The Pittsburgh Childrens' Museum sponsored an event for National Public Science Day 2000 on February 17, that involved sixth grade students from the Homewood Montessori School. For the students, this was their third year studying an urban watershed, Nine Mile Run. The theme for this event was Restore the Stream and the Animals will Return.

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At the museum, a stream of blue fabric stretched from the front door to the rear of the first floor. It was littered with trash and tires. The students served as hosts for the event, explaining to parents and museum visitors how they could work together to clean up and beautify the stream. Silk screened leaves, clay bugs, and paper trees were made on site. Students brought paper mache wildlife with them. Over two hours art replaced trash--for every piece of art set in the stream, a piece of litter was recycled. This transformation from a wasteland to an artful habitat serves as a model for community cooperation in ecological restoration.


The students from Homewood Montessori helped run a variety of art stations and welcomed museum visitors. Providing informational handouts to parents and teachers, the student hosts shared their knowledge of the project and answered visitors' questions.


 

 


Click to see more of the students work.