The SWO Green Team had their first official meeting Thursday, January 25th.
In attendance: Maria Rowles, Sandra Constable, Sue Montesi, Sharon Byrne, Erin Wilson, Lori King, Jennifer Reid, Kathy Fisher and Susan Willis. Absent: Sally Goede
Discussions:
1. Introduction to what EcoSchools consist of and the four main focus areas (as described in previous posting). Review of visit to Glamorgan Public School (see previous blog)
2. Current student club - up and running thanks to the work of Mrs. LeBon! Lots of student participation. We discussed the student clubs at Glamorgan and R.A. Riddell - maybe it would be less work for teachers for students to have "executive committee" (e.g. 2 reps from each grade 7 class plus 2 for all grade 6s and 5s). That committe would discuss initiatives and how to implement with enviro team volunteers from all classes.
3. Recycling: Up and running! Again thanks to the work of teachers and students!
4. Grade 7 Curriculum: Maria discussed how the EcoSchool program initiatives could be incorporated into the Grade 7 community project that is being done in conjunction with the Rotary Club. Lots of excellent ideas could be used, but this is still under study.
Action Items:
Parent representatives divided themselves into the 4 areas of EcoSchools as follows:
Energy: Erin Willson
Waste Minimization: Lori King and Sharon Byrne
School Yard Greening: Kathy Fisher
Curriculum: Jennifer Reid and Susan Willis
Sally Goede will also join one of these areas.
Basically the plan at this point is for each of these parents research and become an "expert" in these areas. Hopefully they can then work with the teachers and students to plan and implement initiatives. The Energy and Waste Minimization teams will contact Mrs. LeBlon to see how we can help with the student team.
Our next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, February 20th, 6:30pm at Susan's house. Please contact Susan Willis if you need directions or would like to attend. All are welcome of course!
willisfamily5@yahoo.com
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
What are EcoSchools All About?
"Becoming an EcoSchool means examining the decisions we make in running our schools, inside and out - from modifying practices in our classrooms, offices and boiler rooms to designing the school ground as a place for healthy, enriched learning. It's a program where the school itself becomes a place for teaching and learning about how to create a healthy future." - Richard Christie, Program Coordinator School Services TDSB
The EcoSchool program focuses on four main areas:
1. Waste Minimization
2. Energy Conservation
3. School Ground Greening
4. Ecological Literacy
Schools that have programs in place on average send 30% less waste to the landfill and use 12% less electricity. More importantly, students involved in the program are learning how to be responsible stewards of our environment.
Why is the program important? We are seeing evidence everywhere of the negative effects of human activity on our environment. We need to be concerned!!!
The EcoSchool certification program formally recognizes a school's environmental initiatives. The certification process ensures consistency and fairness in setting standards. The program is growing: in 2003-2004, 13 schools in Ontario were certified. In 2006-2007, 251 schools in fourteen school boards were certified. For more information, click here.
Currently HWDSB does not have an EcoSchool program in place. Individual schools within the board can independently become certified through the Ontario EcoSchool program. HWDSB hopes to have a program in place by September 2008 with some pilot schools starting at that time.
In the meantime, at SWO we recognize the importance of these initiatives and are in the idea and planning stages of implementing some environmental programs on our own. We will start small at first, but who knows what we can accomplish once we get the ball rolling! :-)
Have Your Say!!!!
You have heard, studied and are probably doing many things in your life to help reduce our impact on our environment. What else can you do?? The answer is ADVOCACY!Advocacy is defined as taking active support of a cause, especially to argue for something. This means that you try and change other peoples' point of view and how they treat the environment.
What would environmental advocacy look like? You can make change by setting an example in your own life (recycling, energy conservation at home, riding your bike or walking to school, etc), by talking about issues with your friends and family or by making bigger changes such as joining an environmental club where together your voices can make a difference. Writing letters to other people that can make a difference in your community can help too. What about writing your thoughts to your school, the local newspaper, your MPP or MP?
