The Third Grade Giving Garden donated the cilantro and cabbage they grew to the North Texas Food Bank.
EMPATHY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN LOWER SCHOOL Taylor Miller’s Third Grade Social Studies classroom is a place where the Lower School Social Impact concepts that begin in PreK start to take hold. “This work is paramount at every age, but Third Grade is a pivotal time where the girls are truly starting to understand that not only can they make a difference, they are in an environment where they also have the tools and support to make their community, and world, a better place,” said Mrs. Miller. “We empower the girls to believe they can achieve anything, and that limitless potential authentically shines through when they see the impact they are having on the community. Whether that’s supporting local food drives or raising money to provide PPE to kids all over the world, they are making a difference.”
ADVOCACY IN ACTION Third Grader Campbell Lodes noticed that there weren’t enough recycling bins by the Lower School, where she eats lunch outside. She put her idea into the Third Grade suggestion box, and spoke to the entire grade, along with our Chief Operations Officer Joan Guzman and Director of Facilities Ed Rys to present her request, which resulted in more recycling bins for Lower School.
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Her goals include cultivating empathy and creating true, lifelong commitment that leads the girls to act, improving their community and world. She uses Social Studies concepts and lessons as a springboard to expose the girls to diverse ways of life, unique and changing community needs, and studying people who have, and are, doing this important work. Third Graders focus on hunger, and Mrs. Miller has created innovative ways to tie in the Social Impact goals and outcomes to her curriculum. In addition to larger, off-campus involvement, such as volunteering at Bonton Farms or filling packs at Feed My Starving Children, Mrs. Miller has been intentional about authentically integrating Social Impact directly into lessons that correspond to general Third Grade topics. This fall, girls practiced their map skills by reading a food desert map and then writing and sharing their report with classmates, educating others about food deserts, identifying where they are in our community, and suggesting ways to help. “Not only did they practice how to read a map, they learned persuasive research writing skills, and sharpened their presentation skills, all while learning about a serious need within the community and sharing ways to help,” said Mrs. Miller.
