Crossroads News

Earth Day Inspires Interactive Middle School Workshops

Interdisciplinary activities and field trips promote student engagement, environmental justice.
“No exchanges, no refunds, climate change can’t be undone!”
 
Carrying signs and posters with thoughtful messages about our delicate planet, Middle School students commemorated Earth Day by holding an environmental awareness rally at Crossroads.
 
The inspiring afternoon march capped a wide variety of activities throughout the day as students broadened their understandings of Earth through science, art, activism, politics and beyond.
 
In one classroom, students examined the science behind climate change. Other groups of students approached Earth Day through a political lens, discussing environmental legislation and drafting a Crossroads Green New Deal.
 
In the Alley, students conducted a waste audit, using gloves to empty trash bins around the School and meticulously categorizing items such as food, plastics, recyclables and more. There was also a station where students learned about the importance of worms in gardening.
 
Some students shared nature-centric stories and poetry in Council sessions with Upper Schoolers. Others created original artwork using toxin-free nail polish after learning about the environmental impacts of the product.
 
Short field trips to Virginia Avenue Park, Ishihara Park and the Ballona Wetlands further enhanced students’ knowledge of nature and its role in urban settings.
 
The day also featured guest speakers who shared insights about environmental activism, the impact of dietary choices on carbon output and other efforts to promote sustainability.
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