Urban Agriculture at Paseo Boricua Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School

The Community is the Curriculum How do we relate to each other, our culture, and the environment? How is curriculum used to engage youth in this process of relating? How is curriculum tied to the social, economic, ecological, and cultural needs of the community? How do schools create authentic teaching and learning opportunities that engage teachers and students in the process of community building and knowledge sharing?

How do we relate to each other, our culture, and the environment?

How is curriculum used to engage youth in this process of relating?

How is curriculum tied to the social, economic, ecological, and cultural needs of the community?

How do schools create authentic teaching and learning opportunities that engage teachers and students in the process of community building and knowledge sharing?

An Urban Agriculture and Social Ecology Approach The answers to each of these questions is the same: through authentic, community-based teaching and learning within the context of urban agriculture and social ecology. An approach th at meets the critical needs of the community as a wh ole, by: Developing a st u dent ce ntered-a p proa ch to educa ti on Increa si ng opportunities for youth t o connect w ith each other and th e ir enviro n ment Im proving the quality of health and nutritio n Improving the qualit y of the air, water, and land Creating oppo r tunities for economic growth and sustaina bilit y Preserving cultural and multi- g en era tional knowledge

The answers to each of these questions is the same: through authentic, community-based teaching and learning within the context of urban agriculture and social ecology. An approach th at meets the critical needs of the community as a wh ole, by:

Developing a st u dent ce ntered-a p proa ch to educa ti on

Increa si ng opportunities for youth t o connect w ith each other and th e ir enviro n ment

Im proving the quality of health and nutritio n

Improving the qualit y of the air, water, and land

Creating oppo r tunities for economic growth and sustaina bilit y

Preserving cultural and multi- g en era tional knowledge

Social Ecology Murray Bookchin coined the term “Social Ecology” stating that: Ecological problems are not separate from social problems Understand ing how humans relate to each other as social being s is critical in addressin g current and future ecological issues The ecologi cal future of the planet is clearly a social one

Murray Bookchin coined the term “Social Ecology” stating that:

Ecological problems are not separate from social problems

Understand ing how humans relate to each other as social being s is critical in addressin g

current and future ecological issues

The ecologi cal future of the planet is

clearly a social one

Urban Agriculture Urban agriculture is the practice of growing and distributing food locally, and is, by nature, a practice that connects people with each other and their environment in a way that is participatory, democratic, and just. Local food p roductio n leads to increased food security and sustainable communi ty practices that benefit communities in the following w ays: Increases access to fresh foods that are healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant Decreases air and water pollution in urban areas Leads to the beautification of urban communities Decreases incidences of obesity, heart disease, and asthma Leads to a more engaged community

Urban agriculture is the practice of growing and distributing food locally, and is, by nature, a practice that connects people with each other and their environment in a way that is participatory, democratic, and just.

Local food p roductio n leads to increased food security and sustainable communi ty practices that benefit communities in the following w ays:

Increases access to fresh foods that are healthy, affordable, and culturally relevant

Decreases air and water pollution in urban areas

Leads to the beautification of urban communities

Decreases incidences of obesity, heart disease, and asthma

Leads to a more engaged community

Benefits of an Urban Agriculture Social Ecology Curriculum Benefits of the Curriculum: Connects teaching and learning to community building and knowledge sharing Engages the community in the education of youth, integrating the curriculum across organizations, cultures, and generations Presents education in the context of environmental and social justice Empowers youth as agents of change Provides authentic learning experiences that make learning personally, culturally, and politically relevant Leads to the self-actualization and self-reliance of youth Increases social capital of the community

Benefits of the Curriculum:

Connects teaching and learning to community building and knowledge sharing

Engages the community in the education of youth, integrating the curriculum across organizations, cultures, and generations

Presents education in the context of environmental and social justice

Empowers youth as agents of change

Provides authentic learning experiences that make learning personally, culturally, and politically relevant

Leads to the self-actualization and self-reliance of youth

Increases social capital of the community

Benefits of an Urban Agriculture and Social Ecology Curriculum Student Outcomes: Increased competence in math and science Increased cultural awareness Deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge Development of skills in critical thinking, community inquiry, and scientific exploration and discovery

