Driving question:
“How can we use the philosophy of The Island School to make Brookwood a more sustainable community?”
“How can we use the philosophy of The Island School to make Brookwood a more sustainable community?”
The Island School and Our Experience:
Over Brookwood's 2014 summer vacation several kids from the seventh grade, including us, traveled to the Island School. The Island School says it best when they say they offer "a transformative educational semester and summer journey." Their programs make learning about marine biology and sustainability a fully immersive and fun experience. The best part? They offer it for older Middle and High School students from around the world. Located in Eleuthera, Bahamas, the Island School makes a very little impact on the Earth and works to combat the effects of global warming through everyday changes. We speak for the whole 8th grade at Brookwood when we say that the Island school was the best part of our summers. We all learned a lot about biology and sustainability, and now we want to bring it to Brookwood.
Mission statement:
By May 15th, we hope our GAP group will have educated the whole 8th grade about how much gas, natural gas, and water Brookwood uses compared to the Island School and share ideas on how to make Brookwood more sustainable. We also hope to use the Island School’s philosophy of reducing our energy consumption and using locally available resources to reduce their impact on the environment.
Over Brookwood's 2014 summer vacation several kids from the seventh grade, including us, traveled to the Island School. The Island School says it best when they say they offer "a transformative educational semester and summer journey." Their programs make learning about marine biology and sustainability a fully immersive and fun experience. The best part? They offer it for older Middle and High School students from around the world. Located in Eleuthera, Bahamas, the Island School makes a very little impact on the Earth and works to combat the effects of global warming through everyday changes. We speak for the whole 8th grade at Brookwood when we say that the Island school was the best part of our summers. We all learned a lot about biology and sustainability, and now we want to bring it to Brookwood.
Mission statement:
By May 15th, we hope our GAP group will have educated the whole 8th grade about how much gas, natural gas, and water Brookwood uses compared to the Island School and share ideas on how to make Brookwood more sustainable. We also hope to use the Island School’s philosophy of reducing our energy consumption and using locally available resources to reduce their impact on the environment.
Local Project:
In order to raise awareness of sustainability at Brookwood and inform conversations with global partner schools such as The Island School and FAWE School we are going to educate the whole 8th grade about how much energy and water Brookwood uses compared to the Island School and create projects to reduce the amount of these resources that we use at Brookwood.
On February 23rd, we made the following presentations to the 8th grade:
Gasoline: Many students and teachers travel 20 miles or more to attend Brookwood. Most people don't carpool and not a lot of kids take the bus, meaning a large amount of gas is used to get students and teachers to and from our school. Gasoline comes from petroleum and when it burns CO2 is produced and this contributes to climate change. On February 23rd, we presented to the 8th grade about the amount of gas people use to get to Brookwood and ways we can reduce fuel usage.
Natural gas: Brookwood School depends on Natural Gas to heat the whole school. Natural Gas is expensive and burning it releases the greenhouse gas CO2. On February 23rd, we presented to the 8th grade bout our school's usage of Natural Gas and how we can reduce the amount used.
Water: Brookwood is a school of 400 students and uses a lot of water every year. On February 23rd, we presented to the whole 8th grade about the water usage here at Brookwood compared to the Island School. The Island School is very conscious about the amount of water used and has a very efficient system. Our goal is to take the philosophy of the Island School and try our best to bring some of the ideas to Brookwood about reducing our water use.
In order to raise awareness of sustainability at Brookwood and inform conversations with global partner schools such as The Island School and FAWE School we are going to educate the whole 8th grade about how much energy and water Brookwood uses compared to the Island School and create projects to reduce the amount of these resources that we use at Brookwood.
On February 23rd, we made the following presentations to the 8th grade:
Gasoline: Many students and teachers travel 20 miles or more to attend Brookwood. Most people don't carpool and not a lot of kids take the bus, meaning a large amount of gas is used to get students and teachers to and from our school. Gasoline comes from petroleum and when it burns CO2 is produced and this contributes to climate change. On February 23rd, we presented to the 8th grade about the amount of gas people use to get to Brookwood and ways we can reduce fuel usage.
Natural gas: Brookwood School depends on Natural Gas to heat the whole school. Natural Gas is expensive and burning it releases the greenhouse gas CO2. On February 23rd, we presented to the 8th grade bout our school's usage of Natural Gas and how we can reduce the amount used.
Water: Brookwood is a school of 400 students and uses a lot of water every year. On February 23rd, we presented to the whole 8th grade about the water usage here at Brookwood compared to the Island School. The Island School is very conscious about the amount of water used and has a very efficient system. Our goal is to take the philosophy of the Island School and try our best to bring some of the ideas to Brookwood about reducing our water use.
On April 17th the Island School GAP group skyped with Alanna Waldman From the Island School. Watch to learn about ways Alanna said we could make Brookwood more like the Island School.
1-5 minutes: Fiona, Mr. Lehrer, and the Island School GAP groups (Clean Oceans and Green Your School) give an overview of what we are working towards.
5-6 minutes: Mr. Lehrer talks about future partnerships between Brookwood's 8th grade and the Island School.
6-13 minutes: The Island School Sustainability GAP group asks questions about how to implement sustainable systems at Brookwood.
13- 23 minutes: The Island School Safe Oceans GAP group asks questions about how to consciously make an effort to help the ocean.
23-30 minutes: Both Island School groups talk about ways we can help incoming eighth graders make a difference.
1-5 minutes: Fiona, Mr. Lehrer, and the Island School GAP groups (Clean Oceans and Green Your School) give an overview of what we are working towards.
5-6 minutes: Mr. Lehrer talks about future partnerships between Brookwood's 8th grade and the Island School.
6-13 minutes: The Island School Sustainability GAP group asks questions about how to implement sustainable systems at Brookwood.
13- 23 minutes: The Island School Safe Oceans GAP group asks questions about how to consciously make an effort to help the ocean.
23-30 minutes: Both Island School groups talk about ways we can help incoming eighth graders make a difference.