Coventry Service Learning Projects

Warm Up Coventry

Grades: K - 5

Subjects: Math, Art History, & Writing

The students and faculty of Blackrock School crocheted squares to make blankets for the homeless in Coventry.  Children partnered with Grades 1 and 5 and met with a guest speaker from the Coventry Human Services and  Crossroads to discuss the needs of the homeless.  The seniors at the Community Center assisted with sewing the items together to make scarves and blankets.

Rhode Island Food Bank Project

Grades: K - 5

Subjects: Language Arts, Social Studies

Students at Western Coventry Elementary School will create partnerships with community businesses and organizations to increase food donations during critical low times for the Rhode Island Food Bank.  The project is supported by the $10,000 Feinstein grant to purchase a Smartboard, six computers, computer tables, a printer, and a club to over see the project.

R.I. Rhyme Celebration

Grades K-12

Subjects: ESL/Foreign Languages/Language Arts/Art/ Music

Coventry’s ESL and the high school’s foreign language students will host the RI Rhyme Celebration for the 2^nd year.  The purpose is to bring students in grades K-9 together from different RI communities to perform rhymes, finger plays, songs, games, and dance.  Students and parents will discover and share world languages and cultures through “the arts”.

Moving On Up to First Grade

Grade 1

Subjects: Language Arts/Art

First grade students will develop surveys for creating supply lists and goals for incoming first grade students and parents to ease the transition to a full day program.  A “buddy day” will be held by first grade students to show Kindergarten children a bit of what first grade is all about and to help them feel comfortable with the transition. A supply list will be written for parents, local stores, and libraries.  A handbook will be created during the second year to be given out to parents as a guide to first grade.

R.E.A.C.T. (Recycling Education and Apprentice Citizenship Together)

Grade: 3

Subjects: Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies

The R.E.A.C.T. project was created to answer the following questions:  Why aren't we recycling at Washington Oak School?  How can we educate everyone at our school regarding the importance of recycling?  What type of procedures can we use to make recycling highly effective?  How can we help others in our town learn how important recycling is?  Students visited the Rhode Island Recycling Center to gain first hand knowledge of recycling.  They then began a school-wide recycling project and developed a web page to share their recycling knowledge with others in the community.

The Wallaby Fitness Challenge

Grades: 3 - 5

Subject: Physical Education & Health

This project was implemented to increase overall physical fitness and cardiovascular endurance of students and staff through the "Wallaby Fitness Challenge".  In Physical Education classes students in grades three through five participated in weekly warm-up routines that improved cardiovascular endurance and overall physical fitness to get them ready for a culminating event known as "Jump Rope for Heart". At the end of this event they saw how far they had improved in their overall physical fitness.  Pedometers and journals were purchased to record personal goals.

Western’s Watershed Watch

Grade 3

Subjects: Science/Mathematics/English Language Arts

Third grade students will test water from the pond that is on Western Coventry School Property.  They will learn about water quality while monitoring the watershed.  Students will apply knowledge learned about watersheds and pond life through videotapes, books, and water testing to the outdoor classroom.  The U.R.I. Watershed Watch will be a community partner.

Outdoor Classroom

Grade 3

Subjects: Science/Mathematics/Reading/Writing

Seedlings for Supper

Grade 3

Subjects: Math, Science, Social Studies, and  Language Arts

Students will design a greenhouse to be stationed outside the  third grade classrooms.  Third graders will utilize their knowledge of plant growth gained through the science curriculum to operate the greenhouse.  Proceeds from the sale of plants will be donated to the Coventry Food Bank.

Faces and Places in Coventry

Grade 3

Subjects: Social Studies/Language Arts

Students will use books the Internet and field trips to study cultural, historical, and natural sites in town.  Students will create a website linked to Western Coventry School, a power point presentation, pamphlets, stories, displays, and books to increase awareness of people and places in the town.

Let’s Travel Around the World

Grade 4

Subjects: Social Studies/Language Arts

Students will choose a country, research it, and create their own informational booklets.  They will discuss their countries with their classmates.  Families will be invited to view their children’s work and be part of the final celebration. The fourth grade students took an interest in the ESL children’s backgrounds.

