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Outdoor Play in May

Make the most of the return to warmer weather by integrating outdoor play, neighbourhood exploration, and a field trip or two into your eco-activities in May! Here are just a few ideas to spring into action.

Pedal away!

May or June means Bike Month for many municipalities in Ontario. For schools in the GTHA, why not take part in Bike to School Week, which runs from May 29 to June 2? Walking, rolling, or riding to school is an excellent example of establishing habits that are healthy for our bodies and for the environment: a win-win!

Even if you do not take part in an official event, you can always run your own Walk/Roll/Ride to School campaign to encourage your school community to get active while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

If this is your first year running an active transportation campaign, use our Active Transportation Campaign Kit to get started. Discover the many benefits of using sustainable transportation in the Climate Change and Transportation section of our Climate Change Toolkit.

Take your classroom or EcoTeam meetings outdoors

Encourage students to celebrate the seasons changing by conducting inquiry-based learning on school grounds or in a nearby park, ravine, or conservation area. Outdoor field trips are a fun way to get your EcoTeam learning and developing skills outside of school. Check out the TRCA’s Elementary and Secondary School Field Trip Guides. (disponibles en anglais seulement)

Why not move EcoTeam meetings outside for the rest of the year? Or, simply adapt a lesson that would normally take place indoors to an outdoor classroom.

There are many ways to create a DIY outdoor classroom. Get creative with elements that are already available, such as large stones or logs for seating, mature trees for shade, nearby water sources, and grasses and flowers for study. Find out about design and funding options from the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

Explore your neighbourhood

Taking a stroll through your neighbourhood can be a fun way to take your class on a mini field trip. From May 5th to 7th, get outside and learn about local histories by taking part in the global Jane’s Walk Festival.

Jane’s Walks are essentially walking conversations that can be led by anyone, for anyone. The walks get people to tell stories about their communities, explore their cities, and connect with neighbours. Students can even organize and lead their own walk, like two french-language EcoSchools, École élémentaire Ronald-Marion (CSViamonde) and École secondaire catholique Monseigneur-de-Charbonnel (CSDCCS) did last year!

This year, Jane’s Walks are happening in a host of Ontario cities; find out if there is one near you.

Round-up of environmental days in May

May 1-7 is Compost Awareness Week

With strong links to both waste minimization and school ground greening, learning about and implementing a compost program in your school is a powerful way to do good for the environment. Here are ideas to convert food and garden waste into nutrient-rich compost:

  • Get the low-down on good composting practices with these 25 tips.
  • If you have space on school grounds, work with parents and other community members to start a compost heap. Make sure you do your research before getting your heap going, since for the composting process to work well, you need to make sure you care for it (for example, alternating layers of carbon-rich brown and nitrogen-rich green material).
  • If your school has access to municipal green bin collection, set up clearly labelled green bins in areas like the cafeteria and staff room to ensure that food waste will be turned into compost rather than go to landfill, where it will emit methane gas (a greenhouse gas).
  • If you have a school garden in the works, find out if your local councillor organizes community compost days during which you can pick up free compost to help your seedlings grow.
  • You can use these bilingual posters from the Compost Council of Canada to promote composting as a decidedly environmentally-friendly behaviour.

Look skyward! International Migratory Bird Day is May 13

This spring, look up and welcome home our migratory birds! Visit Nature Canada for a few facts about three of the feathered friends you might see this season. o, Here are some of the top birding locations:

International Day for Biological Diversity: May 22

Designated by the United Nations, the International Day for Biological Diversity (IDB) is meant to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. This year’s theme is Biodiversity and Sustainable Tourism. Incorporate this multi-faceted subject into classes like World Issues, Human Geography, and Resource Management, or do a Biodiversity Survey to get a closer look at the flora and fauna in your local ecosystem.