Month: September 2017

Brainstorming together to apply for Go Wild, students narrowed down their project to something that combined their love of technology and their sense of adventure! At Beachy Cove Elementary in Portugal Cove, NL, students inspired each other to get outside with geo-caching activities. Students were involved in creating the caches, leaving math and other problem solving questions for each other, as well as encouraging messages for each other.

After a guest lecture on wind energy, inspired students took matters into their own hands and worked in teams, assembling their own firefly windmills. Taking their windmills to the outdoors, students were able to witness first-hand how wind caught through relay races in the schoolyard could power their school’s lights! This project even reached student families – ““ My dad said he would get us a solar panel so we could try this with solar energy.” –Cole, Grade 5.

In Surrey, BC, two Grade 7 classes rolled up their sleeves to form a squad to clean along two local vital salmon spawning creeks in their community. Inspiring parents and volunteers form a local community group to join, they removed litter from these valuable habitats, helping to protect the ecosystems many wildlife call home.

“I learned that there is much more garbage around us than I originally anticipated. If I wasn’t specifically looking for garbage I would not have noticed it.”

–Ayden, Grade 7

To create awareness of the importance of water for students in Fredericton, NB, students were introduced to the idea of protecting the sacred waters through a first nation cultural approach. Students were connected to nature by creating a Water Walk route to steward and study, ending the project with a Water Walk celebration and creation of Water Bucket necklace keepsakes created to commemorate the incredible experience.

“Imagine every Friday getting to head out “into the forest”. Well we, the students in Mme Wilson’s class in Richmond. BC, get to just that. Almost every Friday, we head out, rain or shine, into the forest of Garden City Park for an hour and a half of activities learning about nature and science. Whether it’s learning about the invasive species of BC, the local vegetation and wildlife of the park, connecting with our adopted trees, or creating science lessons, Forest Fridays is an activity where you can open your mind to the environment and spend time learning about nature.”

– Yirui, Grade 5

This Go Wild project allowed students to receive Native education, giving them a better understanding of how the Native culture connects with, utilizes and respects nature. An interactive bean pole teepee was constructed along with the start of an outdoor classroom.  The students continue to enjoy the outdoor benches and care for the bean pole teepee, and the space will continue to be used by the students for outdoor learning opportunities.

The reason this Living Wall was created was to connect Okotoks, AB, Westmount School students to nature by exposing them to plants indoors, and involving them in plant growth and care. The wall provides opportunities to nurture nature, to observe nature, and to learn about nature. “My favourite part was every Monday, going to look at the Living Wall, and writing in our visual journals… see if they grew or not.” -Hudson, Grade 4

Every student and staff member at St. Anthony’s in Drumheller, AB,  was involved in this project. Each class was equipped with composting bins, and all staff provided instruction on practicing responsible waste disposal, and the students honoured their composting goals all year.

“If we keep on composting there will be less garbage and maybe more things can grow. It’s one more way we can help take care of the world!”

– Katriana, Grade 1

In High Prairie, AB, over 50 students with their teachers mobilized one another to clean and remove concrete tiles and gravel, making room for nature in their concrete schoolyard!

“What an improvement!”

– Mrs Cathy K.

Grade 1 and 2 students in Bragg Creek, AB, became highly invested in helping bats after learning of the threats to this species. The creation of an Observation Station allowed these students to better understand and study this species.  

“This was a real life, authentic experience which was initiated by students. For years to come, they will have the opportunity of observe and document the life in our backyard ecosystem. There is no better learning than that!”

– Shara Masiuk, teacher.