Let's Educate Then Celebrate the Power of Language Learning

Grades: 4 - 12

Subject: World Languages

CHS Level 4 students taught Spanish, French, and Italian language and culture to the 4th grade student in the elementary schools.  The CHS students prepared and executed six basic language and culture lessons for the elementary school students.  There was a culminating event in which the elementary school students and high school students shared the language skills and cultural information that they learned.

Career Exploration Project

Grade 5

Subjects: Language Arts, Math, Science, Social Studies

The students will orchestrate a career informational day where they will invite members of the community to discuss their careers with groups of fifth graders.  The informational day as well as formal research will prepare the students to create their own presentations on a career.  Projects will be presented to third and fourth graders and members of the community on "Career Day".

Entertaining & Teaching Through Plays

Grade 5

Subjects: English Language Arts, Health, Problem Solving, Art

Students will partner with Alpine Nursing Home.  Students will send letters and gifts to their pen pals.  In the spring they will perform a play to entertain the residents of the nursing home. Students will perform skits for the school, pre-school story hour, and the community.  These skits will be based on health issues, such as bullying, the flu season, litter, recycling, etc. The community performance will require the donation of a canned food for the Coventry Food Bank.

Books for Literacy

Grade 6

Subject: English Language Arts

Students will preview book selections from Scholastic Book Club, write a persuasive letter detailing their choices and why they chose certain books.  Students will present their persuasive letters, vote on the most convincing letter and book selection and proceed to create the budget for the books selected.  These books will be presented to the media center for all the students at Knotty Oak Middle School.  Points accumulated through this order will generate literacy books for classroom libraries.

Grade 8

Subjects: Advisory/Core Subjects

Students will create posters and PowerPoint presentations to be displayed and presented at local schools and community groups to inform them about the economic, social, and psychological cost of vandalism to individuals and the community.  In addition, students will provide hands-on assistance in restoring damaged gravestones and posting reward signs in response to community sponsors’ requests. The goal during the second year is to expand beyond Coventry to the State Level via the RI Attorney General’s Office.

Extreme Courtyard Makeover 

Grade 8

Subjects: Social Studies, English Language Arts, Science, Art

As part of the on-going Anti-Vandalism campaign, student research showed that public places that are maintained and beautiful are least likely to be vandalized.  Students connected this beautification of the courtyard (presently barren) with literacy.  Students will design, implement, plan, and promote the beautification project via the Advisory program or team. Students will design a green space for school and general public use, planting trees and spreading mulch.

Coventry High School Cooks for Community

Grades: 9 - 12

Subject: Creative Cooking

Every Wednesday at the Phoenix Baptist Church students make soups and breads to feed the hungry in a soup kitchen.  Surveys to evaluate the product are passed out to people at the soup kitchen.  Students learned about food production, nutrition, and the wellness of individuals.

Project S.A.Y. Student Advocates Have Their Say

Grade: 10 - 12

Subjects: English Language Arts

Six CHS students received comprehensive self-advocacy and self-determination training from four CHS educators.  These students met as a group six times over the course of three months.  Students compiled a training manual of all instructional materials presented during training sessions. The six CHS students traveled to the FMS twice in the spring of 2008 to train twelve middle school students in the area of student-led IEP meetings.

"Memory Lane" The Problem: Not Handicap Accessible

Grades: 9 - 12

Subjects: Math, Science, English Language Arts, and Mixed Media

This project allowed students to make the existing school garden handicap accessible.  The students constructed a walking path in conjunction with a garden project going on at CHS.  The path was constructed by making individual or small group "stepping stones" describing the individual's talents and ideas.  The end result is "Memory Lane" that made the garden accessible for student who use a wheelchair for mobility.

Empathy Belly

Grade: CHS students and FMS 8th grade students

Project "Empathy Belly" dealt with teen pregnancy.  It helped make high school and middle school students more aware of this serious issue.  Students studied pregnancy, specifically the effects of teenage pregnancy, during Child Studies course.  After studying this unit the students shared their information and the empathy belly with 8th grade students in the Teen Issues course at FMS.

Reading Matters

Grades: 11 & 12

Subject: Reading Comprehension

CHS students applied and demonstrated their oral reading skills to 1rst grade students in our district.  They also discussed that "reading matters" with the younger students.  CHS students demonstrated to these younger students that reading and school are important and relevant and the ultimate goal is to motivate younger students to continue reading and  learning.

