May is often seen as the first “real” month of spring, when the days are warm and flowers and plants really begin to bloom. It’s appropriate then that so many of the eco events and days involve getting outside! You can claim many of these activities in your certification application—don’t forget to review the 2018-19 Certification Guides for full criteria and to see where the activity fits best.
A reminder: If you’re planning a campaign that will happen after the final EcoReview deadline of April 26, you can still claim it! Fill out the online templates now and add evidence of planning notes as your portfolio document, e.g. a ravine clean-up, Stream of Dreams, or a walk/roll to school day.
May is International School Grounds Month
Celebrate your school grounds by getting outdoors to learn and explore. Here are some resources that will help you plan lessons and campaigns:
- The International School Grounds Alliance provides free Activity Guides with lesson ideas across all subjects on how students and educators can engage with school grounds on their own terms.
- Take students outside and hold a scavenger hunt or nature walk, or learn about tree identification by creating field journals.
- Prepare planting areas for new local pollinator species, or if your school has one, clean up your outdoor classroom area and make it ready for learning.
- Don’t forget to claim your lessons and campaigns in the Curriculum and Environmental Stewardship sections—see the Certification Guide for full details.
International Compost Awareness Week: May 5-11
Healthy, nutrient-rich soil is a fundamental part of any successful green outdoor space. Explore how composting works and its benefits, like food waste diversion and its plant-enriching properties.
- Visit the Compost Council of Canada for “heaps” of composting information, and check out CompostFoundation.org for excellent resources and activities.
- Explore classroom composting in action by using or adapting our lesson plans for making an indoor vermicomposter and analyzing the embedded energy in products’ life cycles.
- Extend learning to the purpose and importance of local agriculture with our Local Food & Action campaign kit.
International Day for Biological Diversity: May 22
The UN proclaimed May 22 as the International Day for Biological Diversity in 2000, and is focus is the urgent need to understand and protect wildlife biodiversity around the world.
- Look through the Convention on Biological Diversity website for information and resources you can use to learn about this year’s theme, “Our Biodiversity, Our Food, Our Health.”
- Investigate the needs of wildlife by building butterfly habitats, or adapting the lesson to other creatures in your community such as toads, insects, bats or birds. Also consider discussing the impact of human development on wildlife habitat spaces.
Bike to School Week: May 27-31
Late May is the perfect time of year to practice active transportation, whether that be walking, rolling, or wheeling!
- Ontario Active School Travel has a ton of great resources for getting involved in Bike to School Week in your community, with event registration and an ideas sheet for getting creative.
- Get moving with our Active Transportation campaign kit that presents strategies for parental outreach, ideas for different age groups, and getting the whole school involved.
Remember, sharing photos, videos, and messages is a great way to demonstrate your environmental commitment, and always puts smiles on our faces! Please tag us on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, and let us know what you’re up to.
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