Students learn how to
identify and remove inva-
sive plant species to cre-
ate less competition for
native plants. Students
selected native plants
based on the habitat re-
quirements and the bene-
fits for birds and pollina-
tors.
Students researched, de-
veloped, published, and
circulated an educational
brochure on the benefits
of planting native species
along with a guide on how
to transplant and seed a
west Michigan garden.
Students design layout for
native gardens, prepared
seed packets, and ar-
ranged native plugs in
trays for a complete native
garden that will attract
birds and other pollina-
tors. Plants were also
used to develop and plant
a native garden at each of
the schools during the
FFA’s first Day of Service.
All high school students
participated in the Day of
Service with some stu-
dents pulling invasive
plants with 3rd grade ele-
mentary students, remov-
ing invasive along the
bike trail, or planting na-
tive gardens in the school
landscapes and court-
yards.
The plug trays are sold in
the school greenhouse
and at the local farmer’s
markets along with the
seed packets that will also
be sold at the Nuveen
Community Center for the Arts. Art students at Monta-
gue High School worked
Student Learning Outcomes Community Partners
Cardno JFNew
Weesies Brothers Garden
Center & Landscaping
Nuveen Community Cen-
ter for the Arts
Montague High
School
2012-13 School Year:
380 Students
12 Teachers
15 Classrooms
Third Grade,
Spring Ecology,
Ag Biology, Su-
pervised Agricul-
ture Experience
Montague FFA
Birds & Blooms - Native Plants on the Grow
FFA Moto:
Learning to Do
Doing to Learn
Earning to Live
Living to Serve
with the ecology class
in developing artwork
that depicted the na-
tive plant project and
the pollinators that
these plants would
attract.
Skills learned:
Civic & Community Re-
sponsibility
Teaching younger stu-
dents
Transplanting, seed,
and cultivating
Being stewards of our
environment
Developing educational
material
2012-2013 School Year Project Timeline
March April May June
Target two invasive plant
species for removal - Spot-
ted Knapweed and garlic
mustard
Ecology
Class select native plants
best for Michigan and devel-
ops designs layouts
First Montague FFA Day of Service
launched with -
Third grade class removing garlic
mustard with high school students.
High school students planting Na-
tive species in school landscapes.
Middle school and high school stu-
dents prepped garden areas and
courtyards for birds & blooms polli-
nator gardens.
Ecology class decided
to develop a Native
Plant project to compli-
ment Nuveen Center
for the Arts 2013
theme “Birds”
Final list
of plants
and seed
packets
Montague High School June 2013
Biology Class
reviews native
benefits of
birds an polli-
nators
Art proposal
presented to art
classes
Ordered
plugs,
seeds and
tray materi-
als
Sell Seed
packets at
Nuveen
Center
Art piece
finished
Educational
Materials de-
veloped and
selected