Students Inspiring Students Through Chemistry

Grade 10 & 11

Subject: Chemistry

CHS students utilized science content knowledge and skills to research, prepare, and present a chemical demonstration to teach science to and inspire fifth grade elementary children.  This project is on chemical reactions.

Inner Courtyard/Outdoor Classroom

Grades: 9-12

Subjects: Wood Function's, Ceramics, Interior Design

Students worked on the interior courtyard at CHS.  an octagon oriental gazebo was built and terra cotta tiles provided a new walkway.  Students provided the initial designs and assisted in the planting of trees and shrubs.

Fun with Friends

Grades 9-12

Subject: Creative Cooking

The Creative Cooking students will study, select, and adjust several recipes to meet nutrition guidelines from the FDA and the district wellness policy.  In collaboration with students from the Washington Annex program, they will prepare these recipes.  The students will learn from each other, learn, and share valuable nutrition information and practice being supportive of others.

Ceramic Food Sculpture for Display in Community

Grades 9-12

Subject: Art/Ceramics

CHS students created food sculptures for display in local food-related businesses.  This resulted in realistic, exaggerated, or humorous replicas of the culinary offerings of the cooperating establishments.  This ongoing project included student contact with businesses, research into contemporary food related art and its relationship to this project as well as self and peer assessment, critique and reflection.

School Wide Publication of the Entry

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Graphic Communications and Journalism

The Journalism class and the Graphic Communication class will team up to write, edit, design, and print a school wide publication of a student newspaper called “The Entry”.  Our goal is to distribute the Entry to all high school students.

Safer Streets through Science

Grades 11-12

Subject: Forensic Science

Using data provided by the Coventry Police Department, students will analyze motor vehicle traffic violations and accident information.  The data will be sorted into a variety of categories including: total number of accidents, violation type, accident type, injuries/fatalities involved, operator age, sex, and race.  Accident data, locations and photographs will be imported into a Geographic Information System (GIS) map.  Using hand-held Global Positioning System (GPS) units the students will obtain exact locations for these areas. This information will be plotted on a street map of Coventry. Students will analyze the data and visit locations of sites of high incidents. Students will make recommendations to the Police Department as to ways to decrease the likelihood of future incidents.

Deer and Wild Turkey Damage on the Moosup River

Grades 10-11

Subject: Biology

Funding provided through this grant was used to assess the impact of an increasing number of deer on a local community based farm.  the deer's overgrazing on farm crops has caused an economic strain on the farm's family.  Through this grant, remote camera devices were placed throughout the Moosup River Farm to gain insight as to the number of deer and wild turkey visiting the property.  Students interpreted this information and researched appropriate deer management strategies that could be employed on the farm.

Mapping the Asian Clam on Tiogue Lake

Grades: 11 & 12

Subject: Aquatic Ecology

the goal of this project was to gain information to study the impact that the Asian clams have on the lake's ecosystem.  Working with community specialists and resources from the Lake Tiogue Association, URI Watershed Watch, Rhode Island DEM, Coventry Conservation  Commission, Rhode Island Natural History Survey, and the Rhode Island Coastal Resources Management Council, students conducted population studies and geographic distribution of the clams.  They organized and presented data to track the immanent spread of this organism.

Investigation of Environmental Issues

Grades 10-11

Subject: Chemistry

Students will investigate environmental concerns related to many concepts learned in the chemistry classroom.  The information gathered will be used to promote awareness of these issues while emphasizing the responsibility of individuals to prevent or limit further contamination of our environment.  Students will prepare PowerPoint presentations for specialists from the Kent County Water or the Pawtuxet River Authority, as well as, Boy Scout and Girl Scout groups.

 Automotive Shop

Grades 9-12

Subject: Automotive, Child Development

The Automotive Career and Technical students will study and practice their skills for automotive maintenance and repair.  They will become mechanics in order to service and repair the athletic vans and other school staff vehicles.  By performing these skills they are providing a tremendous service to the school district.  Students in the Child Development class requested that the automotive students fix the vans so they could be used for field trips.

Courtyard Renovation Phase 1

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Wood functions/Community Service/Ceramics 2/Interior Design

Students from several subject areas will participate in renovating and improving the outside courtyard at Coventry High School. The students want to enjoy the outdoor classroom while they read, reflect, and study.  These improvements will create a more aesthetically pleasing and functional courtyard for the students and the school staff to use.   Several ideas are being reviewed and discussed.  The students will submit their final plans to the administration and the physical maintenance department before proceeding.

