Unified Education Strategy Grants

Hawthorne School District

On this page you will find...

• Grantee Information
• Opportunities and Obstacles
• Lessons Created
• Student Work Samples
• Program Contacts

Grantee Information

Hawthorne School District is located in an urban area south of Los Angeles. Hawthorne consists of eight elementary schools, three middle schools, and one charter high school. The teacher-to-student ratio is 1:21.8 and class sizes average 27.6 students. A team of sixth- and seventh-grade language arts, mathematics, and science teachers participated in the program.

Due to school site construction, the team operated from two campuses, making collaboration difficult. The sixth-grade teachers were based at Williams Elementary School temporarily, while the seventh-grade teachers were based at Prairie Vista Middle School. The City of Hawthorne and Ecolutions, a community partner, were interested in supporting implementation of waste diversion efforts resulting from the first-year waste audits.

The campus needs assessment included lessons for standards-based, student-led investigations regarding resource conservation and waste on campus with a focus on lunchroom waste, organization of a waste audit, and developing strategies based on the results of the audit. The teachers developed simple step-by-step procedures and templates for students to document data and findings, including charts, graphs, and journals. Once the audits were completed by students, the teachers used the templates and journals to assess student learning.

The elementary team successfully completed the first year of the Unified Education Strategy (UES) grant program. They completed the student-led waste audits and implemented the classroom lessons. Future endeavors based on the outcome of Hawthorne School District’s campus needs assessment might focus integrating efforts in campus paper recycling and garden-based diversion, such as composting, with standards-based learning.

Opportunities and Obstacles

UES team members shared that efforts begun under the UES Program would continue, even though the district did not apply for Phase Two funding.

Lessons Created

The campus needs assessment (CAN) developed by the Hawthorne team supported sixth- and seventh-grade-level standards in English/language arts, math, science, and history/social science. The CNA provided real-world application of skills and content in multiple subject areas. It was very effective in meeting instructional objectives in math-- specifically in calculating and displaying data through percentages, fractions, circle graphs and ratios. Science concepts such as renewable and nonrenewable resources were addressed. Students also applied reading and other language arts skills such as oral presentations. The process succeeded in engaging students in the learning process while it increased their awareness of environmental issues.

Students brainstormed after the audit to evaluate the process and determine what needed to be done based on their findings. The students generated 29 different recommendations and made posters illustrating their findings.

Partnerships

• City of Hawthorne

Program Contacts

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Last updated: November 01, 2007