Eco express

Laurel Hill Cemetery

Now 175 years after its opening in 1836, Laurel Hill is 78 acres of green space, wildlife habitat, and manmade forests of monuments centered within the urban communities of North Philadelphia. Laurel Hill Cemetery proves to be a lesson in history, ecology, science, language, art, and the infinite mysteries that encompass each.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT LAUREL HILL CEMETERY:

Sunday, August 22, 2pm Age of Discovery: Explorers, Inventors & Scientists

Sunday, September 19, 2pm Deep Roots: The Specimen Trees of Laurel Hill Cemetery

Saturday, September 25, 2pm Unearthing Laurel Hill: A History Written in Stone

Brandywine Workshop

This summer, the Brandywine Workshop organized a program that educates students from West Philadelphia High School about creating and producing films so that the students are able to create a documentary about nutrition.

When the students have completed their documentary project, their videos will be showcased on EcoExpress so that other students can benefit from this research. Read updates from the students about the program on their blog. (Click on the picture above to take you there!)

The students begin editing their documentaries early September and they will have a premiere and student award recognition in September! Stay tuned for more details!

The Educational Advancement Alliance, Inc.

The Educational Advancement Alliance is a premier educational nonprofit organization and offer many programs, including after school programs, a mobile science lab (The Learning Lab), college tours, and fellowships for graduate school students who major in STEM areas.

The mission of the Learning Lab is to provide a foundation and improved knowledge base in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) to students in grades 4 – 6 via hands-on lessons on the state-of-the art mobile science lab.

Click here for an example of the EAA’s science lesson plans.

Weavers Way

Weavers Way Farm Education programs guide children in developmentally-appropriate, active exploration of the farm as well as hands-on, curriculum-based learning activities. Year-round, farm-based lessons focus on scientific inquiry, the humanities, nutrition education, botany and more, using experiential and creative learning. All lessons are tailored to each group’s needs and meet PA Dept. of Education standards.

This community program provides children and teens with the opportunity to see how vegetables, herbs, and flowers grow (right in their own neighborhood), and to taste delicious, fresh just-picked produce.

Wetlands: Wildwood Lake

The area around Wildwood Lake has been affected over the decades by roads, dams, and railroads, but the shallow lake is surrounded by thriving wetlands. This tranquil place provides a priceless piece of nature for Harrisburg residents to enjoy.

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Biodiversity: Maysie's Farm

Most of us know that fruits and vegetables come from living plants, but we don't often think about the soil in which they are grown. Healthy soil hosts a living factory that's full of bacteria, invertebrates, insects, and animals--which, under the right conditions, cause plants to thrive. Maysie's Farm shows how organic farming practices such as composting can nurture healthy soil, which in turn grows healthy, delicious food for people to enjoy.

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Biodiversity: Introduction

We're used to thinking our meals come from restaurants, cafeterias, and supermarket shelves, but everything we eat starts out as a part of an intricate web of life. Who knew that more than 50 species are part of the tuna's food chain? Remove one piece of the chain, and our tuna sandwich no may longer exist. Maintaining the web of life--biological diversity--is important to every aspect of our lives, from healthy food to clean water to the air that we breathe.

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Energy Thinking: Introduction

We take electricity for granted, but how often do we think about where it comes from, about its environmental costs, or what we can do differently? We do have a choice...

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