Planting with Nature Club & Wish List

Wow, nature club has been busy the last few weeks. We have been composting the fresh fruits and veggies from the cafeteria,  recycling the empty capri sun pouches, pulling weeds and adding compost to our garden boxes, filling up the bird feeders and more. Today we planted some winter leafy greens and watered them using the water we have collected in our rain barrel!  

We are still in need of a few supplies to add to our garden boxes next week as well as a few other supplies. If you can help, we would love any donations you can send it. Feel free to drop the items off at the kiosk. 

Wish List:

• 8 bags of mushroom compost
• Newspaper-just black and white pages (no color)
• Bird Food
• Watering cans
• Garden decorations

4H Germination Lesson

This week our Nature Club members learned about germination from our guest speaker Ms. Thomas. Students made their own greenhouse to take home and put on a window. This will allow them to watch the germination process. Then once the seeds sprout, they can be planted in the ground. 

First Nature Club Meeting

We are looking forward to our first meeting September 20th! We can't wait to work with our new and veteran Nature Club members! 

Award Nomination

Monday, April 18th the Nature Club and Recycling Club students will  host an in school field study.  These students will teach each class about the importance of recycling and reusing as they rotate through the stations during your 30 minute time slot.

If you signed up your student for this great opportunity I have sent you an email with all the information your child needs to be ready for Monday. Please remember to wear either your Nature Club shirt or Recycling Club shirt!

Spring Insects

Nature Club had a blast painting the golf balls to create spring insects. We will add them our garden boxes!

New Compost Bin

Our Gators worked hard to build the new compost bin! We had a special guest, Ms. Weatherly Thomas from from the Clemson Extention 4-H Youth Development program help us create the new bin. The children did an awesome job working together! Thank you parents for being flexible with the date change and allowing your gators to help!

We have planted flowers and are already seeing growth!

Our Garden is looking great!!!

We still are looking to continue making it beautiful and we need your help. We have asked the children what they would like to add to the garden to make it better. Here are some of the ideas and possible supplies we would need:

1. Paint our boxes: Outdoor paint for the wood in bright colors
2. More Bird feeders (Both for seed, suet and hummingbirds)
3. More Bird food (Dried meal worms for bluebirds, seeds, hummingbird food, suet)
5. Bird houses
4. Garden Flag and Pole
5. Birdbath
6. Picket fence-pallets for DIY fence
7. DIY Garden Art- flowerpots all sizes, chicken wire

If you have any creative ideas please send them our way. If you are creative in any way or handy and would like to help let us know, We would love to have you join us.

Please join LCE in SC National Walk to School day Wednesday March 9th! Parents and students are invited to walk to school with friends and family in walking and biking groups.  Big Al will be waiting on your arrival at the bottom of the hill!

Time: Please give yourself time to make it on time to class

Who: 

Parents and Students

Why: 

To encourage physical activity

Practice pedestrian safety skills

Reduce pollution, traffic congestion and speed near our school.  

Conservation Poster Contest (K-12):
“We All Need Trees” 

Trees are essential for the survival of humans and other organisms. Through photosynthesis, trees convert carbon dioxide into the stuff of life, including food, fiber, lumber, medicines and fuel. They also produce oxygen, remove pollutants from the air, capture and cleanse runoff, protect soil from erosion, mitigate climate change and create important habitats for wildlife. 
 
Trees provide shade and add beauty and value to our homes and communities. They’re also important economically; forestry is the number-one manufacturing sector in the state’s economy, with an $18.6-billion impact on our state. We invite you to learn more about trees and the many ways they support life. Then share your knowledge with the world in the form of a poster.

Learn more at:

• Lexington County Poster Guidelines
• Richland County Poster Guidelines

Community Events

April 9
Electronic and Household Hazardous Waste Collection, Paper Shredding, and Gently Used Shoe Collection.
This event will take place 9 a.m.-2 p.m., Saxe Gotha Presbyterian Church (5503 Sunset Blvd, Lexington, S.C.)
Learn more: www.lex-co.sc.gov/greenisclean
 
April 23
Compost Sale with Compost Bin Pre-Order Pickup
Join us 9 a.m.-12 p.m. at Red Bank Crossing. Compost bins should be pre-ordered, as only a limited supply will be available for purchase at the event.  
Learn more: www.lex-co.sc.gov/greenisclean

To Tanner Toogood and Anjali Walker for using their lifeskill of creativity and entering the ReThink contest.  

We are excited to be able to invite all the students who submitted a milk carton animal sculpture to compete in the regional contest which will be held Saturday March 12, 2016  at Irmo High School as part of the SC STEAMosphere, hands-on learning event. 

Thank you everyone for coming dressed in your shirts for picture day! We looked fabulous!

Nature Club: Thank you for sending in molds for our crayon project. You will be seeing the finished product tomorrow.

Recycling Club: You all are doing an excellent job getting your teachers to recycle. We are overflowing with recycled materials each week!

Crayon recycle/reuse project

Nature club is looking for small (mini) silicone molds. We are collecting old crayons to melt down into the molds and make shaped crayons. We have some big plans! 

Can you help us by donating an small silicone molds. We would love to start with hearts since Valentine's Day is around the corner. All mini shapes are welcome too.

Need a visual? Click here: Walmart or Amazon

image from amazon

We are bringing the Nature Indoors since it is so cold! 

Nature Club will be making homemade bird feeders Tuesday January 5, 2016.

If you would like to help with any of the following items that would be great!

• Bird Seed
• Peanut Butter
• Cheerios
• Ice Cream Cones (Sugar Cones)
• Multi Grain Bread