Pollinator Data Project Takes Flight at Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary

By Mr. Boyce

Photo: 5th grade students standing next to the Pollinator Data Station they built and installed.

Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is buzzing with excitement as students launched the Pollinator Data Project, a new hands-on initiative rooted in our SAGE (Science and Gardening Emphasis) Program. This student-led project kicked off with an inspiring school-wide assembly, where our 4th and 5th graders took the lead in teaching the school about the vital role of pollinators and the importance of biodiversity in sustaining healthy ecosystems.

Image: Published student data shows plants that had the most pollinator visitors.

With confidence and clarity, students shared how pollinators are essential to the reproduction of flowering plants and overall ecosystem health. They offered practical tips on how families can support pollinators at home, such as planting native plant species, avoiding pesticides, and creating bee-friendly habitats. Their message was clear: everyone can play a part in protecting these crucial species.

Photo: Teamwork is dreamwork when leveling the posts and installing data boxes.

One of the most exciting features of the project is the introduction of Pollinator Data Stations now installed in gardens around campus. These stations include interactive components that invite students, staff, and families to become active participants in a real-world science experiment. Each station is stocked with Pollinator Pocket Guides, created and published by our 4th and 5th graders. These guides were the result of weeks of small-group research and writing, and they offer detailed information to help identify common native pollinators and the plants they frequent.

Image: The Pollinator pocket guide was researched, created and published by the 4th and 5th graders in Mr. Boyce’s class.

Image: Within the 3 volumes of pocket guides, families will find published articles highlighting specific pollinators who visit the learning gardens around the SCG campus.

Alongside the guides, each station includes Data Collection Slips, which allow anyone visiting the garden to record pollinator sightings. These slips ask observers to note which pollinators they see and which flowers they visit. Once completed, the slips are gathered and entered into a student-managed database. Our class will analyze this growing set of data to track trends over time, such as which native plants attract the most pollinators and when certain species are most active during the school year.

This project was made possible through generous funding from the Ocean Guardian Schools grant program by NOAA. As this is our second year as an official Ocean Guardian School, we are proud to see students leading environmental stewardship efforts with such enthusiasm and purpose. The grant has supported several initiatives this year, and we look forward to growing our partnership with NOAA in the years to come as we continue to deepen our commitment to environmental education.

Image: The data collection sheets can be found in the data stations in the SAGE Garden and Pollinator Peace Garden here on campus.

The Pollinator Data Project not only builds students’ skills in research, data analysis, and ecology, it also invites the wider community to engage with our school gardens in a new and meaningful way. By transforming our outdoor spaces into living laboratories, this project highlights how student-led initiatives can foster real-world learning that benefits both the environment and our community.

This effort is a natural extension of the SAGE Program’s core values: learning through nature, hands-on exploration, and solving real-world problems. It gives upper grade students the opportunity to lead with purpose while promoting environmental literacy across campus. Projects like this show why Santa Cruz Gardens Elementary is a special place to learn, where curiosity grows in the garden and learning comes alive outside the classroom. 

We invite families to participate in the data collection at the pollinator stations, use a guide, and join us in this collaborative effort to better understand and support the pollinators that help our gardens (and our learning) thrive. 

#herewegrow

Photo: The SAGE Garden hosted another superbloom of poppies that created the perfect habitat for native pollinators