Michael R. White

This semester for capstone my group in the Demonstration School within the Cleveland Metropolitan School District, otherwise known as Michael R. White STEM School.  Throughout the last few weeks our group has been working with the administration and faculty of both Michael R. White and the Case Western Reserve University Farm to plan field trips centered around improving the nutrition knowledge of the students.
Honestly, at the beginning, our project felt like it would be nearly impossible.  We needed to find funding, make appointments, plan lessons, and get approval from numerous administrative people--all in a short period of time.  Thankfully, with a great deal of teamwork from us along with all of our administrators and faculty members we were able to come up with a plan.  Our list of what to do sometimes seemed long and overwhelming on certain days, but it would eventually become shorter and shorter as the days passed.
We continued to work on our project and finally received word that funding would be available and our field trips to the Farm would be possible.  Now onto the fun part--planning the activities and lessons we would be teaching at the Farm.
We decided to do two 6th grade field trips that would concentrate on topics such as sugars, honey, healthy snack options, winter crops, and how to grow crops in different environments.  Each lesson includes an interactive PowerPoint presentation along with a fun and exciting activity related to the Case Western Reserve Farm.  We are also hoping for two 5th grade field trips that will concentrate on composting and nutrition.
Since I was placed at the Farm last year to help  the senior capstone students with their field trips, I am extremely excited to get the kids out to the farm and help educate them about the topics listed above.  From my experience the kids learn better when placed in this kind of new environment where they are able to interactively learn and have the opportunity to be hands on in their education process.
Our project is coming together very nicely.  Field trip dates are nearing and I honestly can't wait to have a great time with the children at the Farm.

Not only have we been working on this project, we have also be working across the district doing eye screenings with a nurse.  Along with the eye screenings we have also been able to shadow nurses at medically fragile schools.  A few of us had the opportunity to met a teacher at one of the schools who was extremely impressive.  He had 4 medically fragile students that needed a great deal of care.  This teacher acted as though he was their second father.  He had compassion I had never seen in a teacher within the school district in the past.  He is passionate about what he does and wants these children to become the best they can be.  I truly believe it was a great experience to see him work with the children.