Earlier this week, Mount Madonna School (MMS) second and third graders met with the senior class on a foggy afternoon along the shore of the campus lake. Despite the drizzle, the children were chipper and excited to hear what the curriculum leaders and senior students Ona Musoll-Buendia and Emma Monclus, had to say about seniors’ Lotus Project. The students got into pairs and received a clipboard, pencil and bingo sheet. The bingo sheet included wildlife that live in the lake ecosystem. In pairs, accompanied by a senior buddy, the students walked along the edge of the lake searching for frogs, fish and any other wildlife they spotted in the murky water. Near the east end of the lake, Ona showed the children the water level gauge which was at 12 feet due to the recent rain. At the end of the curriculum demonstration, the students gathered in a circle to share their observations and to learn more about the Lotus Project. The younger students were able to connect the Lotus Project initiative of removing elodea, a water weed found in the lake, to their own invasive species project. After discussing the experience with Emma and Ona, students shared that they believe the demonstration was a success and that it helped them understand how to improve the curriculum they have created. – Anya Gonzalez, grade 12
Photos by Sophia Manzur, grade 12
