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Better Understanding Garden Science
Mission:

To better understand nature, the relationships necessary for the growth of plants and where plants fit into the cycle of life.

News and Resources
  • BUGS curious?  
Go ahead and click here to learn more about the program from a nooby's point of view.  We'd love to have you come join our community as a volunteer - you'll be glad you did!
  • Be our Friend!  Not to be needy, but we are looking for Facebook Friends.  We have our own page set up, so search "Brittan Acres Elementary BUGS" from your Facebook page or follow THIS LINK to our page.  We welcome our community to post items of BUGSY interest and keep the conversation thriving!  
  • BUGS Blog thing arrives.  You knew we were going to do it one day, didn't you?  Click "Blog Thing" to get the latest scoop.
  • We'll be "Twittering" before you know it! OK, so we ARE tweeting, or twooting, - follow the BUGStwits at twitter.com.  The URL is: http://twitter.com/BUGStwits
  • Get yer BUGS on!  Be THE coolest volunteer in town.  Really.  Join the fashion leaders and buy your BUGS themed schwag here.  Have fun and get some cool buttons for the kids.  $3.00 of every item purchased goes to the PTA (who generously picks up most of the BUGS tab.)
  
  • Eeek!  I'm not a teacher! Feeling nervous about playing teacher to a group of kids?  It comes naturally to some, but can be a source of anxiety to others.  See the "How to do it page" for tips on working with students, how to optimize the BUGS experience for you and your students, and more, so much more!

New to BUGS this season:
  • Have you used the new Media Cart?  IT's fabulous, and easy.  Just roll the cart and TV to your room (do take care the TV doesn't topple), plug in the power cord, retrieve the microscope from the cart cabinet, connect the cord to the microscope and you are ready to go!  You can focus it on anything- plant parts, insects, soil- and the enlarged image shows up on screen.  Lots of fun and a great tool!  
  • Pay it forward - Help us build a better BUGS by sharing your wisdom with those that will follow in your footsteps.  Find out here.
  • Hit the ground running -  Learn from the wisdom of those who've already taught your upcoming session.  What works, what doesn't?






 
 
 

BUGS is...

  • BUGS is a unique, home grown program developed at Brittan Acres Elementary in the 1990's.
  • 7 classes are scheduled over the school year for each grade.
  • Each class incorporates three activity stations built around a theme for the month.
  • One activity station is a gardening component.  Students grow and tend two gardens over the course of the year.
  • Students learn ecological principals and concepts in natual science, the common thread being provided by the requirements and growth processes of plants.
  • The program is staffed and managed entirely by volunteers, is backed by BA's PTA and receives additional support from the Rotary Club of San Carlos.  Additional discounts and product donations come from community-minded businesses.
  • The BUGS program coordinators are committed to sharing this program with other schools.  Please contact us to learn more.




VANDALISM - Grrr!

Over the years, the old bog area became a broken-glass teen hangout.  Let's not let our new bog go there!  The fence helps, but is easily scaled by determined kids. Please help us keep the place from being vandalized.  Go get to know this unique resource.  See how it's developing into a mini wildlife sanctuary. Let your friends and family know about it.  Community ownership of this special place, will minimize vandalism.  The same goes for the upper gardens and any part of the school campus.

If you're up at BA on evenings or weekends and see kids where we all know they shouldn't be, try to get their names while demanding they get out and stay out.  Use your cell phone and take a picture of them (or just pretend to).  Don't let them get comfortable messing around in there!  San Carlos Police Department can be reached at 802-4277. 

The school and its shared resources need our neighborhood watch support - vandals did a lot of damage on campus over summer recess so put the SCPD's number in your speed dial and use it if you see any nonsense.  Thanks for your help - you can make a difference!