FMPSD Environmental Stewardship

Environmental Stewardship in FMPSD

#FMPSD4change

What does the research say?

academically out performed their peers who didn't participate

A study on embedding environment education into curriculum instruction showed these students:

showed increased engagement and enthusiasm for learning

had reduced discipline and classroom management issues

took greater pride and ownership in their accomplishments

Please welcome students from Westwood High School,

École Dickinsfield and École McTavish

Lieberman, G. and Hoody, L. (1998). Closing the Achievement Gap – Using the Environment as an Integrating Context for Learning. Retreived from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED428942.pdf

What are

students saying?

Learning Strategies for Environmental Education

Act on Learning

Integrate Learning

• support learners in applying their learning in the community through:
• service learning
• volunteering
• modeling sustainability

• cross-curricular
• develop many skills
• develop deep understandings

Learn Locally

• the community becomes the classroom
• experiences are right out the school door
• involve natural, built and cultural environments

Share the Responsibility for Learning

Use Inquiry

• support students in developing self-awareness through habits of mind
• teachers evolve to become facilitators, coaches and co-learners
• help students develop peer collaborative learning communities

• inquiry based learning prepares students for real-world problem solving
• develops necessary skills for lifelong learning

Make Real-world Connections

• have students touch, feel and use real objects
• make something useful
• have student solve a real problem
• make a product for an audience
• use community partnerships

Resources for Teachers:

• Curriculum for a Sustainable Future: A proposal to increase energy literacy and environmental literacy in Alberta students http://www.abcee.org/sites/abcee.org/files/Curriculum%20for%20a%20Sustainable%20Future%20July%202015_sm.pdf

• Learning for a Sustainable Future - Connecting the Dots - http://lsf-lst.ca/dots

• Action Eduation Resources - http://www.abcee.org/actioneducation

• Resources for Rethinking - http://resources4rethinking.ca/en

• Grants and awards: http://www.abcee.org/grants-contests-awards including the Emerald Foundation

GET INVOLVED!

Emerald Day is coming to Fort McMurray on Saturday October 3rd!

If you're interested in helping with this event and telling our environmental story:

email Erin Keca at erin.keca@fmpsd.ab.ca.

Consider Alternate Perspectives

• encouraging students to seek alternative perspectives supports critical thinking

If we all do our part!

Imagine the possibilities...

Elbow Partner Time:

A closer look at what's already happening in FMPSD

Spring 2015 FMPSD Environmental Resource Map

In June, 196 FMPSD staff completed an environmental audit.

Reflect with a partner - What are your school's current environmental practices?

How are you supporting environmental education in your school?

PAPER

Celebrations!

WATER

Celebrations!

SCHOOL GROUNDS

ENERGY

WASTE REDUCTION

Celebrations

Celebration

Rainwater Harvesting

Challenges...

Celebrations!

Challenges

Challenge

FROM:

Video: Eco Pods

http://resources4rethinking.ca/en/resource/why-care-about-water

Photographer Chris Jordan

Recommendation of how and where to use it

Now What?

Recommendation of how and where to use it

FROM:

http://resources4rethinking.ca/en/resource/garbage

• students can identify questions that must be addressed if they are to better understand the causes and consequences of the freshwater crisis
• these questions then become the framework for their investigation
• a number of related R4R resources are available to support that investigation

• useful addition to any unit or discussion that relates to reducing our ecological footprint
• while viewing the program, students could be charged with identifying the different ideas and practices presented
• after viewing, students could develop a program to implement some of the suggestions in their school, home and/or community.

Recommendation of how and where to use it

http://www.chrisjordan.com/gallery/rtn/#plastic-bottles

• Introduce children to source reduction
• generate discussion about packaging reduction, buying used items, reusing bags and containers...

Curriculum Connections:

Grade 8 Science

Depicts two million plastic beverage bottles, the number used in the US every fifteen minutes.

Curriculum Connections:

Grade 4 Science

Kindergarten - Science & SS

Grade 1 - SS

Grade 3 - SS

Grade 4 - Science & SS

How is FMPSD doing with environmental stewardship?

EXIT SLIP

https://goo.gl/xIVXO7

Green Scene Mission:

To support, educate, motivate and champion the cause of environmental stewardship in our schools, our district and our community.

Why do we need to be environmental stewards

Grassroots