Fourth Grade Solves Environmental Problems

In December 2014, fourth graders revealed to their parents and classmates their solutions to problems that plague our environment. It all started with a Sustainability Design Challenge, when they were asked to research questions they had about sustainable practices for handling trash. The students had performed mini-landfill experiments and visited the Pinellas County Waste to Energy facility. Their composting efforts also taught them about decomposition and recycling food waste. The fourth graders also investigated how these problems affect them personally, and how they affect the local and global community.

In a flurry of brainstorming, the students developed long lists of possible solutions which they narrowed down to one idea through a process of peer feedback. Among the many ideas, there were solutions proposed to reduce the amount of plastic trash that ends up in our oceans, protect and repair coral reefs, raise awareness of the impact trash has on marine life, reduce the amount of styrofoam we use, utilize alternative energy sources, and appeal to our elected officials to ban plastic shopping bags.

Students then presented their projects to parents, peers, faculty and friends: