Learning About the World

As a Green School, SMDS emphasizes early environmental education. You can check this page to see pictures of our environmental projects. Visit our Green School page to find a detailed breakdown of our green initiatives and goals. 

Releasing the painted ladies

Every year our school raises multiple insects, including painted lady butterflies, praying mantises, and lady bugs. The students study these as a unit and then release the insects at the end.

Crafts made from recycled materials

​Our school constantly accepts donations of recycled items. We collect them and the teachers plan and incorporate the supplies for various activities and art projects.

say hello to Our Class Pets!

​Our classrooms each have at least one class pet including a red-eared slider, a terrapin, and fire-belly toads. The students learn about the animals and participate in taking care of them. Two of our classrooms are growing/raising horseshoe crabs that the students will eventually release into the bay.

AQUAPONICS IN THE CLASSROOM

​Two of our classrooms have aquaponic systems. The systems combine raising aquatic life and hydroponics (cultivating plants in water) in one tank. The children are given lessons on how the two coincide and are beneficial to each others growth and sustainability.

Feeding the Birds

​The children made and helped hang bird feeders around the school's campus.

Composting and recycling

​Our school has two composting bins; one indoor and one outdoor. Our classrooms each have a bucket designated for left over food to go in the composter as well as recycling bins. The children are taught to understand the purpose and importance of composting and recycling as well as their benefits to the environment.

RAIN GARDENS

​The students participate in a hands-on lesson about our new rain garden. They are given a demonstration on how it works and why, its positive effects on erosion, and how they can protect the bay from pollutants.

GREEN PRODUCTS

​Along with our water saving faucets, touchless/ paperless hand dryers, and our energy-saving light system, we also use green seal cleaners in our school. Our light system automatically dims based on the amount of sunlight in the classrooms and there are student jobs designated to turn lights off when leaving the classrooms.

​earth day celebrations

​Planting rosemary for the campus, making terrariums, soil, worms, photosynthesis, sun, water, drainage, oxygen, carbon dioxide--so much learned! Getting dirty is fun!

Rain BarrelS

​The children helped decorate rain barrels that are used to recycle rainwater for various tasks, such as watering the garden. By using recycled water we can cut down on water usage and waste.