Hartshorn Students Prepare Habitat for Spring

Rakes, shovels in their gardening gloved hands, students at Hartshorn Elementary School were busy taking care of the school's habitat on Wednesday.

Students from throughout the school have been spending the last few days helping in the habitat with its spring preparations by weeding, cutting branches and raking leaves.

The preparations will lead to the spring plantings in the habitat after Mother's Day in May. Over 20 Hartshorn classes will spend time in the habitat during that time planting annuals.

It's all been part of the CleanUp Millburn efforts and Earth Day, which is Thursday. In the last week, students have been walking the grounds to pick up trash.

Kim Moore, one of the parents who helps coordinate efforts for the habitat, said the garden serves as an outdoor classroom for Hartshorn students. "We try to find a curriculum connection with everything we do," she said. Students will learn about seeds, soil and composting as part of their science lessons. They also compost the waste from their snacks in the bin at the habitat, and then the compost is used with the plants.