TurfMutt Science Curriculum Begins National Rollout to Thousands of U.S. Schools
In April 2010, the TurfMutt educational outreach program began its national rollout to 25,000 schools across the country. The TurfMutt education program teaches 3rd through 5th grade students the science behind green spaces’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide (CO2), release oxygen, cool the air, control dust, reduce erosion and filter water.
The “face” of the TurfMutt science-based youth curriculum is a real rescue dog, Lucky, who turns into TurfMutt, a caped crusader who champions creating and caring for green spaces in a responsible way.
The TurfMutt curriculum includes science-based experiments on seed starting, photosynthesis and water absorption, worksheets, and a Web game for youth. 
The national rollout this spring was on the heels of a pilot program in 2009 in which Washington, DC and Sacramento, CA area schools were the first to receive the TurfMutt educational materials from Weekly Reader. Weekly Reader is a publishing company that produces standards-based, research-proven resources to support the development of academic vocabulary, reading comprehension, writing skills, and fluency for all learners.
Based on terrific feedback and a desire from other schools to have the same science-based resources, the TurfMutt educational curriculum was expanded in time for Earth Day 2010.
One school in Sacramento, CA – Herman Leimbach Elementary – participated in the TurfMutt program and subsequently won the TurfMutt Poster Contest. Students were asked to design a poster that illustrated how they and their family could help create and save green spaces. The first place winner, for example, drew a picture of their family watering grass only during the early morning hours to use water wisely.
Click to see poster contest winner!
“We are always looking for activities and tools that supplement the class work in an engaging way,” said Jenny Williams, 4th grade teacher at Herman Leimbach Elementary. “The TurfMutt science program allowed students to learn about science in a new, exciting way.”
Here’s some samples of the wonderful TurfMutt Science Curriculum. Click on the banner at the top of the page to go direct to Weekly Reader’s TurfMutt page.
TurfMutt Goes National
