Pleasantville 6th Graders Go Green at Sustainability Fair

Pleasantville Middle School science teacher Sara Keegan teamed up with the Children's Environmental Literacy Foundation (CELF) for the second sustainability annual fair last week.

This year, the fair encompassed six total areas of sustainability—recycling and paper use; footprints in your lunch and composting; energy; What is your eco-footprint?; use of goods and "cerealism" with Michael Albert.

Keegan, who started the fair last year with the aid of a Fund for Learning grant, provided descriptions of this year's stations that sixth graders visited throughout the day:

Station 1: Recycling and Paper Use

The student's will take part in an interactive recycling activity, testing their knowledge of proper recycling techniques. They will learn about the Village of Pleasantville's recycling policies and how to read recycling symbols. Students will learn about some of the dangers of BPA plastic and receive a reusable BPA Free water bottle.

The student's will also learn the amount of paper that Pleasantville Middle School uses each year. They will work on ideas to reduce the amount of paper used throughout the school.

Station 2: Footprints in Your Lunch and Composting

Students will learn about the footprint that is created through their lunch. The student's will analyze how far a lunch travels and the energy that is used through a mapping activity. The student's will also learn a way to reduce their "Food Footprint," by shopping locally at the Pleasantville Farmer's Market in the Pleasantville Middle School.

The second part of the station the students will learn all about composting.  The students will learn what to compost, how to compost and even get to take a look into our own composter before beginning to compost during their own lunch here at the middle school.

Station 3 : Energy

In the first part of this station the student's will engage in an exciting tour of the school's own boiler room. The student's will be able to see the inner workings of the energy supplied to run our school.

The second part of the station, the students will learn about an alternative form of energy called biodiesel. They will get to begin growing their own soybeans to see how renewable resources can be used for fuel.

Station 4: What is your eco-footprint?

Students will take part in an interactive online tool that allows them to calculate their individual footprint while learning about specific measures that can be taken to reduce their footprint. The data will be gathered to look at the footprint of the entire sixth grade. 

Station 5: Use of Goods

Students will learn about the fascinating world of upcycling (converting waste materials into new or useful products). The students will get the chance to match waste to its new upcycled product. Students will get to see up close and personal how many items can be re-purposed and upcycled.

In the second part of the station the student's will have the chance to design and create their own pencil case out of waste.

Station 6: "Cerealism" with professional artist Michael Albert

Students will create recycled art with pop artist Michael Albert, using would be trash. Each student will construct a collage to raise environmental awareness.