First Graders Support Boston Medical Center Through Year-Long Pollinator Project
This spring, BB&N’s first graders turned a year of learning into action by raising money for the Boston Medical Center (BMC) rooftop garden. Students created All About Pollinator Gardens books, greeting cards, and handcrafted bee homes, which were sold at the Lower School Book Fair. All proceeds benefited the rooftop garden, which grows fresh food for the BMC Food Pantry.
The fundraiser was the culmination of an interdisciplinary study focused on the role pollinators play in supporting healthy gardens and food security. Throughout the school year, students built their bee homes, created watercolor artwork, and engaged in project-based activities. They visited the BMC rooftop garden and Fenway Farms and heard from pollinator experts at Tufts University. Toward the end of their exploration, students also donated food to a community fridge in Cambridge.
“This was the first year we did the project and we are excited about reflecting as a team and adapting it for next year. We are quite proud of the work we did so far and the amount of money we raised for the BMC,” said Lizzie Thome, first-grade science teacher.
Thanks to the first-grade team’s innovative ideas, students gained hands-on experience helping their local community.
