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2
DIRT! THE MOVIE SEMINAR ANNOTATION QUESTIONS
"Floods, drought, climate change, even war are all directly related to the way
we are treating dirt." Please use complete sentences appropriate for seminar.
Answer your team’s question. A, B, C or D. Section 1
A. Why is dirt considered living?
B. Explain how a small “lens” of soil leftover from the glaciers can result in a large old growth forest.
C. Explain how the fungus mycelium makes dirt in a forest.
D. What happened in the back of Clyde’s pickup truck while he was in the hospital?
Answer your team’s question. Section 2
A. Explain the statement “I just had a sip of dinosaur pee” made by Andy Lipkis.
B. How are animals like cows essential to the formation of dirt?
C. Why does the wine expert taste and smell the dirt of the vineyards he is visiting?
DIRT! THE MOVIE SEMINAR ANNOTATION QUESTIONS
D. Give three examples of practical applications of the mud/dung mixtures. 1. 2. 3.
Answer your team’s question. Section 3
A. Practices such as strip mining and mountaintop removal are in pursuit of what resource?
B. What happens to the heavy metals that are exposed by strip mining?
C. Los Angeles is mostly covered in concrete and pavement. What happens to the water that falls on the city?
D. How do monocultures relate to the Dust Bowl of the 1930s?
Answer your team’s question. Section 4
A. Why does the use of pesticides and herbicides become necessary with monocultures?
DIRT! THE MOVIE SEMINAR ANNOTATION QUESTIONS
B. How does the use of nitrogen fertilizers result in dead zones in bodies of water?
C. What eventually happens to forest that is cut and burned?
D. What is the cause of the unusually high rate of suicide of Indian farmers?
Answer your team’s question. Section 5
A. What did the Haitians in the slum use as a remedy for hunger?
B. If the agroecology methods used successfully in Burkina Faso were duplicated in Ethiopia, how productive could the country be?
C. How does the root system of an annual plant such as wheat compare to the root system
of a perennial plant?
D. What is the relationship between the diversity of plant root systems and erosion?
DIRT! THE MOVIE SEMINAR ANNOTATION QUESTIONS
Answer your team’s question. Section 6
A. Give two benefits of planting a “green roof”. 1. 2.
B. Compare the types of landscapes children in urban settings use to play with those found in the rural villages of India. Urban (city): Rural (country):
C. How long did it take to compost the liquid fish waste into usable soil?
D. What are possible applications of the microbial fuel cells?
All Teams answer The Reflection Question:
The movie ends with examples of how working with the soil of the Earth can change someone’s life. Describe one of these examples. How can our (humans) relationship to soil help us practice Stewardship?”
Seminar Questions: As a team create two more questions for seminar.
Glossary (mini-dictionary of words you may not know)
glaciers: a slowly moving mass or river of ice formed by the accumulation and compaction of snow
dead zones: a place or period in which nothing happens or in which no life exists
mycelium: the vegetative part of a fungus,
consisting of a network of fine white filaments agroecology: an approach to farming that views
farms as ecosystems that respects the environment
monocultures: the cultivation of a single crop in a given area
perennial: living for several years or for many years : having a life cycle that is more than two years long
Dust Bowl: land once used for farming but that has become a desert because of a lack of rain
erosion: The gradual destruction of something by natural forces (such as water, wind, or ice)
pesticides: a chemical that is used to kill animals or insects that damage plants or crops
microbial: an extremely small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope
herbicides: a chemical used to destroy plants or
stop plant growth Cool Roots! cide=to kill, agro=farm,
mono=one, glac=ice, micro=small, herb=plant, bio=life
Gamble Montessori Middle School
Learning ServiceWeek Journal
Name:
Community:
Farm Stewardship Experience: Service
Table of Contents/Checklist
Activity Page Number Student Signature Teacher Signature
Interview Questions
Page 1-2
Journal Entry
Page 3-4
Sketch
Page 5
Acknowledgements
Page 6
Thank You Letter: First Draft
Page 7
Thank You Letter Final Draft
Separate Document
Community Service Week Project
Page 8
Community Service Week Project Rubric
Page 9
CNN Heroes Separate Packet
Dirt! The Movie Seminar/Movie Guide
Separate Packet
Farm Interview Questions: Interview a person at your armf and record their answers to the questions.
