Service
Learning Outcomes
Internet Resources/Contacts
Sample Preparation Activities
Checklist to Help Select & Plan
Your Environmental Project
Sample Action Activities
Sample Reflection Activities
Sample Celebration & Reflection
Activities
Sample Lesson:
Trees for Service
How to plant a tree
How to construct a time capsule
Tree pledge
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Sample Lesson "Trees
for Service"
Activity Description
Selected classes will develop a service learning partnership with
a local Forestry Board and the local department of natural resources
forestry service. This service learning activity will consist of
three parts. Cooperating students will:
1. Prepare
a Time Capsule
2. Plant a Tree
3. Take the Tree Pledge
Community Need
Trees help refresh our air, shade our homes, and reduce crime in
our neighborhoods. Many of Baltimore's street and communities need
trees, especially where sidewalk tree wells are empty. Harbor City
students recognize this need by planting a tree(s) on school campuses
and neighborhood streets. Our urban community needs volunteers to
help reforest this environment by identify sites, planting trees,
and maintaining their well-being.
Outcomes: Students will
- Gain an understanding of how the urban environment needs
trees for its citizen's health and safety.
- Demonstrate how to plant trees.
- Learn that their efforts will improve the community as a
whole, including real estate prices.
- (Baltimore) demonstrate the concepts of civic virtue and
common welfare as outlined the Baltimore City Social Studies
Curriculum.
- (Maryland) meet the 1997 Maryland graduation requirement
regarding service learning.
Preparation
Lessons could include video, readings, guest speaker, and discussion.
Handouts will include a description of the service learning activity
as well as a permission form for the students to have signed by
their parents. Information will be dispersed for their time capsule
that will be interred with the tree planting as part of the dedication.
Activities for the Action and Reflection portions of the service
learning activity will be discussed.
Action
Students will travel to a predetermine location and plant a tree.
Students will be instructed as to the proper method of planting
a tree. It has been prearranged that the tree for planting will
have been delivered at the predetermined site.
Reflection
Part I - Using the materials selected by the students, a
time capsule will be sealed. This time capsule will then be interred
with the tree as a record for future generations as to why, when,
and who planted this tree.
Part II - (Baltimore) Students will be informed of other
famous Baltimore City trees, e.g. the Al Capone, Pope John Paul
II and Frederick Douglass trees that were planted earlier in our
city history.
Part III - Students will all recite the Baltimore City
Forestry Board's Tree Pledge that will encourage students to be
responsible for the care and upkeep of their tree.
Celebration
Certificates of service learning hours will be presented to student
participants and photos and film will be shown for the enjoyment
and evaluation of the students.
Materials
- tree
- permission slips
- TV, VCR, camcorder, camera
- time capsule
Environmental Film. For additional resources contact the Maryland
Student Service Alliance.
Vocabulary
Service learning, tree well, civic virtue, common welfare, citizenship.
Baltimore City Forestry Board, Baltimore City Forestry Department, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, and Maryland Department of Natural
Resources.
Materials: one length of 4 inch PVC drain pipe, two caps
PVC (4 inch), one bottle of PVC glue
- Purchasing materials or seek donations from a construction/plumbing
company.
- Cut 4" PVC pipe into an 18" length. A hand saw is adequate,
sometimes construction/ plumbing companies will cut to length
for school projects.
- Glue one PVC cap on to the end.
- Place material to be saved into the open end. Seal by glueing
and placing the second PVC cap on the open end.
- Bury sealed Time Capsule in the tree pit when planting.
- Properly match tree to planting site. Be wary of planting
invasive or non native species. Check with local Department
of Natural Resources.
- Have adequate tools available:
- Spade shaped shovels
- Picks and pry bars for hard soil or rocks
- Tree cart or wheel barrel for large size tree.
- Stakes and wire retainers with rubber hose supports
- Mulch
- maul or stake driver
- water
- Dig planting hole twice the size of the tree ball.
- Remove and discard wire and or other wrapping from tree ball.
- Gently place tree ball in ground and file with dirt. Top
of tree ball should be even with the ground line. Be careful
not to place rocks or other debris into backfill.
- Backfill dirt and gently tamp to remove air pockets.
- Drive stakes into ground approximately six inches beyond
the digging area.
- Secure tree trunk to the stakes with wire retainers making
sure the rubber hose supports prevent the tree bark from being
scraped. Remember to remove stakes and supports after one year.
- Water Tree
- Place mulch over digging site and tree base.
- Have students take the tree pledge.
- Photograph or film tree planting for reflection and celebration
activity and or media coverage
I promise to:
To be thankful for the fresh air and the shade this
tree gives us.
To water this tree when it is needed.
To watch over this tree so that no harm comes to it.
On my honor so help me!
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