Earth Week at S.S.I.S.

During the week of April 16-20th, 2012, a team of teachers  including myself and a number of others, under the leadership of Ms. Heather helped to create Earth Week, at S.S.I.S. The week was filled with hands-on activities in order to help inspire our students and create a culture of caring about the environment. It was inspiring to watch all the learning going on. The energy was palpable as students and teacher alike had fun; pledges where made towards more environmentally friendly actions; attitudes, values and behaviours where reflected upon.  Each day of Earth Week had a theme...


Monday was "Water"....

Students write their ideas about how to save water.

Ms. Heather's students writing their water saving ideas, reused water bottle in hand that will become "toilet water savers" that students will bring home and put into their toilet tanks with parent help to save water with every flush!

Some food for thought facts displayed around the Atrium

Tuesday's theme was the "Three R's (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle)".  Our trash relay was a big hit with students. Students had to choose a piece of trash from the box and decide if it could be reused, recycled or just put in the landfill. The reuse basket was the closest, if they chose reuse, they had to tell one way the item could be reused... recycle was second furthest away and landfill was the furthest away.

My class doing the 3R's relay race.

Wednesday's theme was to "Power Down".
Teachers opened the blinds to let natural light in and either turned off of put air cons on low. The whole school wore green that day to show solidarity in our appreciation of the Earth.  Students used old t-shirts to make a bag. They love their new bags!

Grade one's showing off their new bags!

Thursday we learned about "Food"
Do you know where your food comes from?  How far does it have to travel before it reaches your mouth?  How much packaging waste is used?  What types of natural resources are necessary in the production of your food?  Students had a chance to plant a class edible garden. Let's hope ours grows nicely and we can eat the herbs and lettuce that we are trying to grow.

Grade 5's planting their Edible garden.

Friday was "Earth Day is EVERYDAY!" students reflected and wrote pledges about how they can help out the earth everyday.  We also had our first "Meat Free Friday."  The cafeteria served no meat that day!