In November, the entire Lower School spent a week focusing on the rights of people, animals, and the environment. From March 11-15, each grade expanded on the work they did in November, but this time they focused on what actions they could take to help secure and protect the rights of their particular group.
PK met with the Head Chef from SAGE to learn about access to healthy food, supporting local food sources, and the steps taken to protect those with food allergies. Kindergarten learned more about the rights of animals. After meeting a few friends from the Carrie Murray Nature Center, kindergartners spent time caring for the chickens that live on Roots Farm. The first grade learned about the dangers facing some bee populations and then got to work setting up Roots to be a bee haven. After spending the fall focusing on the rights of women, second graders wrote letters to Maryland Attorney General Brian Frosh regarding pricing disparities in gendered products. The third grade studied McDonogh's campus, looking for accessibility issues for those with disabilities and wrote letters asking that those issues be addressed. The fourth grade, focusing on the rights of children, met with representatives from Advocates for Children and Youth to learn more about youth advocacy. They also built tool caddies and birdhouses that they are donating to Habitat to Humanity.