Tracey Cubs participate in service learning projects

The Norwalk Board of Education is proud to recognize Tracey Elementary School students for leaving their PRINT on the environment and exploring cultures from around the globe. Throughout the year, Tracey service learning projects at every grade level are brought to life through community partnerships. Service learning connects academic learning in the classroom, to the school’s core values of PRINT: Problem solving/Perseverance, Respect, Integrity, Being Neighborly and Taking Responsibility.

This year, Tracey’s fifth grade students, partnered with the Maritime Aquarium to enhance learning of animal adaptations and habitats, a connection to the Next Generation Science Standards. After virtual sessions with the aquarium staff, students created a full-size diorama of Calf Pasture Beach on the school’s back field in a pod. Student representatives from Grade 5 led their fellow Cubs through the beach display and taught peers how to be respectful and responsible at the beach. To remind the community to help keep marine life safe and the oceans clean, the entire school collected over 100,000 bottle caps since January of 2020.

Bottle caps were displayed within the diorama.

Tracey third graders also learned about healthy oceans through a partnership with Sound Waters. Students created a display at Calf Pasture Beach with information about ocean clean up systems. Third graders also invented their own mini systems that ranged from underwater magnet cars, seaplanes, robots and various types of machines that would pick up non-plastic garbage out of oceans.

In the fall, Tracey’s fourth grade students participated in a service learning project via a virtual partnership with Lockwood Mathews Mansion. Students learned about various holidays and traditions from around the world and discussed cultural similarities. They also created dolls from various cultures such as Ghana wish dolls, Russian nesting dolls, Mayan and Guatemalan worry dolls and African village dolls, which became part of a Lockwood Mathews Mansion holiday exhibit. Second graders also partnered with the Mansion to create a story walk.

The Board of Education honors these students for their hard work and success in connecting their learning with that of our greater community. We know that our Tracey cubs will share these valuable lessons and incorporate them into their daily lives to help make the world a better place.