You should have 5 prepared interview questions before the experience and have them answered before you
leave to the experience.
Questions can be written for either a staff person at the field experience location or for a person who receives
support at the field experience locatio .n
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5.
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: Write a journal entry describing the activities you participated in today. Be sure to answer the
following questions in your response:
1. What did you do?
2. What did you enjoy about your work?
3. Identify a character strength that you needed to use when you worked with others today (trust,
determination, compassion, humor, etc.) and explain how you used it.
4. Reflect on what you gained through your experience today - how it affected you and how it might affect
your future.
5. How do your experiences today fit in with our quarterly theme of
Stewardship
?
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Sketch: In the space below, draw and color a detailed labeled and sketch that is related to your
experience.
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Acknowledge 5 fellow students and 3 adults from your community service experience. Use the words below.
Word Name of person you acknowledge
Acknowledgement sentence
ambitious: having or showing a strong desire and determination to succeed
Derek I want to acknowledge Derek for
being ambitious. He helped our group
to finish our work.
amicable: having a spirit of friendliness; without serious disagreement
amusing: causing laughter or providing entertainment
brave: ready to face and endure danger or pain; showing courage
bright: Intelligent and quick-witted
broad-minded: Tolerant or liberal in one's views and reactions; not easily offended
calm: Not showing or feeling nervousness, anger, or other strong emotions.
careful: Making sure of avoiding potential danger, mishap, or harm; cautious
charming: very polite, friendly, and likeable
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7
Thank
letter. the of draft rough your write to below space the Use experience. your on metyou someone to letter
You Thank a write designed beautifully is that paper of piece separate a On Letter: You
Learning Service Summative Project Rubric Name: Type of Project: Service Placement:
CATEGORY 5 and 4 3 and .52 2 and 1 Redo Presentation Well-rehearsed
with smooth delivery that holds audience attention.
Rehearsed with fairly smooth delivery that holds audience attention most of the time.
Delivery not smooth, but able to maintain interest of the audience most of the time.
Delivery not smooth and audience attention often lost.
Attractiveness Makes excellent use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance the presentation.
Makes good use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. to enhance to presentation.
Makes use of font, color, graphics, effects, etc. but occasionally these detract from the presentation content.
Use of font, color, graphics, effects etc. but these often distract from the presentation content.
Content Covers topic in-depth with details and examples. Subject knowledge is excellent.
Includes essential knowledge about the topic. Subject knowledge appears to be good.
Includes essential information about the topic but there are 1-2 factual errors.
Content is minimal OR there are several factual errors.
Requirements All requirements are met and exceeded.
All requirements are met.
One requirement was not completely met.
More than one requirement was not completely met.
Score:
Comments:
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Project: Projects must be complete and ready to be presented on
Due Date:
Choose one of the following options.
Powerpoint Scrapbook: Create a slideshow documenting your experience. Each slide must include an image (All) and a 2-3 sentence personal reflection on the topics described below (slides 3-7). Capitalization, Organization, Usage, Punctuation, and Spelling are correct.
Slide 1 -- Title Slide
Slide 2 -- Select a meaningful quotation about service; be sure to cite the author
Slide 3 -- Farming (reflection about what you learned about farming)
Slide 4 -- Personal Connection to Nature (reflection on your experience in nature)
Slide 5 -- Leadership (reflection on the leadership of yourself or others)
Slide 6 -- Community Building (reflection on ways you saw community building occurring)
Slide 7 -- Stewardship (reflection making connections to our 2nd quarter cycle theme)
Monologue: Compose a one-minute monologue that is based upon the experiences of someone you interviewed. Try to use their “words” to attempt to capture the essence of their personality. Speak from their perspective, try to see things from their point of view. Type or neatly write your script and be prepared to share it with the class on Monday.
Poem: Create a Diamante Poem with materials provided by your teacher.
Collage: Gather photographs and/or create (sketch, draw, paint, etc.) a selection of images that represent your service placements. Creatively arrange them on a piece of poster board or cardboard. Write a 1-paragraph essay on why you picked those images, and how it represents your experience
Your teachers may provide you with additional photos in paper and digital formats.