Student Outcomes:

Increased competence in math and science

Increased cultural awareness

Deeper understanding of the interdisciplinary nature of knowledge

Development of skills in critical thinking, community inquiry, and scientific exploration and discovery

What Prompted the Urban Agriculture Focus Student fascination with result of rudimentary hydroponics experiment done in ’05-’06 year Student desire to expand their knowledge by comparing hydroponic cultivation with soil-based cultivation Need for year-round setting in which to grow plants beyond the limited space of the science lab

Student fascination with result of rudimentary hydroponics experiment done in ’05-’06 year

Student desire to expand their knowledge by comparing hydroponic cultivation with soil-based cultivation

Need for year-round setting in which to grow plants beyond the limited space of the science lab

Overall Vision Create integrated science and math curricu la that are foc used on so cial ecology an d urb an agri culture Foment the greening and beautification of Paseo Boricua by cultivating flowers in the planters and at La Casita de Don Pedro Demonstrate the feasibility of urban agriculture in P aseo Boricua by germinating fruit, vegetable and herb seedlings in the classroom, planting the see dlings in the Community Garden and p roducing sofrito

Create integrated science and math curricu la that are foc used on so cial ecology an d urb an agri culture

Foment the greening and beautification of Paseo Boricua by cultivating flowers in the planters and at La Casita de Don Pedro

Demonstrate the feasibility of urban agriculture in P aseo Boricua by germinating fruit, vegetable and herb seedlings in the classroom, planting the see dlings in the Community Garden and p roducing sofrito

Overall Vision (cont.) Construct an eco-friendly greenhouse on the cafeteria’s roof as an extension of the science laboratory Develop systems to produce sufficient produce to meet the needs of the school Initiate a community education campaign to encourage the creation of rooftop and backyard gardens to grow sufficient produce to meet the needs of the community

Construct an eco-friendly greenhouse on the cafeteria’s roof as an extension of the science laboratory

Develop systems to produce sufficient produce to meet the needs of the school

Initiate a community education campaign to encourage the creation of rooftop and backyard gardens to grow sufficient produce to meet the needs of the community

Overall Vision (cont.) Propagation of our model to other YCCS schools Once we have demonstrated the success of our initiative, we will seek to have it replicated in the other schools in the charter Integrated Science and Math focused on Urban Agriculture and Social Ecology can become the defining and unifying characteristic of the charter

Propagation of our model to other YCCS schools

Once we have demonstrated the success of our initiative, we will seek to have it replicated in the other schools in the charter

Integrated Science and Math focused on Urban Agriculture and Social Ecology can become the defining and unifying characteristic of the charter

Overall Vision (cont.) Propagation (cont.) We’ll also encourage the replication of our model in other Latino communities within and outside of Chicago

Propagation (cont.)

We’ll also encourage the replication of our model in other Latino communities within and outside of Chicago

Integrated Science Curriculum The four branches of high school science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth science) will no longer be taught in isolation from each other Students will meet their 3 year science requirement by taking introductory, intermediate and advanced integrated sciences

The four branches of high school science (Biology, Chemistry, Physics and Earth science) will no longer be taught in isolation from each other

Students will meet their 3 year science requirement by taking introductory, intermediate and advanced integrated sciences

Integrated Science Curriculum (cont.) Key, relevant math concepts will also be integrated into the curriculum The focus will be on social ecology and urban agriculture

Key, relevant math concepts will also be integrated into the curriculum

The focus will be on social ecology and urban agriculture

Integrated Science Curriculum (cont.) PBL - The principal method of knowledge acquisition and development will be through project- and problem-based learning Students will be divided into groups of four and will work collaboratively throughout a module to analyze the components of a given real world problem and develop solutions to the problem

PBL - The principal method of knowledge acquisition and development will be through project- and problem-based learning

Students will be divided into groups of four and will work collaboratively throughout a module to analyze the components of a given real world problem and develop solutions to the problem

Integrated Mathematics A new way to teach an old subject

Bringing it together:

Bringing it together:

