A Lakeville Elementary class received a lesson in math and environmentalism last week as they collected and counted money to help save the rainforest.
Teacher Melissa Douglas? first and second graders raised an impressive $147.40 over a one-week period to put toward adopting and preserving acres of endangered rainforest.
Douglas? class raised enough to adopt three acres through a program called ‘The Big Gift to the Earth,? part of the Earth’s Birthday Project (www.earthsbirthday.org), a non-profit organization founded in 1989 to educate children about the Earth through classroom programs.
Each acre of rainforest in the ‘Big Gift? program costs $45. Once adopted, the acre becomes part of a preserve guarded by scientists, rangers and people who live near it.
Since 1991, participants in the ‘Big Gift? have contributed more than $4 million and protected 175,000 acres of rainforest.
Each of Douglas? students was given a special colorful bank (resembling a small milk carton) in which to collect their funds.
The first-grade classes of Lakeville teachers Julie Cote and Debbie Morse joined Douglas? students fund-raising efforts, bringing the grand total up to $350. This means the three Lakeville Elementary classes combined can afford to save a total of 7.7 acres of rainforest.
Douglas was impressed by the amount of money students raised this year.
‘I was very surprised and very happy,? she said. ‘These kids are amazing.?
Douglas noted that last year her class and three others collected enough money to adopt four acres of rainforest.
Some students really went the extra mile this year.
First-grader Chelsea Kleberg was the top earner in Douglas? class because she collected money at the American Legion post near her grandmother’s house.
‘She had about 15 dollar bills stuffed in her bank,? Douglas said.
Students in Douglas? class sorted and counted their money on Thursday as part of a math exercise.
First and second-graders learned how many pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters it takes to make a dollar, while the second-graders learned regrouping and how to add money amounts involving decimal points.
Beyond math skills, Douglas said the project ‘teaches kids they matter, that what they do makes an impact.?
‘It empowers them to help others and educate people (about the rainforest),? she said. ‘If they keep doing projects like this and raising awareness, the world is in great hands.?