MILLSTONE – Continuing their project to spread awareness of an invasive plant species, a group of pupils from the Millstone Township K-8 School District have created a prototype of an eBook for younger children.
Pupils at the Millstone Township Middle School and the Millstone Township Elementary School who call themselves the Phearless Phragmites Phighters are working on an eBook entitled “Cornelius and Betty: A Phragmites Adventure.”
The book is part of an ongoing project that is aimed at spreading awareness of Phragmites australis, an invasive plant species.
Phragmites australis, according to teacher and club adviser Beth Topinka, can reach 18 feet in height. The plant grows in thick patches with dense root systems that spread and push out native plants and animals.
The plant is difficult to remove once it has become established in an area. It harms diversity in ecosystems, does not provide a food source for native animals, interferes with marsh food webs, affects the supply of water needed by plants and animals, and produces seed tops that can bother individuals with grass allergies, according to Topinka.
In 2016 and 2017, the students identified locations in Millstone Township where Phragmites australis was growing. Their work was recognized by the Township Committee and the Environmental Commission. The pupils were later invited to compete in the Future Problem Solvers International Conference’s Junior Team Division for Environmental Concerns in Wisconsin, where they placed first.
For their next project, “InPhorming Phriends to Phurther Phight Phragmites,” the pupils are seeking to take their awareness campaign across New Jersey and created the eBook to inform younger children about the plant.
The book was written by pupils Anna DePinho, Evangeline Huey and Rachel Glantzberg, and the scenes were assembled by Anna, Evangeline, Kyra Ahuja, Nate Benjamin, Brenadan DeRose, Max Glantzberg, Gianna Iannaccone and Alexey Nekrasov. Literacy coach Stephanie Dunk served as a consultant for the book.
“We wanted to get the point across to everyone that phragmites are bad,” said Anna, a fifth-grader. “So how do we get this point across to children? Children love to read books and we made a book that’s fun to read.”
“We didn’t want children to be bored or confused,” said Evangeline, a fifth-grader.
According to the pupils, the book was created by covering a poster board with a blue T-shirt for the background. Characters were then created with felt to make it easy to move them around.
In the book, the titular Cornelius, a turtle, and Betty, a red-winged blackbird, are informed about phragmites by Devon, a deer. The pupils said they made Betty a red-winged blackbird because the species will perch in phragmites.
The book is told in rhyme, similar to stories written by Dr. Seuss. Anna acknowledged Dr. Seuss’ influence on the book and described his stories as fun to read.
The pupils said they chose to make the story an eBook instead of having it physically printed to make it easier to access and to avoid the monetary costs of publishing their work.
“Anyone can access an eBook,” Anna said.
“We would have to make many copies if we printed it,” said Max, a third-grader.
After working on the book for six months, the pupils completed a prototype which they presented before a second grade class, instructed by teacher Brittani Adams, at the Millstone Township Primary School on Feb. 28.
Following the presentation, the pupils were given a survey to determine what they learned from the story and teachers were given a survey to provide feedback.
“After we get all of our feedback, we will know what to do next,” Anna said.
Topinka said the final version of the book will also feature narration from the pupils.
The eBook is one of two creations that will comprise the “InPhorming Phriends to Phurther Phight Phragmites” projects. For older students, the pupils are creating a virtual reality experience and they have consulted drone operator Christopher Johnston and photographer Doreen Laskiewicz.