Do you think you are too young to make a difference? Definitely not! Students have the ability to make big differences in the world around them. For example, Severn Cullis-Suzuki is one of Canada's most well-known environmental and social justice youth activists. When she was just nine years old she and some friends started the Environmental Children's Organization. They wanted to educate themselves and others about environmental issues. In 1992, when she was 12 years old, Severn delivered a powerful speech to political representatives at the very first United Nations Earth Summit. In her speech to the UN, Severn appealed to the delegates - "If you don't know how to fix it, please stop breaking it!". You can watch this video by clicking on the YouTube video link located on the lower right bar of this blog. Or you can read an interview with Severn on The Great Warming website.You can read more stories about students who have made a difference like Taylor Boyd, a grade five student at Maurice Cody Public School in Toronto, and Craig Kielburger who founded the human rights organization "Free the Children" when he was only 12 years old. Read about them in the "Budding Activists" article at TVOParents.com.
You can also read about what students and teachers have done that demonstates activism in their schools called in an article called "Everyday Environmental Activism".
Have your say!!! If you have done many of the activities on this blog, or have had discussions and/or activities in your classroom, you probably have opinions on things that you see happening around you on a daily basis. Would you like to see some things changed? Who could you talk to about it? What would you say to back your argument? Do you have ideas to respond if others don't agree with you?
Your challenge: on your own or with a friend, write a letter or make a presentation to persuade someone to change something you think could help our environment. You must present and defend your point of view. This could be something as simple as convincing your school mates about the benefits of walking to school to reduce air pollution and conserve energy, to writing to your government representative to change laws about the use of pesticides or air pollution.
The sky is the limit!
Teachers: This activity ties in with the language curriculum for all grades, though it would lend itself more for the junior and intermediate level. Specific expectations: Writing: purpose and audience, developing/organizing ideas, research, voice, point of view. It can be adapted to the grade level and focus on oral presentation, written work or media literacy.
Cross curricular connections: Grade 7 Geography Natural Resources: Present and defend a point of view on how a resource should be used
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Conservation of Energy
Our modern society uses a lot of energy! Most of our energy comes from fossil fuels (see glossary for definition). The burning of fossil fuels releases carbon dioxide gasses into our atmosphere which contribute to global warming. You have probably heard a lot about global warming on the news, at home and in school. It is an issue that everyone is talking about!What are some ways that we can reduce our use of fossil fuels? Technology has helped us find alternative sources of energy that are pretty interesting! You can read about these alternative energy sources on the following websites:
Canadian Renewable Energy or Energy Resources
For a detailed explanation about energy sources, check out The Energy Story published by the California Energy Commission.
What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of each energy source?
What can you do to reduce YOUR energy consumption at home? What about your school?
Teachers: The above activity can be used in Grade 5 Science, Energy and Control: Conservation of Energy. Specific expectations: list various sources of energy and identify them as renewable, describe advantages and disadvantages of using renewable energy sources as opposed to non-renewable sources, identify forms of energy and their sources, describe how we use different natural resources as sources of energy and evaluate the effect of their use on the natural and human-made environments.
For cross-curricular connections have your students try a WebQuest on Alternative Energy Sources where the student's task is to find the best of four alternative energy sources. They will use language expectations to write or present their point of view and drama for role-play.
What is Your Ecological Footprint???
Our "ecological footprint" is a measurement of how much land and water it takes to produce the resources we use and absorb the waste that we make. This includes water we use, the energy we use to heat our homes, turn on our lights, drive our cars, types of food we eat, garbage we create, etc. A more complete definition can be found on the Global Footprint Network website.
Currently, all the people on this planet are using more resources than can be replaced. In fact, if everyone had similar lifestyles that we have in North America, we would need over three Earths to sustain us! You might be interested in comparing ecological footprints from around the world.
What is YOUR ecological footprint? Calculate your own footprint by filling out the questionnaire. After you have finished calculating your own footprint, bring your results to class and compare it with your classmates. Then find the average footprint for your class. Locate the average Canadian footprint. Is your class average smaller or larger?
How can you reduce your ecological footprint? What can you do as a class to reduce your footprint?
