Habitat Day has been a tradition of Barrington’s Informal Progressive Program for the past six years. Each year, students participate in a “field trip at school” that includes presentations, workshops, hands-on activities, arts integration, and service, all centered on our yearlong K-5 theme. This year it will be on Friday, October 25. It is a wonderful day of learning and serving, Habitat Day: Caring for Those in Our Community is a follow up to our visit to the Mid-Ohio Foodbank and connects to both our grade-level curriculums and Informal’s ongoing work with the Barrington Garden and Habitat. We will begin that day together in the Cafeteria. Groups will then attend the following sessions throughout the day:
• Quilting Community: One Stitch at a Time—Meet with Mrs. McGinty, district High School Art teacher, to learn about the Community Quilt being “woven” across U.A. Each class will create a quilt square that will be part of the quilt and displayed throughout the city and unveiled at the State of the City in January. The quilt squares will represent different places and themes of our community.
• Kid Packs—Work in groups to decorate and create KID PACKS for the Mid-Ohio Foodbank. These kits are assembled with healthy items for a family of four. The packs are distributed by the Foodbank.
•Music and Movement—Create movements and write lyrics with Mrs. Gibson related to our theme.
•Veggie U--Nutrition & Healthy Eating—Learn about healthy eating choices and sample popcorn shoot, herbs, mixed potatoes and potatoes, beets, cauliflower, and celery. “Taste outside the box” and understand why food like mac and cheese and peanut butter aren’t enough!
•Budget Shopping Simulation—Work in groups with support from adults to “shop” at the grocery store on a limited budget of $4 per day, per family member; a family of 4 has $16 to spend. Kids will see what they can purchase on a limited budget and discuss if the amounts and choices available are adequate.

HERE'S HOW WE HELPED
We needed items for our Kid Packs. We asked students to bring in items based on grade level so we received all we needed to fill these packs. We asked for one item per child; more allowed us to create more Kid Packs. Please also see the attached page to order a shirt for your child to wear on Habitat Day. Profits from the shirts will support activities in our garden and habitat areas in the upcoming year.