Learning about Exciting Green-eco Features of the California Academy of Sciences Designed by
World Renowned Architect Renzo Piano
City College of San Francisco ESL students explore the Living Roof at the California Academy of Sciences with its 1.7 million native plants and exciting green technology
which controls the building's temperature.
Instructor: Cora Chen (visit Cora's ESL website)
On March 11, 2010 a group of students in my ESL6 enjoyed a wonderful field trip to the Academy of Sciences. By exploring and learning about the many eco-friendly features of the Living Roof, students became aware of green issues pertaining to protecting the natural environment.
The activities for this field trip integrated reading, speaking, listening and writing skills. Students read about the Living Roof and the museum before their visit. During the field trip, students had the chance to practice speaking English with the museum staff, listened to the docents, and took notes. After the field trip, students wrote reflections on their learning experiences and shared these with their classmates.
The following students participated in the field trip: Noriko Kawata (from Japan), Betty Li (from China), Sabe Myint (from Burma), Fabricia Muniz (from Brazil), Jennifer Xu Zhang (from China), Manovchehre Iraj Pour (from Iran), Shahla Rayan Pour (from Iran), and Ling Chen (from China).
Here is a 7-minute film that
documents the students' learning experiences at the Academy of Sciences:
The Living Roof from cora on Vimeo.
Here are some stills from the film footage:
Students' Reflections on Their Learning Experiences:
The Fantastic Living Roof
by Ling E. Chen
On March 11th, 2010 we visited the Living Roof of the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
Visiting the Living Roof was a significant activity organized by Cora Chen, and the tour was a valuable learning experience for us. It was my first time to see the Living Roof although I have visited the Academy three times since I moved to San Francisco.
The total area of the Living Roof is 2.5 acres with seven hills on it. The complex, scientific structure and draining system can absorb most of the rainwater against flooding plants, flowers and grass.
About 1.7 million native plants are growing on the roof and keeping all surface green. Many birds, bees and insects are attracted by such a good natural environment. We could see birds jumping on the grass, butterflies dancing in the air and among flowers.
There are 60,000 photovoltaic cells capturing and producing clean energy. Gadgets of weather stations and computers are used to measure and control museum's interior temperature automatically.
There are signs with label text around the open-air observation terrace, providing visitors with information about everything on the Living Roof. One can also see the De Young Museum, the Japanese Tea Garden and the surrounding Evergreen trees. The Living Roof top can be a great sightseeing spot.
There is no such kind of living roof in my native country China so far, and I wonder how many living roofs there are around the world now. Believe it or not, the Living Roof of the Academy is the best and the largest in the world!
A Wonderful Day
by Sabe Myint
It was a wonderful day on Thursday, March 11th, 2010. A group of students in my ESL class joined our teacher Cora Chen to visit the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
Two docents showed us around and explained to us how the architect Renzo Piano designed the museum. The piazza is located in the center of the museum. The roof of the piazza is made of the energy efficient German class that blocks out the heat, which makes the whole room very bright with lots of natural light and that saves electrical energy for the building. When we went up to the top of the Living Roof, we learned that the layers of the roof are 15" deep to allow small native plants grow. The 3" deep coconut fiber was made in the Philippines. These biodegradable trays drain the rainwater down into the egg carton layer, under which are two layers of 6" soil. There are 50,000 porous, biodegradable trays as containers for the vegetation on top of the roof. There are 1.7 millions native small plants covering the whole roof, and they can transform carbon dioxide into oxygen.
The Academy of Sciences building is magnificent and unique. It has the largest living roof in the world! In my native country Burma, there is no such a scientific project like the one of the Academy of Sciences that can save energy and the environment.
An Exciting Tour
by Manovchehre Iraj Pour
I am grateful to Cora Chen for arranging a field trip for us to visit the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park on March 11, 2010.
When Mr. Renzo Piano visited San Francisco, he found the city beautiful and green, so he decided to design a museum with the green rooftop that has become the symbol of San Francisco. In September 2008, the California Academy of Sciences woke from its hibernation--it took 10 years to unify the Academy's 12 buildings under one "Living Roof," the nearly 200,000 square foot rooftop that contains 7 "undulating green hillocks" with 1.7 million native plants. It is the greenest and the most sustainable museum building in the world. The Academy is composed of the the Steinhart Aquarium, Morrison Planetarium, Kimball National History
Museum, and world-class research and education program all under one Living Roof.
Unfortunately, in my country Iran, there isn't such a museum, but in the north and west parts of Iran there are many natural forests with millions of native flowers. In all cities there are also many parks with beautiful and lovely lakes. In Iran we keep the flowers in special buildings in winter. I hope there will be the same kind of museum as the Academy of Sciences in the future in Iran.
A Wonderful Experience
by Betty Li
On March 11th, 2010, our teacher Cora Chen took us to visit the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. It was a beautiful day, and we went up to the top of the Living Roof. I saw 1.7 million native plants covering the whole roof. The docents explained to us about what we saw on the roof, which helped me understand much better about the information provided on the Academy's website as quoted below:
"They used 50,000 porous, biodegradable trays made from tree sap and coconut husks as containers for the vegetation. . . . The Academy's green rooftop keeps the building's interior an average of 10 degrees cooler than a standard roof would. These plants also transform carbon dioxide into oxygen, capture rainwater, and reduce energy needs for heating and cooling."
The Academy of Sciences building is magnificent, and the Living Roof is unique! From this field trip, I have learned a lot about new technology for saving energy that is good for our environment. I enjoyed this field trip very much. It was a wonderful experience!
An Amazing Day on the Living Roof
by Fabricia Muniz
It was an amazing day on March 11, 2010 at the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park.
Before we went, we read about the Living Roof. During our tour, I saw many different kinds of plants, birds and butterflies. I also learned how the Living Roof can save energy. In addition, I also learned that saltwater for the aquariums is piped in form the Pacific Ocean. I hope that in the future, all roofs will be like this kind of Living Roof.
Thanks, Ms.Cora Chen for this trip! It was very helpful!
The Living Roof Layers
by Noriko Kawata
I went to the Academy of Sciences on 03/11/10. I enjoyed the view from the Living Roof. There are many plants , flowers, birds etc. I learned how they make the plants grow on the five layers of the Living Roof. The bottom layer is cement, the second is waterproof material, the third are egg cartons, the fourth is coconut fiber and the top layer are plants. I was interested in the system.
Here is an interactive exercise on "The Living Roof:"
Vocabularies - The Living Roof of the California Academy of Sciences
The following vocabulary lists with definitions, pronunciations, synonyms and antonyms can help students better understand the website about
The Living Roof of California Academy of Sciences.
Click here to play "The Living Roof" vocabulary games.
The Living Roof of California Academy of Sciences.
Click here to play "The Living Roof" vocabulary games.
Click to view or leave comments on "The Living Roof" project.
Interesting Student in ESL6
Talented Student
Noriko Kawata is a very talented student in my ESL 6 class. She was a musician in Japan and performed with one of the national orchestras which was an organization of the Onshin-kai(音心会). Noriko studied under Koto Master Ms. Kiyomi Ishigaki. These photos show Noriko playing the Koto and the Shamisen, Japanese traditional musical instruments. She also performed at the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival (August, 2008) in San Francisco. She has a certificate of membership from NHK Society's Cultural Promotion Department, whose purpose is to promote performers of classical Japanese music. Noriko also has a Koto instructor license by Sawai-Sokyokuin in Tokyo, Japan. She broadcasted at NHK radio with others(March 2005) in Tokyo, Japan.