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The
fifth-graders in Jannine Walton’s class started planning a small green
revolution at their school last
fall, and their
work led to Montessori Magnet School switching its eating utensils from
throwaway “sporks” to reusable silverware.
The new system will be in place by the end of March.
It
began as a “service learning” project – one where students address real
community challenges using the skills they learn in the classroom. Ms.
Walton’s class decided to work on an environmental project that would
benefit the whole school.
Students started off by designing and then taking surveys of parents
asking how many reusable items they send in their child’s packed lunch.
They also studied how much trash the building makes in its cafeteria by
taking photos and weighing bags of trash. They examined the cost of
replacing disposable items and determined the most economical and
environmentally friendly alternative: silverware.
“They learned a lot about how business works, since they had to deal
with district mandates, child labor laws and cost analysis,” Ms. Walton
said.
The whole school appears to be on board, from making a concerted effort
to not throw away the new silverware to getting the utensils washed and
cleaned by the next lunch shift. Ms. Walton gave special kudos to
cafeteria staff for helping to make the project a success. She also
thanked students in Henry Czerwinski’s fifth-grade class for taking
charge of the utensils during their lunch shift.
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