Snapshot
Permaculture
The permaculture shed will be a structure that will fulfil several needs. The shed will be used to educate not only how food is produced, but how it can be done in a small area. The students will learn about permaculture through research, and learn the economics and environmental aspects of it, along with developing the hands-on skills required to bring the project to fruition. On the surface, it looks to be a simple carpentry project, but in reality, it is a problem-based learning activity. The students will need to use problem-solving skills and will utilize various academic knowledge-based content to design the project. The students will be making decisions based on a budget, and the requirements of space limitations. The students will be researching on the needs of animals and plants life. The students will also the skills need to run a business. The permaculture shed/buildings could be produced in our local area in Eastern Kentucky and transported to urban areas, where often the smaller spaces are needed for growing plants. The students will also learn about family economics and how to provide for a family. The students will be exposed to environmental issues through lessons and do their own research about how people even in the cities are concerned about the food they consume. The scope of the project or problem based learning will incorporate technical as well academic skills. Students will be using and learning real-world application to produce a product that could be turned in to a small business. This model could be replicated year after year without additional grant funds. The students at Lee ATC are currently building a Tiny House through the Building It Forward grant, a project that might be more for the advanced students. This project with a permaculture shed would be scalable to where the intro students and middle-skilled students would be in charge of the entire project.