This week's LIO is all about Canadian Environment Week, which takes place from May 31st to 6th this year. Established in 1971, Canadian Environment Week celebrates Canada’s environmental accomplishments and encourages Canadians to contribute to conserving and protecting their environment.

The activities below introduce students to many important environmental issues, demonstrate the importance of individual actions in caring for the environment, and encourage students to get outside and appreciate nature. Be sure to check out the Hot Topic on R4R to learn more about Canadian Environment Week, and don't forget to join the conversation on social media using #EnviroWeek!

Grades K-2

Litter We Know

Spring is an excellent time to involve students in schoolyard cleanup! This activity engages students in environmental stewardship as they work together to conduct a clean-up of the school grounds. The learning also includes a math component as the class sorts and graphs the type of litter they collect. The interdisciplinary approach fosters informed decision making and civic responsibility while taking students outside into the natural world.

Activities

• Get outdoors and complete the Litter We Know activity
• Take a Clean Air Day Pledge have students identify something that is good for their body and the planet like riding your bike to school
• Have students create Stop Idling slogans and hand drawn signs to promote a “no idling” policy at school
• Caring for the Earth has students reflect and create pictures that show how we care for the Earth

Grades 3-4

All About Earth

This classroom resource introduces students to environmental education through a science-based storybook and inquiry-based learning activities. This resource is designed to increase student understanding and environmental awareness of the connections between the different parts of the Earth system. The associated learning activities provide opportunities for students to practice science inquiry and develop investigation skills, including observation, recording, and measuring. 

Activities

• Read the story, then complete the chart and discussion questions
• Sharpen your student's observation and inquiry skills with Meet a Plant Up Close and Personal
• Caring for the Earth has students reflect and create pictures that show how we care for the Earth
• Keys to Clean Air has students plant a herb in a pot and learn about how to keep the air clean in our community
• Play the Clean Air Game to learn more about sources and types of air pollution

Grades 5-8

Explore and Embrace a Special Wild Place

Students discover their own special wild spaces, where they can explore their relationship with the wild and find whatever they need—a sense of peace, joy, belonging, rejuvenation, and appreciation for wildness. As they come to know the wild creatures that share their space, they'll discover that, although such places provide sanctuary, they also need our protection.

Activities

• Get outside and Discover and Explore a Special Space. Have students create a sketch or map of their space, marking features that make the spot special to them. They can also do drawings, paintings or sculptures, or write poems or stories about their space
• Plastic Planet has students learn more about the environmental impacts of plastic and craft a bird feeder out of used plastic containers
• The outdoor game Connecting Special Places gets students familiar with the concept of habitat and how wildlife needs food, water, shelter, and space to survive
• Our Green Future lead students through visioning what a greener future might look like, and take part researching and designing products and technologies for a sustainable future

Grades 6-12

Protect Nature Challenge

The Protect Nature Challenge encourages Canadians to take everyday actions that help protect biodiversity and nature. It is part of the Government of Canada’s broader Nature Legacy initiative, which aims to conserve more land and ocean areas and create healthier habitats for species at risk by 2030. The website provides a list of 31 simple and easy to complete actions or challenges that schools can take part in to protect nature. 

Activities

• Integrate the challenges as action projects or extension activities in units on biodiversity, ecosystems, or environmental stewardship.
• Step outside and go on a pollinator hunt! Check out this list of Canadian pollinators and their preferred plants, and use this Pollinator Garden Scavenger Hunt on your search
• Organize a River Cleanup to raise students’ awareness of the impacts of garbage pollution on aquatic ecosystems

About Learning Inside Out

Above you will find a selection of activities, broken down by various grade levels. These guides will be released biweekly and archived on our Learning Inside Out page, so you can always access the full catalogue.

Some of the activities have been modified from resources on our R4R database, simplified and adapted for both outdoor learning in the school yard or at-home as needed. The activity descriptions above should contain all the information and links that you need!

We want this guide to work for you, so your feedback is invaluable to us.

Use the feedback button at the bottom of this Guide, or email us at info@LSF-LST.ca. We would also love to see photos of students engaging in the activities, please e-mail us any pictures or videos you have!

Follow us on social media for continued weekly highlights & other exciting opportunities through the school year!

Please share widely with any parents and teachers in your life!

Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) is a Canadian charity with over 25 years of experience working within the education system. Our Resources for Rethinking (R4R) database is an award-winning collection of resources that are peer-reviewed by certified teachers and connected to curriculum in all provinces and territories. R4R is recommended on many Ministry of Education websites.