Top Ten (and now more) Reasons Why Prairie MoonWaldorf School is  “Green School”

10. Recycle: We recycle everything the Lawrence Recycling Center accepts, and recycle natural resources to use in the classrooms.

9. Conservation: The faculty and staff model conservation for our natural resources to the younger children and actively teach it to the older children.

8. Our school is open to many acres of farmland, and sits on 7 acres of green, open space, with lots of vegetation for green exploration.

7. Okanis Garden: The first year of the garden was made possible by a grant from the Elizabeth Schultz Environmental Fund through the Douglas County Community Foundation, and played a vital role in children’s understanding of gardening during the growing season.  The 3rd/4th graders planted the seeds under grow lights, planted the plants, and watched its growth.  By the time they returned to school harvest season was underway.  A trip to the Community Mercantile to see where it was sold and used in foods completed the seed to fork experience.  See Article by the Lawrence Journal World.

6. Compost: We compost our leftovers from snacks and lunch.

5. Daily Gardening: All of the children have a garden in the playground, including the nursery aged children.  The garden is integrated into the curriculum for the older children (see #7 above).  In the fall after harvest season, the children get to experience putting the garden beds to sleep.

4. Natural materials: The curriculum uses natural materials, made from wood, wool, cotton, silk, sand, beeswax, and clay to provide sensory experiences of natural substances.

3. Organic: When possible, we use local or regional, and organic ingredients in our preparation of snacks at school.

2. Outside Time: During the school day, our students average 2-3 hours outside per day (for early childhood) and average of 1 1/2 hours for the grades.

1. Curriculum: Throughout the grades and age levels, the Waldorf curriculum embraces and explores the awe and wonder of the natural world.

Additions:

In Spring 2009, Prairie Moon Waldorf School became the third certified green school in the state of Kansas by Kansas Association for Conservation and Environmental Education (KACEE).  The school received a water quality grant for 2008-2009.  The Okanis Garden (above) was a part of this grant.

The project contained these goals:
(1) to develop an environmental education curriculum, including garden curriculum, which would teach about non-point source pollution;
(2) to offer a Prairie Moon Water summer session, including instruction about water quality and water conservation;
(3) to construct a rain barrel system for watering the garden and other beds and plants on the school grounds, and
(4) to engage in other water-saving practices in the Okanis Garden and around the school grounds.

For goal (1), Ms. Teresa M. Woods met with Prairie Moon faculty during the last month of the 2008-09 school year to enact school curricula. Ms. Woods is Coordinator, Kansas State University/Olathe, Kansas, Educational Partnership; Ph.D. Candidate in Curriculum and Instruction, Kansas State University; and Curriculum Coordinator for the Botanical Society of America.

For goal (2), Prairie Moon grades teacher Mr. Bret Schacht participated with Ms. Woods to develop the Elementary Water summer session (p.54, Prairie Moon Waldorf School Nature Curriculum Working Document). Other summer camp session instructors led students in garden work and activities.

For goal (3), several Prairie Moon community members, including at least one student, attended a rain barrel workshop offered by Hillsdale Water Quality Project. Additional research was conducted online and consulting with local retailers.

For goal (4), a number of in-kind or matching contributions have provided materials and labor for conserving water.

In addition, A Prairie Moon Waldorf School Natural Curriculum Working Document was developed by Ms. Teresa Woods.

On June 29, 2009, Douglas County Extension Agent Jennifer Smith made a presentation to members of the Prairie Moon community and a Japanese delegation from Global Partners for Local Organic Foods visiting the Okanis Garden. In her presentation, Ms. Smith used a gallon jug of water to represent all the water on earth. From the gallon, she poured out one cup, which represents all the fresh water on earth. Out of that one cup, only one drop is available for use.
The rest of the fresh water is deep groundwater or in the soil and air. We only have
that one drop, so we must protect it. No new water is being formed or made;
water cycles over and over. So, we have to take care of what we have. A project such as the Okanis Garden is important–every effort to reduce and prevent water pollution is vital.

Each year in Waldorf schools, the 3rd grade class completes a building construction project. This year, a garden shed was built by the students.  This coincided with their math block on learning about measurement including the metric system.  What a wonderful hands on activity this provided the children!