David Moon and his Grade 2 class took part of the afternoon yesterday to mark the trees they planted.
Grade 2 students go green
Class picks up garbage, plants trees on Rhema grounds
Friday, May 4, 2007 -- Jennifer Higgs
When Grade 2 teacher David Moon asks his class whom they were helping when they collected six bags of garbage and recycling outside around Rhema Christian School, several students wave their hands in the air.

"We were helping our community," says Mary.

The students learn that not only were they helping the Rhema community, but also the city and halfway across the world.

The class turned their garbage pick-up day into a fundraiser for their World Vision sponsor child from Malawi.

Armed with garbage bags and gloves supplied by public works and Peterborough Green-Up, the students searched for debris on the schoolyard and surrounding ditches.

Evan Pula helps mark a tree.

When Moon asks if the students understand why they support a child from the African country, Elise answers, "Because their country doesn't get much money."

Besides the garbage pick-up, the Grade 2 class also went on a nature walk and planted trees.

The class planted the trees on the 11-acre school ground April 24 when they returned from a morning walk through Mark S. Burnham woods. They planted 125 trees with the help of the Grade 6 class.

"We had just a wonderful day learning about the woods and planting trees," says Moon. "By the time they finished the walk at Burnham Park they could identify six different trees."

The students liked the tree planting. "I enjoyed finding worms," says Jonathan.

His classmate, Josh, says the maple tree is his favourite and all trees have something unique. "They'll give you shade," he says, adding some trees can make apples or syrup.

“I really liked digging the hole, and I really like plants,” says seven-year-old Emily as she looks for dead flowers to collect near her tree.

With the help of their teacher, the students used stakes to mark their trees.