9
Gamble Montessori Middle School Service
Learning Week Journal STAY Supplement
Name:
Community:
Stay Table of Contents/Checklist
Activity Page Number
Student Signature
Teacher Signature
Interview Questions Use Carriage House Farm on pages 1 4- of your Stay Packet to answer the questions
on Page 1- 2 of your Service Learning Journal.
Page 1 4-
Journal Entry Read and annotate Rothenberg Rooftop Garden. Use pages 3-4 your Service
Learning Week Journal to record your answers to your journal prompts
Page 4-5
Sketch Read and Annotate URBAN RIVER REVIVAL: CELEBRATING OHIO’S MILL CREEK use page 5 of your Service Learning Week
Journal to follow the sketch directions.
Page 5
Acknowledgements Instead of acknowledging people from the Farm Experience you will use page 6 of your Service Learning Week Journal to
acknowledge 2 important adults from school and 5 students from school.
Page 6
Thank You Letter: Use page 7 of your Service Learning Week Journal to create your First Draft: Write a Thank You Letter to
someone you worked with/stayed with on your Stay back experience.
Page 7
Thank You Letter Final Draft Use colored or unlined paper to create your final draft.
Separate Document
Community Service Week Project: Instead of
using your farm experience as the basis for your project you will choose Carriage House Farm, Rothenberg Rooftop Garden, OR URBAN RIVER REVIVAL: CELEBRATING OHIO’S MILL CREEK as the topic for your project. You may use the Internet and your provided article as your sources.
Page 9
Community Service Week Project Rubric
Page 8
CNN Heroes Separate Packet
Dirt! The Movie Seminar/Movie Guide Separate Packet
Read and Annotate! Then Respond to “Interview” Questions!
Carriage House Farm By Eden Canon on 01 Aug
Switching from conventional farming to using no pesticides or chemical fertilizers—why
small farms are not certified organic—how large agricultural corporations try to gain
advantages over small independent farms.
Carriage House Farm: farm manager Richard Stewart, garden manager Kate Cook, and native
plant specialist Abby Artemisia.
Just outside of North Bend, Ohio, lies Carriage House Farm which has taken a bold move from GMO
mono-crop farming to growing a diverse range of produce using sustainable farming practices. This
sixth generation family farm contributes to its bioregional foodshed by providing produce, honey and
grain—which is milled on site—to local markets, restaurants, and a variety of other retailers. The
farm also offers educational farm tours and plant walks to reconnect people with the land that feeds
them.
By selling their produce locally, Carriage House Farm reduces the amount of fuel spent in the
transportation of food. Selling locally also bolsters the region’s food security by decreasing reliance
on imported foods, and supports the local economy by keeping money within the community so that
farmer and consumer sustain one another.
What motivated you to switch from commodity crops and conventional farming
practices towards a more sustainable form of farming?
Richard: With the trend in demand for local food and the radical swings in the commodities market, it was
clear that the business side of the farm would benefit from shifting from conventional grains to a more diverse
source of income. I was also in the mindset, now that I am raising two children, that I wanted to become a
better steward of our small piece of this planet and to make it better, environmentally, for when I pass it on to
the next generation.
What kinds of challenges have you come across in the transition phase?
Richard: I think that we are unique among many farms in that we are growing mostly on flood plain. All the
really cool sustainable farm projects that groups like Rodale are doing are not subject to flooding and the weed
pressure of river bottoms. It’s been difficult moving from conventional crops and living with the river. While it
helps us out in droughts because of the high water table, it makes herbicide-free farming expensive and organic
pasture costly.
We are managing though, having reduced the amount of conventional land from over 200 acres to about 152
and reducing off-farm amendments to zero (no chemical fertilizers), as well as reducing pesticide use to zero
and herbicide sprays to a single application in a fashion that reduces exposure to pollinators to almost zero. I
1
think even the conventional side of our farm is a good example of making changes that could be beneficial if
they were adopted by a majority of agriculture out there.
What kind of alternatives have you found to using chemical fungicides, herbicides, and
pesticides?
Kate: We use companion planting, intercropping and crop rotations to fight pests and diseases. We have
found that introducing diversity helps to keep crop problems to a minimum. Companion planting and
intercropping requires a bit more planning than traditional plantings, but is easily scaleable, and can boost the
number of marketable crops from a plot. This diversity, coupled with proper rotations, maintains soil health
and structure, which decreases the likelihood of disease.
