Super Saturdays: Getting Students Offline and Outside

As educators search for ways to address learning loss during the pandemic, the Consolidated School District of New Britain launched Super Saturdays. Utilizing recovery dollars from the American Rescue Plan, Saturday programming gives students the opportunity to shift away from virtual learning and dive into hands-on, experiential learning.

Super Saturday students making wildflower seed balls.

ROOTS signed on as a Super Saturday community partner, and Bri D’Alessio, an Elementary STEAM Teacher in New Britain, led programming for students grades 4-5 for six weeks this past fall. Super Saturdays lasted from 10am-2pm, and the four-hour duration allowed for in-depth lessons centered around a single topic. Working with the same group of students each weekend gave teachers and students the opportunity to build community with one another.

With D’Alessio leading the way, ROOTS lessons engaged students in hands-on gardening and nutrition education to deepen their understanding of the natural world around them, local food systems, and empowered eating practices.

One of the first lessons that Bri recalls as comically successful was a scarecrow building activity. “We spent the morning learning about bird species living in New Britain, what they eat, and the different ways that farmers protect their farms from snow and cold weather. The hay on the school garden beds was perfect for building a scarecrow to tie those lessons together, and it gave students a chance go outside and get their hands dirty. They had so much fun racing to stuff the scarecrow and its different parts; I didn’t expect them to enjoy it quite as much as they did.”

Another weekend, students learned all about herbs. After learning about how herbs grow here in Connecticut, students made an herb dip that they taste tested with vegetables and an herb-infused bath salt.

The hands-on lessons, like building the scarecrow and making herb dip for snack, gave students the opportunity to take responsibility and “play a full part in making and creating something. For students to be able to take that home and showcase that learning with their families is incredibly meaningful,” says Bri. “So many kids came away from lessons excited to complete the activities with their families. It’s not just about having students develop their skills, but about them being able to share and teach from their experience, too.”

One important aspect of the program is that students did not receive grades for their Saturday activities. “In school students are completing lessons to earn grades, so on Saturdays not providing grades gives students the opportunity to rise to the occasion, utilize new skills, and make an honest effort that they can be proud of,” shares Bri.

For D’Alessio, teaching Super Saturday was a way for her to not only connect with students, but to remain connected to ROOTS. Bri served as an AmeriCorps service member in 2017 and her experience at the organization helped to inform her professional path. “I realized that I love working with children and helping them realize their potential. I really never anticipated becoming a teacher prior to working with ROOTS,” shares Bri. “Bringing in community partners like ROOTS as education providers shows students how they can be a greater part of their community, and in return they see that their community is investing in them.”