Caring for People and Places
The service learning program forms an important component of the school’s mission to develop “Heart, Mind, Community.” The overarching goal is to translate classroom learning into action at our school and in the larger community. As Prospect Sierra students become more curious about and aware of the world around them, they discover what it takes to be engaged leaders for positive social and environmental change. Service learning is integrated into the curriculum with a specific focus at each grade level.
Kindergarten
Caring for Ourselves, One Another, and the Earth
Canyon Trail Park serves as an outdoor classroom where children spend time exploring and making discoveries on nature walks, deepening their connection to the earth. Kindergartners learn about our watershed and fresh water habitats. They study trees and the web of life, amphibians and the life cycle of a frog. They grow native plants for Canyon Trail Park, a creek in Pinole, as well as for our school grounds, and learn about the ancient petroglyphs down by the pond and the value of preserving them.
First Grade
Understanding and Participating in our Community
First graders research different jobs, construct a community museum, and interview members of the school community at the elementary campus. They learn about the Bay as they clean up at the Berkeley Marina, and they work regularly in the school garden planting, caring for and harvesting seasonal vegetables throughout the year. They also perform a play to teach others about the life and work of Cesar Chavez, deliver C.S.A. boxes, and host a Farmer’s Market. First graders choose where to donate their profits from the Farmer’s Market.
Second Grade
Sharing the Wonder of Local Birds
Through bird walks, field trips, presentations by naturalists, art, science, and literature, the 2nd graders become experts at locating and identifying birds in Canyon Trail Park. They discover that several species of the birds they observe are dangerously low in numbers. As a celebration and fundraiser for a bird organization of their choice, 2nd graders create watercolor and oil pastels of local birds and print them on postcards, posters, and necklaces.
Third Grade
Learning, and Using, Sign Language
Building empathy and creative problem solving are at the core of the 3rd graders’ experience with their preschool buddies at the Center for Early Intervention in Deafness. The desire to connect and bond with their young friends provides a meaningful context for learning sign language, exploring differences, revising assumptions, and reflecting on the needs of others.
Fourth Grade
Raising Awareness About Greening Schools
Traditionally, our fourth graders are environmental leaders at the elementary campus, taking charge of the recycling program from the first day of school and teaching the school community about disposable, recyclable, and compostable waste. The students collect, sort, and weigh a day’s garbage in regular waste “audits,” analyzing and graphing the data from these audits to explore ways to reduce the school’s waste. To reach beyond campus borders, fourth graders become green activists as they write letters to businesses and organizations to promote improved environmental awareness and practices.