School: Ka Waihona o Ka Naʻauao, Public Charter School
Grade Level: Kindergarten
Teacher: K. Kwan, D. Makanani, J. Catian
Driving Question:
- How can plants provide for us? (healthy bodies, farming/food, nutritional benefits)
- How can we continue to mālama plants using similar ways of our kūpuna and modern ways?
What did the students DO?
This project was implemented in three Kindergarten classrooms at Ka Waihona o Ka Naʻauao, Public Charter School over a three month period. This project incorporates a variety of classroom activities, on-site visits from a community member, take home/ʻohana activities, site visits and of course, content in the classroom.
The students engaged in lessons that explored traditional and modern ways of taking care of plants, learning how to start a home garden, and researching ways in which plants provide for a healthy lifestyle. Every student was able to visit a local farm (Hoa ʻĀina o Mākaha) as well as have 3 on-site visits with a farmer. They were able to incorporate their learning of plant life into a home container garden with their ohana, visit a local grocery store to explore healthy and unhealthy foods and what nutrients it provides to our bodies, participate in an on-site visit from a Nutritionist to receive materials that provided for a healthy diet and teeth maintenance. The students also participated in an open market visit with farmer presentations, art activities, and a plant scavenger hunt. They gathered hands-on information about vermicomposting (composting with worms) as well as paper composting with a community organization. The students also participated in a three-day workshop on craft kapala/ʻohe kāpala. The students also received a three-day workshop on ʻohe kāpala. They were able to learn about different modern and traditional ways that plants provide for clothing and ornamental pieces.
This project ended with a grade level hōʻike in which the students presented their learning to their families on stage in the form of music, oral presentations, and hands-on demonstrations.
All of the experiences provided were directly related to the grade level driving question. All of the experiences were to enhance all the other classroom learning that the teachers had planned for this project. We partnered with KWON Kindergarten teachers for three years. Every year a combination of some or all experiences was from that three-year collaboration.
Place-Based Field Experiences/Connections
On-site Visits:
- Hoa ʻĀina o Mākaha
- Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
- Fyah Island Family (ʻohe kāpala workshops)
- Kōkua Foundations (composting workshops)
Off-site Visits:
- Hoa ʻĀina o Mākaha
- Safeway, Kapōlei
- Waiʻanae Coast Comprehensive Health Center
Possible At-home Connections:
- Grocery store scavenger hunt
- Growing/maintaining a healthy container garden
- Creating healthy meals
