building and Grounds Director and Principal.

Critique and Revision: 

• The class pitched space ideas to the Building and Grounds and Principal to get feedback. ​​​

• Students also pitched to the 6th and 7th Grade Inventions Class,  who also have a vested interest in the Courtyard, as they installed hammocks the previous fall. We presented our project and they were eager to help with signage and design.

Authentic Audience:

Final Presentation:

• Executing Our Butterfly Project: With the ODC's assistance, we stratified the seeds in late winter to get ready for planting. Stratifying is simulating the natural process of cold germination. We will compare our collected seeds with purchased seeds for germination rates.

• We compared "stratified" seeds collected from the ODC with commercial seed. The commercial seed was planted either germinated at room temperature or right out of the packet. Students assessed results.

• Breaking Ground! - Making the ground ready for butterfly weed (milkweed).

Click here for teacher's full plan.

​Reflection and Feedback:

• NUF Test - As an evaluation, we asked Mrs. Huizenga, Cityside Principal,  to  assess on whether our project was New, Useful, and Feasible.

• Students self-assessed using the single point rubric shown below.
  

     “It was fun and exciting to work with Mr. Hann and my classmates. The students have a place that we made for Cityside. Thank you Cityside teachers.” ~ Sidda B., Student

     "Our Butterfly Project has made a significant impact on the school and the students involved. Watching Mr. Hann work alongside the students and guide them through the process has been incredibly rewarding. It’s clear that this experience is fostering a strong sense of achievement and pride in their work." ~  Robert Wilson, Buildings and Grounds, Zeeland Public Schools

"One Word" describing our experience:

• Principal Huizenga: "Helpful"
• Mr. Hann: “collective”
• Dean: “amazing”
• Ruby: “pleasant”
• Norah: “camouflage”
• Siddalee: “exquisite”
• Dylan: “fun”
• Mrs. VK: “ownership”
• Mrs. Katy: "transformative"

Click here for the teacher's Journey through PBL on Padlet . . .

Meet the Educator:

John Hann teaches 6-8th grade Special Education at Cityside Middle School in Zeeland, MI.

     "PBL reminds me to slow down and trust the process. The results of PBL in my class are rarely what I expect and often far beyond my hopes."