Integrated Mathematics Students will meet all Illinois Learning Standards Students will meet their 3-year mathematics requirement by taking introductory, intermediate and advanced integrated mathematics courses Students will explore a variety of community issues from a Social Ecology and mathematics perspective

Students will meet all Illinois Learning Standards

Students will meet their 3-year mathematics requirement by taking introductory, intermediate and advanced integrated mathematics courses

Students will explore a variety of community issues from a Social Ecology and mathematics perspective

Community Informatics Community Informatics is a participatory approach to research, inquiry, and community building that focuses on understanding how communities create and mobilize knowledge in all its forms, especially using information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Community Informatics is a participatory approach to research, inquiry, and community building that focuses on understanding how communities create and mobilize knowledge in all its forms, especially using information and communication technologies (ICTs).

Community Informatics Corps (CIC) The CIC master’s specialization was developed in 2006 collaboratively by GSLIS and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center of Chicago to: Create knowledge and technology connected to people’s values, history and lived experiences Develop models of engagement that are just, democratic, participatory, and open-ended Integrate theory and practice in a critical manner Recruit and mentor a cohort of Latina/o, African-American, and other students interested in careers that enable them to contribute to, and learn from, their communities

The CIC master’s specialization was developed in 2006 collaboratively by GSLIS and the Puerto Rican Cultural Center of Chicago to:

Create knowledge and technology connected to people’s values, history and lived experiences

Develop models of engagement that are just, democratic, participatory, and open-ended

Integrate theory and practice in a critical manner

Recruit and mentor a cohort of Latina/o, African-American, and other students interested in careers that enable them to contribute to, and learn from, their communities

UIUC Extension and Outreach Opportunities for collaboration include: Seed grants and technical assistance Master Gardener training for PACHS students Interns from the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Science at UIUC Partnership with UIUC Extension in Puerto Rico Partnership with Wright College Food Science Program

Opportunities for collaboration include:

Seed grants and technical assistance

Master Gardener training for PACHS students

Interns from the College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Science at UIUC

Partnership with UIUC Extension in Puerto Rico

Partnership with Wright College Food Science Program

Urban Agriculture Summer Program 2007 An Experiment in Problem-Based Learning

Problem in the Community Paseo Boricua has poor access to locally grown, fresh and affordable, fruits and vegetables.

Paseo Boricua has poor access to locally grown, fresh and affordable,

fruits and vegetables.

Process Identified issues related to problem Developed questions that would drive research Researched viable solutions Prepared presentations supporting proposed solutions

Identified issues related to problem

Developed questions that would drive research

Researched viable solutions

Prepared presentations supporting proposed solutions

Proposed Solutions Rooftop gardens Rooftop greenhouses Construct traditional green houses Convert empty lots to community gardens Develop urban farm in Humboldt Park

Rooftop gardens

Rooftop greenhouses

Construct traditional green houses

Convert empty lots to community gardens

Develop urban farm in Humboldt Park

Lessons Learned Teachers need to be very aware Must be able to quickly provide resources and direction to students Pre-planning and preparation is challenging, but necessary

Teachers need to be very aware

Must be able to quickly provide resources and direction to students

Pre-planning and preparation is challenging, but necessary

Academies Forming a new Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School

Forming a new

Dr. Pedro Albizu Campos High School

Formation of Academies Academy I Introductory Level Coursework Hydroponics and Greenhouse technology Academy II Intermediate Level Coursework Urban Agriculture in temperate climate Academy III Advanced Level Coursework Dual Enrollment with Wright College “ Boricua En La Luna” tropical agriculture experience in Puerto Rico

Academy I

Introductory Level Coursework

Hydroponics and Greenhouse technology

Academy II

Intermediate Level Coursework

Urban Agriculture in temperate climate

Academy III

Advanced Level Coursework

Dual Enrollment with Wright College

“ Boricua En La Luna” tropical agriculture

experience in Puerto Rico

Relation to other Classes How can urban agriculture and social ecology be made a part of my class? Looking at Mathematics from a different perspective. How can I do the same?

How can urban agriculture and social ecology be made a part of my class?

Looking at Mathematics from a different perspective.

How can I do the same?