Slater-Marietta Elementary Named Green Steps School of the Year
Slater-Marietta Elementary has been recognized as the South Carolina Green Steps “Protect” School of the Year for their ongoing efforts to protect the air and water around their school. The Green Steps program guides teachers and students through a process of implementing eco-friendly educational activities throughout their schools and community. To see examples of their projects visit https://sites.google.com/a/greenvilleschools.us/coach-childs/sc-greensteps.
Trout in the Classroom Project (Protect Water)
Through the process of raising trout, students learned about factors that are critical to the survival of trout, such as how to read the temperature of water, measuring the chemical level in the tank, and adjusting the chemistry of the water to provide an acceptable environment for trout. Students also discovered the uses for water in our community and how water treatment plants work.
Vermiculure Worm Bin (Restore Soil)
Students learned about the important job that worms do by transforming green and brown scraps into soil. They learned to properly care for red worms, including the feeding of appropriate materials, the maintenance of appropriate moisture levels, the eventual harvesting of the soil that the worm population produced.
Tap and Stack (Reduce and Conserve)
Tap and Stack is a program for the entire school where students stack their Styrofoam lunchroom trays to save space in the dumpster and landfill.
Carolina Fence Garden (Restore Habitat)
The Science Club maintains the school’s Carolina Fence Garden, which is home to blue birds, butterflies, lizards, insects, and many types of native plants and species. They added the soil generated by the red worms and pruned and repaired the garden during the fall and winter months.
B2 – Breathe Better (Protect Air)
Students helped raise awareness of how air pollution affects the environment, and provided parents with ways they could reduce air pollution while sitting in the car line.
