World Water Day
World Water Day (held annually on March 22) is all about focusing our attention on the importance of freshwater and advocating for the sustainable management of freshwater resources.
In the context of the Ontario EcoSchools program, World Water Day is an opportunity to incorporate questions and reflections into classroom activities and school-wide campaigns about how our freshwater systems sustain us (from agriculture to clean drinking water to recreation). Here are a couple of questions to help you plan a campaign for this most precious of resources:
- Where does drinking water come from in your community?
- What are the top water wasters?
- Which of these water wasters do you have control over, i.e., where can you make the most impact?
- What threats does your watershed currently face (e.g. nutrient loading from chemical pesticides and fertilizers, runoff from heavy industry)?
- What are the relationships between water and land systems (e.g. forests provide soil stability, which minimizes erosion, thereby preventing contamination in waterways)?
- What efforts has your community made to protect its waterways and/or adjacent ecosystems?
- How can your school get involved in these efforts?
Here are three standout World Water Day activities, lessons, and campaigns from certified schools:
- The Grade 11 class at St Anne SS (WECDSB) took a field trip to the University of Waterloo to conduct a water treatment lab with engineering students. This is a great example of connecting learning to practice as well as students getting a sense of career opportunities in the environmental sector. About 100 students also took part in the the Essex Region Children’s Water Festival – this was an opportunity for high school students to develop leadership skills through presenting to younger students and to learn about the importance of local waterways via hands-on activities.
- Grade 8 students at St Dominic (DPCDSB) visited a nearby Conservatory and were inspired to conduct water filtration experiments in their local Credit river watershed. Students worked in groups to create their own water filtration system, then presented their ideas to the rest of the class, leading to discussions on the importance of water to the survival of all species.
- In Stittsville, Frederick Banting Secondary Alternate Program (OCDSB) students focussed on how First Nations communities in Canada are impacted by a lack of clean drinking water. Each class brainstormed ideas on how to reduce water waste and actions they can take to improve conditions. Students then signed a petition from the David Suzuki Foundation asking the Canadian government to make safe drinking water in First Nations communities a priority.
Earth Hour
Turn out the lights and turn up the fun for Earth Hour! This year Earth Hour happens at 8:30PM on Saturday, March 24th, but schools often choose to celebrate during the week. We recommend sending out a save-the-date at your school so that students can plan a special lights-off hour, like a musical assembly or classroom storytelling by natural light!
If your school has participated in Earth Hour before, consider extending your lights-off campaign for an hour a day throughout the week or month leading up to the event.
Where do I claim it? World Water Day and Earth Hour campaigns can be claimed in the Environmental Stewardship section of your EcoSchools application. Related lessons can be claimed in Curriculum. Please refer to the 2017-18 Certification Guide for details.
Recent Comments