You’ve decided against being certified organic.
Richard: The demand for anything local has surpassed the need for organic labeling. We are very
transparent, both in letting people onto our farm as well as through daily information via social media that
details what we are doing. We have earned our customers’ trust. If labeling our product “organic” gained us an
additional 10–15% revenue, then it might be justified.
In the end organic is just a labeling tool to describe a product. Our product, harvested the day it is sold to the
customer, stands out against a certified organic product that was harvested seven to eleven days prior to
reaching the customer’s hand.
Why did Carriage House decide to start milling and selling its own flour? Richard: The goal initially was to prove that we can grow less corn and make more money by converting it into an edible form. Lots of farms do this, but it usually means feeding it to an animal and converting it into meat or dairy.
We started experimenting with older cultivars of dent corn, like Krugs Yellow and Boone County White. We
began by making cornmeal and polenta. Three acres of this type of corn, sold the way we do, has a cash value
of fifteen acres of conventionally grown corn.
Have you found it difficult to compete with conventionally farmed produce and grain
products?
Richard: No. Our competition is the national food distribution network. Companies like U.S. Foods and
Sysco are our competition.
As we supply produce and milled grains that are more fresh (defined by the amount of time from milling or
harvest ‘till it reaches the hands of the customer) than a national distributor, we start to impact their local
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sales. When I say “we” I do not mean Carriage House Farm as an individual farm but all small local farms
outside the conventional food chain.
We’ve already seen small amounts of push back from these companies, in the form of support for laws and
marketing agreements disguised as food safety, that are very constricting for small producers but can be
weathered by large corporations.
In the end I find it all very ironic that my competition is a corporate middle man, not another family farmer.
What kinds of educational tours or classes do you offer?
Abby: Plant walks are tours of the farm that empower people by teaching them what’s growing around them,
so they know how to use it as food or therapeutically. Part of my mission is to get people into or back into
nature. This is a way to restore ourselves as a culture—physically, emotionally, and psychologically. As the
book Last Child in the Woods explains—we will not conserve what we cannot name. I want to restore or create
that connection for people, in order to protect the green spaces that are left.
I also offer herbalism classes to empower people with control of their own health. I teach people how to make
remedies from what is growing around them.
What can we look forward to in the future from Carriage House Farm?
Richard: The diamond in the rough is going to be our 40 acre sustainable agriculture site. We are going to
show everyone that you can take an old gravel pit with poor quality soil and turn it into a massive, diverse, food
production site.
Abby: We are also constantly adding more foraged native edibles to our availability list. This is a way for us to
be incredibly sustainable because we don’t have to alter the land at all to produce them. Last year we made the
exciting discovery of about half an acre of native elderberries in our river bottomland! We sold some of these to
a local small business, Fabulous Ferments, which made kombucha out of them.
Another local business, Chocolats Latour, also uses our foraged crops in their products. So it’s a win-win for
everyone.
If you could change one thing that would make local food more accessible, what would
it be?
Abby: First we need to get more programs like WIC [a US government food subsidy for women with infant
children] and Food Stamps into our farmers markets and think of other more creative ways to get fresh foods
into food deserts (or low-income neighborhoods), like mobile markets, to make good food more accessible to
everyone. Then, we need more programs to teach people how to cook. It’s very sad that many people today do
not know how to cook fresh food or think they don’t have the time.
*Richard and Ms. Alanna (ZenCOH) spent many good times hanging out in the Art Room when they were your age. You never know where life will lead you and how you can provide stewardship in your community!
This is Wylie Ferguson. G.O.A.T.
3
Carriage House Farm “Interview” Prompts Read and Annotate: Carriage House Farm
Answer these 5 questions in the 5 spaces provided on pages 3-4 of your Service Learning Week Journal.
You MUST answer using Capitalization, Organization, correct word Usage, Punctuation and Spelling in complete sentences.
If you are struggling to answer in sentences don’t forget to PQA…put the question in the answer!
