Conservation and recycling go hand in hand. Students at De Zavala not only learn about conservation, they lead the way in the district with innovative and exciting ways to preserve natural resources such as water, energy and plants. Students recycle containers of almost everything we use, from potato chip wrappers and plastic water bottles to ink cartridges and old small electrical appliances. Conservation and recycling are very selfless acts. Our students are proud to make a meaningful impact that is very helpful for current and future generations.
Our outdoor learning environment is like no other in the area. This space is stimulating, inviting, and beautiful. It was designed on a half acre field, contains 29 raised garden beds, and a 26 foot diameter growing dome to provide hands-on, experiential learning opportunities for our students all year long, no matter the weather. Our goal is to engage the “whole child” through the mind, spirit and body. At Lorenzo de Zavala ESA we believe that real-world learning should be integrated into all academic subject areas and has been shown to benefit children by boosting academic achievement, nurturing healthy lifestyles, cultivating life skills and promoting environmental stewardship. Our students, from pre-kindergarten to fifth grade, take ownership of one square foot of growing space in which they plant, water, and care for their seeds. We have also designated eight of our raised beds as part of a community garden. Families within our community have embraced this idea and taken advantage of the opportunity. The City of Grand Prairie Special Projects Department has partnered with our campus to provide community members, parents, students, and teachers training on composting, and organic gardening. Students will gain valuable entrepreneurial and technological skills when they market and sell the fruits of their labor at a student run Marketplace.
We believe that kids can learn to be entrepreneurs, so we teach them how to create a business plan and help them develop a few marketing skills. Students are engaged in selling the wares from the garden and the eggs from the hens. They also sell items they have created in after school clubs. Students make real-life connections centered on finance and business. They get to appreciate the success that a little effort, determination and commitment can bring. Most of all, they build confidence in their own ability to “make great things happen”. De Zavala students realize at an early age that they can choose and direct their own path. We equip our students with the keys to unlock their own potential.
We are excited to present a new innovative specials class to our De Zavala students called REEL.
The basis for REEL for our K-5 students is the National Academy of Sciences' Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) as presented in their Framework for K-12 Science Education.
Using the NGSS Framework for K-12 Science Education developed by the National Research Council, (http://www.nextgenscience.org/) together with the TEKS, our K-5 REEL students will be working with the three major recommended dimensions:
Scientific and engineering practice
Crosscutting concepts that unify the study of science and engineering through their common application across fields
Core ideas in four disciplinary areas: physical sciences; life sciences; earth and space sciences; and engineering, technology, and applications of science
Our 1500 square foot butterfly sanctuary was installed March of 2014 with the assistance of Texas Discovery Gardens Horticulturist Roger Sanderson. We currently have a variety of host and nectar plants that include common milkweed, angel trumpet and chocolate daisies.
