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