As part of Earth Month throughout April, Bluewater District School Board students are seizing the opportunity to prioritize the environment and show their love for the planet by participating in creative, fun, and eco-friendly activities and learning.
Here are some of the many recent examples of the ways in which our schools continue to demonstrate responsible environmental stewardship:
Bruce Peninsula District School joined Kikendaasogamig Elementary School (Chippewas of Nawash) to participate in a HUGE Earth Day Climate Action Challenge on Monday, April 24, planned and led by Emily Cameron's Secondary Business Leadership Class (at BPDS). Intermediate and senior students were given maps and grouped into four quadrants, where they focused on four of the Learning for Sustainable Futures (LSF) goals: Health, Poverty, Infrastructure, and Water. Students ran around their quadrants in Lion's Head, speaking to 15 community experts about a variety of environmental topics related to their assigned LSF goals, as well as participating in hands-on and physical challenges to promote good health. The maps helped the students navigate the locations and earn points as they completed each challenge.
In the junior grades, students visited the beach and made sandcastles, learned about recycling sorting, sustainability, and fishing, and performed a beach clean-up. The primary grades remained at the school to participate in a school wide scavenger hunt, spell out nature words using their own bodies, sing nature songs, and create a nature puzzle.
Every primary and junior student got to take home their very own tree sapling, provided by Grey Sauble Conservation Authority. Meanwhile, four teams from the intermediate and senior groups duked it out in a tug of war in front of both schools with 10 lucky students (the two final winning teams) taking home larger five-year-old spruce and/or red pine trees.
It was a wonderful afternoon full of learning about green initiatives and LSF goals, while also building community!
At
Alexandra Community School, some grades dressed up in different colours each day during the week leading up to Earth Day. These included blue for Monday, green for Wednesday, and rainbow for Thursday. The idea that small acts really make a big difference was highlighted throughout the week as students tracked waste from lunches, planted sunflower seeds, learned about bee pollinators and met a beekeeper, expanded their knowledge of soil and the water cycle, and participated in a one-hour 'power down/off' period without a loss of hydro. To wrap up the week, all classes gave back to the community with a neighbourhood clean-up.
It was a chance to learn how our actions and behaviours impact Earth, and how making small changes to some of them can be huge, if we all do them.
Students Emilee and Mya presented the classes with a painted Earth to hang on their doors for the week. Each day, students added their 'trash' to the Earth to see their overall class impact. Examining the amount of waste helped students to conclude that we need to pay more attention to the items we throw out, and figure out if they can be recycled, reused, or reduced. Discussions included the use of reusable plastic or metal containers instead of zip lock bags, and buying and cutting up a block of cheese instead of cheese strings. Striving for litter-less lunches is one way of helping the environment, while also creating a habit-forming action.
Kindergarten students also created a bulletin board highlighting the different colour days and their learning.
Owen Sound District Secondary School also hosted clothing themed days: Monday – white, Tuesday – yellow, Wednesday – brown, Thursday – green, and Friday – blue.
Students from
Hepworth Central Public School went on a ‘litter walk’, picking up trash from their neighborhood.
At
Walkerton District Community School, students hosted a spirit day by dressing in blue and green to show their support for a healthy environment.
Kindergarten students at
Spruce Ridge Community School joined their older peers in Grades 7 and 8 to collect garbage in their school yard.
Grey Highlands Secondary School students joined South-East Grey Support Services to participate in a community clean-up.
Huron Heights Public School put students’ artistic skills to the test by holding an Earth Day T-shirt design challenge.
Osprey Central School students also rolled up their sleeves to do a school yard clean-up.
There were many community events that students participated in as well, including a parade and special event at the Owen Sound Farmer’s Market held by Earth Day Grey Bruce 2023 Planning Committee members. Different exhibits showcased art, music, theater, and a climate fair with a children’s area, while the parade featured puppets, masks, and costumes reflecting the theme of endangered wildlife.