Question 1
How do you think it would feel/look/sound/smell to live/work on this farm? (4 sentences minimum)
Question 2
What kinds of corn does Richard grow on his farm? What local businesses use his foods? (3 sentences minimum)
Question 3
Talk about the three reasons Richard gives about why being an “organic” labeled farm is not as important as he thought. (3 sentences minimum)
Question 4
Discuss what you found most interesting in this article. (4 sentences minimum)
Question 5
What four things can you do to support your community in their Stewardship of the land and Earth? What changes/choices could you/your family make? (4 sentences minimum)
4
Rothenberg Rooftop Garden Read and Annotate!
Then Respond to Journal Prompts
Located in the inner city Over-the-Rhine neighborhood of Cincinnati, Rothenberg Preparatory Academy offers education from Preschool through 6th Grade and according to their website "is a redesigned neighborhood school offering a challenging curriculum and numerous, exciting enrichment opportunities that make learning fun." Previously languishing in vacancy and deterioration for years prior to rehabilitation, the building's design is a prime example of Cincinnati's rich architectural heritage, full of beautiful bas reliefs and artwork. More than six years in the making, the Rothenberg Rooftop Garden has been a labor of love for many. This historic school built in 1914 was slated for replacement in the Cincinnati Public School system. Wanting to preserve its history, in 2008 the Over the Rhine Foundation (OTRF) took special interest in the school as did the community. Seeing its architectural beauty and knowing that it was a vital inner-city school, the Cincinnati Public School Board agreed to renovate instead of tear down the historic building even though they knew it would cost much more to renovate. The Rothenberg Preparatory Academy re-opened to students beginning with the 2013-2014 academic year, and the neighborhood is humming.
Thirty five planting beds of various sizes cover the Rothenberg Rooftop Garden, at 9 inches deep with rooflite® Intensive Ag growing medium; it was the first time this mix has been used in our area. Along with a concrete and soft tile paver system on the rest of the roof for community gatherings or school activities. The school is thrilled with their gift and every teacher has chosen to integrate the garden program into their curriculum. The garden school uses hands-on learning experiences to reinforce concepts within traditional subjects as well as promote nutrition, healthy eating and sustainability. Incorporated with
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math, science and language arts the Rooftop Garden Program uses experiential learning opportunities to deepen students’ education. Vegetables are currently being served in the cafeteria from the rooftop garden and the students love them. It has been a true success story with so many supporters, the community and the school all striving for the same goal: enriching a child’s life through nature. Fundraising is an ongoing process for the garden - plans for a shade awning, green walls, and furniture are in phase two. But, the students don't seem to mind that they are working with a bare minimum right now; it's thrilling to fuel their imagination and watch them discover new things. "The Rothenberg Rooftop School Garden seeks to provide and sustain unique learning opportunities for the students of Rothenberg Preparatory Academy through hands-on garden-based lessons; and to engage community members in rooftop activities through the school's function as a Community Learning Center. Integrated with math, science, and language arts, the rooftop garden program creates opportunities to enrich student's learning, develop critical thinking skills and foster stewardship of their surroundings and community," (The Edible Schoolyard Project).
Rothenberg Rooftop Garden Journal Prompts
Answer these 5 questions in the 5 spaces provided on pages 1-2 of your Service
Learning Week Journal.
You MUST answer using Capitalization, Organization, correct word Usage, Punctuation and Spelling in complete sentences.
Question 1 Why was this rooftop garden created? (2 sentences minimum)
Question 2 Name 4 ways this garden is used to educate students? (4 sentences minimum)
Question 3 Tell what the vegetables from the garden are used for and name three vegetables you would plant in the garden. (4 sentences minimum)
Question 4 Describe the work of a first year trainee. Describe the work of a second year trainee. Which work would you prefer? Why? (4 sentences minimum)
Question 5 What do you think is the most important thing a student could gain from participating in this program? If you attended this school how would you show your stewardship of the garden. How would you use the garden to show your stewardship of the community? (4 sentences minimum)
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Read and Annotate! Then follow instructions for your SKETCH!
