Dana Wade

More than 215 students at East Texas Christian Academy and 10-15 participants at the Alzheimer's Alliance of Smith County, an adult day group, will have the opportunity to interact, learn and grow from knowing each other thanks to "All Living Things Are Special," an intergenerational project. Students at all grade levels will learn science, language arts, and math concepts through planting, growing, and observing living plants while interacting with individuals with Alzheimer's. Science and math lessons will include observation, measurement, comparisons, graphing, charting, and determining expenses and income from potential plant sales. Language arts lessons will include research into the appropriate types of plants, writing stories about plants, describing plant life cycles, developing business plans, flyers and advertisements for plant sales, and preparing PowerPoint and other presentations. Additionally, students will learn patience, compassion, respect, and a sense of giving back to others.