Note to teachers: This activity can be used for a math lesson in Data Management and Probability by having the class collect, graph and interpret their results. It would ideally be best for junior grades. Example: Gr. 6 expectations: collecting data by conducting a survey, organizing data, selecting appropriate graph to represent data, determining how well the set of data represents a population, drawing conclusions, comparing, using charts/tables, etc to make arguments.
This activity could also be used for cross-curricular connections with Science (Gr. 7 Interactions within Ecosystems and Gr. 5 Conservation of Energy) or Social Studies (Gr. 7 Natural Resources, Gr. 8 Patterns in Human Geography)
For a more simplistic activity for younger children, try the "Zero Footprint" calculator.
Currently, all the people on this planet are using more resources than can be replaced. In fact, if everyone had similar lifestyles that we have in North America, we would need over three Earths to sustain us! You might be interested in comparing ecological footprints from around the world.
What is YOUR ecological footprint? Calculate your own footprint by filling out the questionnaire. After you have finished calculating your own footprint, bring your results to class and compare it with your classmates. Then find the average footprint for your class. Locate the average Canadian footprint. Is your class average smaller or larger?
How can you reduce your ecological footprint? What can you do as a class to reduce your footprint?
Note to teachers: This activity can be used for a math lesson in Data Management and Probability by having the class collect, graph and interpret their results. It would ideally be best for junior grades. Example: Gr. 6 expectations: collecting data by conducting a survey, organizing data, selecting appropriate graph to represent data, determining how well the set of data represents a population, drawing conclusions, comparing, using charts/tables, etc to make arguments.
This activity could also be used for cross-curricular connections with Science (Gr. 7 Interactions within Ecosystems and Gr. 5 Conservation of Energy) or Social Studies (Gr. 7 Natural Resources, Gr. 8 Patterns in Human Geography)
For a more simplistic activity for younger children, try the "Zero Footprint" calculator.
Monday, January 21, 2008
How Much Garbage Do We Create?
Hey kids!! (And everyone else too!)
Have you ever thought about how much garbage we contribute to the environment? Many of us don't realize how much garbage we put out as it magically disappears every week when it is picked up by the garbage truck.
A new documentary called "Garbage! The Revolution Starts At Home" is a film about "how the family household has become one of the most ferocious environmental predators of our time". The McDonald family, an average urban family is filmed as they keep every scrap of garbage they create over a period of three months. This includes regular garbage, air pollution and even the stuff that we flush down the toilet! The McDonald family discovers that for every action they do, there is a reaction that affects the planet.
Go on the film's website and see what you can learn to bring into the classroom for a discussion on sustainability: http://www.garbagerevolution.com/home
For a preview of the documentary, try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J5rDx6g9ts
Can you think of some ideas you could do in your school to creat awareness for the garbage we create at school? Come to class prepared to discuss your ideas! YOU can make a difference!
Note to teachers: This activity directly ties into the Grade 7 Social Studies curriculum - Natural Resources: "Explain the concept of sustainable development and its implications for the health of the environment".
Have you ever thought about how much garbage we contribute to the environment? Many of us don't realize how much garbage we put out as it magically disappears every week when it is picked up by the garbage truck.
A new documentary called "Garbage! The Revolution Starts At Home" is a film about "how the family household has become one of the most ferocious environmental predators of our time". The McDonald family, an average urban family is filmed as they keep every scrap of garbage they create over a period of three months. This includes regular garbage, air pollution and even the stuff that we flush down the toilet! The McDonald family discovers that for every action they do, there is a reaction that affects the planet.
Go on the film's website and see what you can learn to bring into the classroom for a discussion on sustainability: http://www.garbagerevolution.com/home
For a preview of the documentary, try http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6J5rDx6g9ts
Can you think of some ideas you could do in your school to creat awareness for the garbage we create at school? Come to class prepared to discuss your ideas! YOU can make a difference!
Note to teachers: This activity directly ties into the Grade 7 Social Studies curriculum - Natural Resources: "Explain the concept of sustainable development and its implications for the health of the environment".