URBAN RIVER REVIVAL: CELEBRATING OHIO’S MILL CREEK In 1996, Mill Creek was recognized as one of America’s Most Endangered Rivers. Now, thanks to 2 local non -profit organizations, Mill Creek has better water quality, accessible bike paths, and an increase in species of fish. For Mill Creek, the future looks bright. Amy Souers Kober | September 13, 2017 This is a guest post by David Schmitt. Mill Creek was crucial to the development of Cincinnati, Ohio. In the city’s earliest days, it drew settlers looking for rich, fertile farmland, and water power. Mill Creek’s clear, clean water and thick riparian forests provided food, water, and timber. Its broad, flat floodplain was a perfect transportation corridor where industry grew and ultimately built Cincinnati into an industrial powerhouse, “The Queen City of the West”. Unfortunately, over time, that industrial development caused tremendous harm from direct disposal of contaminants, combined sewer overflows, and flooding caused by stormwater flowing over impervious surfaces. The Army Corps of Engineers attempted to address the flooding by channelizing large stretches of the Lower Mill Creek. This not only exacerbated some of the problems, but also cut off public access to the river.
In 1996, American Rivers included Mill Creek on its list of America’s Most Endangered Rivers. The 1996 listing detailed the host of perils faced by the stream, including three Superfund sites on its banks, 31 other hazardous waste sites, and 158 Combined Sewer Overflow (CSO) and Sanitary Sewer Overflow (SSO) outflows. At that time, 24.7 of the 27 river miles violated primary contact standards for fecal coliform and E. coli. In the lower 17 miles, the standards were violated in every single sampling site and the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (OEPA) recommended that there be no public contact with Mill Creek waters. This lead American Rivers to name Mill Creek among America’s Most Endangered Rivers of 1997, calling it “one of the most severely polluted and physically degraded urban streams in the United States” and the most endangered urban river in the country.
Two local non-profits, Groundwork Cincinnati-Mill Creek (“Groundwork”) and the Mill Creek Watershed Council of Communities (‘the Watershed Council”) were formed shortly prior to the American Rivers listings and began the decades-long work of restoring the stream. The listings by American Rivers galvanized greater attention from community leaders, the public, and funding sources.With the help of many partners and volunteers, the two groups have completed a huge number of stream improvement projects including hike and bike trails, riparian plantings, wetland construction, dump removal,
stream daylighting projects, bank reconstruction, instream habitat improvements, low head dam removal, and best management practices to control flood pulse waters. These include nine bankfull wetlands in the upper Mill Creek to hold flood pulse waters and allow sediment reduction. Throughout the watershed, smaller projects such as rain gardens, green infrastructure, and some larger parking lot runoff reduction projects are having a cumulative impact. The groups also have an extensive education program reaching over 1000 school children per year and providing job training and summer work opportunities.
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Water quality has improved dramatically as CSO and SSO outflows have been eliminated, direct disposal of pollutants have been outlawed, and remediation of stream side hazardous waste sites has been accomplished. Indeed, the most recent comprehensive water quality surveys of the Greater Cincinnati area shows that the Mill Creek’s water quality now rivals that of the Little Miami River, which is a state and national Wild and Scenic River. With the improvement in water quality and the replacement of 9 low head dams with constructed riffles has come a tremendous rebound in fish, macroinvertebrate, and other species. The diversity of fish and macroinvertebrate species in the stream have more than doubled over the last twenty years and now meet Ohio’s standards for Warm Water Habitat at most sampling points. Herons, ducks, beaver and many other long-missing species of birds and mammals have returned to its shores. So has another species that has rarely been seen along its banks in recent years – people! Because of the efforts of Groundwork, the Watershed Council, and many partner groups and agencies, it is now possible to hike and bike on the banks of the stream, as well as to canoe and fish in the stream itself. A large number of new stream and community improvement projects are on the verge of launching and I believe that within the next decade, the Mill Creek will complete its renaissance and become a magnet to local residents as well as tourists. If the last 20 years are any indication, the future of the Mill Creek looks bright.
MILL CREEK Sketch
Use page 5 of your Service Learning Week Journal to create your sketch.
Read and annotate: URBAN RIVER REVIVAL: CELEBRATING OHIO’S MILL CREEK
Create a sketch showing 10 things that you learned from this article.
Detailed (at least 10 objects or features)
Labeled (10 items with labels)
Theme (How can this illustrate our cycle theme of Stewardship?)
Color (Use at least 5 different colors, you can use more)
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