The Book Club

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Child Development/Interior Design/English Language Arts

Students will participate in a Book Club, to share their enjoyment of reading and to promote literacy in the High School and at other schools. Students will learn about the writing process from local authors.  Students will review books for the school newspaper and for the High School summer reading program. The Book Club will support the school library and reading programs.

Sharing Success

Grade 10-11

Subjects: Capstone Projects and Photography

Students will videotape students presenting exemplary capstone projects. Many students setting out to complete their Capstone Projects have great difficulty visualizing the entire process. The DVD’s would be used with students, administrators, and parents to clarify the process.

Think It Over

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Child Development

The project deals with teen pregnancy.  Child Development students will study teen pregnancies and its consequences and impact on society.  The students will perform skits, write letters, and create pamphlets for eighth graders.  The students will participate in several lessons including the "Baby Think It Over" dolls.

Welding Repair Shop

Grades 10-12

Subjects: Welding I & Welding II

Through this grant, teachers and staff brought desks, tables, chairs, and other metal items to the welding shop to be repaired.  Also, students surveyed classrooms for items in need of repair.  Damaged parts were removed and new parts were fabricated and installed.  All work was completed by the students.

Elderly Housing Improvements

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Wood Functions & Mathematics

Students will design, build, and install octagon seating in a gazebo and wheelchair ramps with railings at the Haven Hill Senior Housing in Coventry.

The Outdoor Classroom

Grades 9-12

Subject: Wood Functions

Cooperative project initiated by third grade students at Western Coventry Elementary School to make their pond area near the school more accessible and comfortable for scientific field trip outings.  Their request for seating benches and bridge railing will be provided by students in the woodworking class at Coventry High School – 2 four-foot benches, 2 six-foot benches, and 18 bird nesting boxes built and installed by the high school students. Descriptive guideposts showing trees and bird species in the area will be provided by students in the environment class and installed by the students in woodworking.

Intergenerational Learning

Grades 9-12

Subject: Child Development

Students will study how aging affects people.  Students will experience a simulation of aging called the Virtual Reality Tour. Speakers from the state or local departments for Elderly Affairs will be asked to present to the students.  Students will interact with different elderly populations in town, nursing homes and the senior center. Students will complete reflections and teach their new knowledge to young children in a local day care center.

A Piece of My Heart

Grades 9-12

Subjects: History, English Language Arts, Drama

The English and Social Studies departments will produce the play A Piece of My Heart.  This play deals with the legacy of the Vietnam War.  A Living memorial wall will be shown to all 11^th grade history students.  This research will be an integral part of the new social studies curriculum.

Roman Emperors

Grades 9-12

Subjects: Social Studies, English Language Arts

Students compiled biographies on notable Roman Emperors.  They researched the life and times of a Roman Emperor and assembled the biographies into a professionally bound book.  The students will set up several educational stations each pertaining to an Emperor’s life.  Sixth grade students will tour the stations, learning about the complicated sociopolitical history of ancient Rome through the medium of biography. The books will be displayed at the Coventry library.

2^nd Annual History Symposium

Grades 10-11

Social Studies

200 students, including struggling readers and literacy students are reading the book First They Killed My Father by Loung Ung.  The author will speak to the students in May.  Interviews with Cambodian Genocide survivors in Rhode Island are taking place.  The interviews will be recorded both on film and written.  A DVD/Book will be provided for distribution to local schools.

Trees for a Beautiful Campus

Grades 11-12

Subject: Earth and the Environment

In this project students will plant and care for trees on the school grounds.  The trees will serve to help beautify the school grounds as well as be available for the tree identification portion of the Earth and Environment class.  Utilizing the City Green software and our GIS system students will create a tree map of the campus.  The students will learn about the growth habits of trees and the tree’s needs for nutrients and water. 

Trees Inventories and Mapping

Grades 11-12

Subject: Earth and the Environment

In this project students will use a handheld Palm Pilot to record information about the tree (identify and evaluate the condition of the tree) utilizing the free MCTI software.  Students will use a GPS to pinpoint the coordinates of a tree, return to school, and transfer the stored information onto the classroom computer.  Using the City Green software and our GIS system students will create a tree map of the selected public and non profit lands.