Liliana Grijalva

Grijalva’s innovative teaching idea, “Green Power!”, focuses on helping the third-grade students gain a sense of responsibility for  conserving the planet in their community where there hasn’t been a large emphasis on sustainability efforts. The students will use  technology to communicate what the three Rs (reduce, reuse, and recycle) mean to them. They will create a documentary on an iPad about  why the three Rs are important to implement. Students will research, persuade, and survey others to pick a specific type of plant that  will grow in the local climate and benefit the community. Students also will create a recycling program to benefit their community and  school. They will create advertisements for the program and be responsible for maintaining it. They will use their problem-solving skills  throughout the year to adjust where needed. Grijalva, who lives in Phoenix, hopes the students who participate in the project will become  change makers in their community, while building their understanding, skills, and critical thinking ability.