2009-2010 Kokua Earth Action Projects
Check back soon for more links to project photos, videos, and how-to sheets!
Kahala Elementary School Grades K-6
Ms. Sheila Buyukucar
“A Cleaner Awareness”
The focus of this project was to learn and teach others about the harmful affects of their cleaners at school and at home. The overall goal was to decrease the amount of harmful solvents and increase the use of natural cleansers by their school and community.
Kahala Elementary School Grades K-6
Ms. Sheila Buyukucar
“Coolin’ Winds”
This project helped students become aware of the possible energy and money savings that can come from using our air conditioners in more efficient and prudent ways. The overall goal was to decrease the amount of time our classes use a room’s air conditioner. Therefore reducing energy consumption we use for cooling.
Kaimuki Middle School Grades 6-7
Ms. Lianna Lam
“The Kaimuki Middle Recycling Program”
The Planeteers, an afterschool-Earth-stewardship and service club installed paper and plastic recycling bins in every classroom and started up a small-scale worm composting program for cafeteria scraps. With the help of the Green House LEAP program, students learned about the energy cycle and have rallied to pass out recycling fliers, maintain recycle bins, and construct four worm bins for cafeteria food waste. The goal of this service learning project was to teach students about reducing waste and to help our campus become more sustainable.
Kainalu Elementary School Grades 5-6
Ms. Dianne Kellet
“Kainalu’s Garden of Wellness”
Ms. Kellet’s group proposed to plant a school garden in direct proximity to the school cafeteria which will included 4 raised beds (each 4x4 and modeled after the Square Foot Gardening Program. The Garden of Wellness program supports the school’s mission by providing additional learning experiences to the students in an effort to help them reach their full potential and experience success and it will provide an opportunity for those students who may otherwise never have the chance to benefit from all the wonders a garden can offer. Their goal was to not only increase children’s capacity for making healthy choices by involving them in a simple, fun and exciting activity, but also to engage in learning about, caring for, and nourishing nature and their environment.
Noelani Elementary School Grade 1
Ms. Lianne Morita
“Saving Energy”
Mrs. Morita’s 1st graders project was to teach families to identify ways to save energy/electricity in our homes. First grade students learn about service to others by helping the community and their families practice conservation and sustainability to save energy. The students also created materials to teach their families and community how to adopt ways to save energy in their homes.
St. Anthony School Grades K-6
Ms. Elizabeth Garrison
“St. Anthony School Gardens”
St. Anthony School’s hope was to grow enough food to help the Catholic outreach across the street. The 7th grade started their garden over the summer and assisted other grades in starting their gardens. The Kindergarten through 2nd grade classes developed their garden project around their spiraling unit that focuses on 21st century leaning that is project based and involves collaborative learning. The ultimate goal was to inspire students to help others start a garden at home, in their community or their church. Since the 7th graders helped the other grades they hoped students would want to continue providing this service to others.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Grade K-6
Mr. Joe Cicak
“Composting of ‘AINA Kine Healthy Snack Rubbish in Worm Bin”
Mr. Cicak’s group project established a worm bin for vermicomposting rubbish collected from the ‘AINA Kine healthy snack program which was used for their ‘AINA Kine garden beds. Classes deposited rubbish in a general composting bin. They taught students who participated in the ‘AINA Kine Farmers Market Club that every action of a project, healthy snacks for instance, can have a positive effect on the environment along with nourishing the student body. Zero Waste.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Kindergarten
Ms. Lisa Johnson
“Plant a Card in Your Yard”
Students reused colored construction paper scraps from the daily classroom activities to make new paper. In the note card paper, students infused seeds from their ‘AINA In Schools Kindergarten Butterfly Garden and educated others how the note card was made. Students recognized that not all paper could be recycled in the normal recycle bin, but there was a way to reduce the paper waste. During the project, students modeled the term reuse and discovered how paper can biodegrade while germinating new flower designs.
Sunset Beach Elementary School Grades 5-6
Ms. Laura Cummings
“Energy Cycle”
This project was aimed at connecingt energy conservation with physical fitness by using the student’s mechanical energy (pedaling a stationary bicycle ) to transfer and store in a battery to be used for charging their science lab mini-laptops for their Science Enrichment program. The overall goal of our project was to teach students how different types of energy is transferred into electricity, promote conservation of energy while investigating renewable energy sources, and promote physical fitness.
Wai’alae Public Charter School Grade 4
Mr. Randy Jackson
“Recycle & Renew Clothing”
Students brought old shirts to school and turned them into a “new” shirt with a fresh new look or into a reusable shopping bag. Students learned how this helps the environment and learned more about the impact the clothing industry has on the environment and how through creative ways they can help reduce this impact.
Waialua High School Grades 9 & 11
Ms. Marsha Taylor
“Waialua Gardens and Aquaponics”
Ms. Tayor’s group set up an aquaponic area with a BioPod on their campus. In addition to worm composting and recycling cafeteria food, they started recycling the detritus through a BioPod which fed the talapia they have and started an aquaponic area. Their goal was to recycle the “other” cafeteria waste in the Bio Pod that would feed the talapia in the aquaponic tanks. The aquaponics system provided the students and culinary arts program with herbs and leafy greens. They are currently utilizing worm compost from recycled cafeteria waste. They hope to expand on this through the Bio pod and establish an aquaponics area where we can grow leafy greens.