The purpose of the Keep North Carolina Beautiful WOO grant is to fully implement and expand the burgeoning “Beautification Club” at HJ MacDonald Middle School. Under new leadership, the administration has set up weekly times that the entire student body can participate in PBL (Project-Based Learning) clubs that are tied to practical applications of the content curriculum.

 

Until now, the Beautification Club has swept up leaves and placed them in compost bins around the school, which is great. However the possibilities and reach of this club are limitless. With the help of this grant, The HJ MacDonald Middle School Beautification Club will assist in growing and planting native shrubbery, flowers, and fruit trees that provide a natural beauty that is more environmentally sound for the school grounds. It will educate students about the symbiotic relationship between plants and animals such as honeybees, ladybugs, and others. It will also expose students to the benefits of outdoor education.

 

Additionally, it will educate students about the origin of fruits and vegetables and help students identify the role of flowers in the growth cycle of plants. This grant will also provide education about endangered and threatened trees of North Carolina such as the LongLeaf Pine Tree. By growing and expanding this club, students will learn about native plant species and how to grow and nurture them to provide a natural and aesthetically pleasing space for recreation and wildlife on the school campus.

 

This project-based approach to beautification of the school’s grounds that will be implemented will engage students’ curiosity and inquiry as they explore the science and social studies standards by growing plants firsthand, observing, asking questions, doing research, and reporting.