So, I have some bad news... apparently I didn't qualify for the grant I spent 3 hours applying for, which is a huge dissapointment! Mrs. Price and I checked to make sure I was eligible for this grant, but I guess we missed something. Supposedly I'm supposed to be affiliated with a public school somehow, but I thought I could be affiliated with a private oganization (which would be Oakbrook). Hopefully I'll be able to apply for another grant before the year is over. I will be looking at other grant options during the 2nd semester, but until then, I've got too much on my plate. I still have some major corrections to make on my research paper. I need to add at least 4 or 5 more sources to my paper, which is already 16 pages long. This is a problem. I really want to stick to my original thesis, focusing on the how buying local organic food is better for the environment, one's health, and the economy, but that topic turned out to be a much larger area to cover than I anticipated. I'm finding that I could go on and on about those three things and probably write a 25 page paper easily. I wish there wasn't a page limit- and I'm not trying to sound like a nerd. We shall see.
As for the garden, the plants continue to grow, though some are suffering. I think it's because they require more water than I'm able to give. I try to water them every day and on the weekends, but sometimes I can't water them on one day of the weekend because I'm out of town or something. I water them every school day, though. As for the composting, it's still going. I'm debating whether or not I should end the compost once Christmas break arrives. Or else, it will become massive and overwhelming. I still go by the 4th grade, now about only 2 times a week, to empty the compost with them. They also take turns watering the plants. Every time I come by the get my three volunteers, they are all so excited to go, they fight over whose turn it is to be "the volunteer". I'm not sure if they're just excited to get out of class or if they're truly excited about the garden. Hopefully the latter.
As I was reading your post I wondered if maybe you could turn some of the garden jobs over to some of the 4th graders such that you would not have to compost with them every time... could they do it by themselves? Maybe you could choose two or three responsible students who could supervise the others. The teachers could advise you about this. You might even ask if there is a student in 4th or 5th who either lives near the school or goes to Hope Point Church and could help with the weekend watering.
ReplyDeleteYou know, that sounds like a great idea! It just makes me nervous... but I guess I have to trust them sometime! I know when I was in 4th grade, I would have wanted to be trusted with responsibilities... I will talk to the 4th grade teachers about this.
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