Sunday, January 20, 2008
Our visit to Glamorgan PS in Toronto Jan.16th - An EcoSchool Open House
On Jan 16th Sharon Byrne and myself attended an open house at an EcoSchool in the Toronto District School Board. TDSB has been very progressive in their environmental programs and has 173 schools in their boards that are certified EcoSchools. Here are some things we learned from their presentation by staff and students:
- it started small: reducing paper (reusing, buying different paper, etc), increasing the use of recycling in the school and litterless lunches
- now it includes activities such as planting different tree species on the school grounds, implementing a "grey" box (reusable materials for art supplies, etc), used book exchanges, litterless lunches on an ongoing basis, "walking" Wednesdays (very popular!)
- the school is excitedly planning to have a visit from CityTV who will broadcast the weather from their school and discuss the EcoSchool initiatives on TV!
- the students were very involved and consisted of mostly grade 6s with some grade 4s and 5s "in training" - they were called the "Eco Owls"
- students played a leadership role in teaching others to care for their environment - they put up posters, played eco-friendly games and encouraged walking
- students and staff also carried these values to their homes and often changed the way they did things at home
- each class in the school was responsible for a Monday morning message to read over the announcements. The students often used great creativity such as poems or songs for their messages. E.g. "Hey boys and girls, we can save the world..." to the tune of Joy to the World
- once a month a team would conduct an "investigation" or each classroom which is a checklist of practices for garbage, recycling, lights off, computers off, shades open for sunny days, closed at night, etc. The top class would be presented with a plaque that was displayed outside their door for the month
- presenters mentioned importance of educating staff as well as students and the importance of teaching children environmental values at a young age
- EcoSchool initiatives can be related back to the SIP and developing the whole child - responsiblity for selves and their environment
- environmental theme was incorporated into the curriculum along with excursions to experience their environment as much as possible
- we saw a multi-media presentation put together by a grade 5 class entitled "Greenmakers - Change the Way We Live and Think" that consisted of music, art, science and language - it was amazing!
For more information about this school itself, visit their website and click on "current school profile". http://www.tdsb.on.ca/scripts/Schoolasp.asp?schno=4520
It was definitely worthwhile visiting this school to see that this program is making a difference, not only in reducing the school's impact on the environment, but how the values are carried over into lives outside of school as well. Sharon and I are looking forward to talking more about it at our next meeting!
- Susan Willis
- it started small: reducing paper (reusing, buying different paper, etc), increasing the use of recycling in the school and litterless lunches
- now it includes activities such as planting different tree species on the school grounds, implementing a "grey" box (reusable materials for art supplies, etc), used book exchanges, litterless lunches on an ongoing basis, "walking" Wednesdays (very popular!)
- the school is excitedly planning to have a visit from CityTV who will broadcast the weather from their school and discuss the EcoSchool initiatives on TV!
- the students were very involved and consisted of mostly grade 6s with some grade 4s and 5s "in training" - they were called the "Eco Owls"
- students played a leadership role in teaching others to care for their environment - they put up posters, played eco-friendly games and encouraged walking
- students and staff also carried these values to their homes and often changed the way they did things at home
- each class in the school was responsible for a Monday morning message to read over the announcements. The students often used great creativity such as poems or songs for their messages. E.g. "Hey boys and girls, we can save the world..." to the tune of Joy to the World
- once a month a team would conduct an "investigation" or each classroom which is a checklist of practices for garbage, recycling, lights off, computers off, shades open for sunny days, closed at night, etc. The top class would be presented with a plaque that was displayed outside their door for the month
- presenters mentioned importance of educating staff as well as students and the importance of teaching children environmental values at a young age
- EcoSchool initiatives can be related back to the SIP and developing the whole child - responsiblity for selves and their environment
- environmental theme was incorporated into the curriculum along with excursions to experience their environment as much as possible
- we saw a multi-media presentation put together by a grade 5 class entitled "Greenmakers - Change the Way We Live and Think" that consisted of music, art, science and language - it was amazing!
For more information about this school itself, visit their website and click on "current school profile". http://www.tdsb.on.ca/scripts/Schoolasp.asp?schno=4520
It was definitely worthwhile visiting this school to see that this program is making a difference, not only in reducing the school's impact on the environment, but how the values are carried over into lives outside of school as well. Sharon and I are looking forward to talking more about it at our next meeting!
- Susan Willis
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