EcoSchools and COVID-19

Walking, cycling, busing, and carpooling to school are great ways to reduce your daily greenhouse gas emissions and improve air quality in your community, if these are accessible means of transportation in your area and comply with regional guidelines.

How to adapt this action: Students can be advised to practice physical distancing while walking to school in groups. If busing, carpooling, or taking public transit to school, wear a mask and follow regional guidelines.

More students may be dropped off in their personal vehicle instead of taking transit, so there may be more idling happening on school grounds. The main tracking of this action is based on observation and any communication to drivers can be done in a contactless way.

How to adapt this action: You can communicate to drivers in a contactless way including signage and posters for why we do not idle, or include the information in newsletters, on the school website, or through social media.

A community clean-up may be limited or not possible based on your school board/district and local health unit’s recommendations on gathering and handling garbage.

How to adapt this action: You can do community clean-ups with your family as a way to spend time outside and help the environment! Make sure you follow all the safety protocols recommended in your region. Students can wear gloves, face masks, and use hand sanitizer.

Community Science is based on many individuals gathering observations separately and compiling the data to draw conclusions. This is a great way to stay engaged in your community when navigating COVID-19.

How to adapt this action: Brainstorm and try out different ways of compiling and sharing data digitally. How do you determine what data you need? What are the advantages to transferring the information from your lab notebook to the digital group data?

Some schools may have adopted special waste policies during COVID, such as boomerang lunches or only eating in the classrooms. Check your regional health guidelines to ensure that classroom audits may still be conducted. Be aware that used masks and gloves may be in the garbage.

How to adapt this action: Set up waste-stations in various areas of the space to maintain physical distancing, or do a photo waste-audit and sort digitally through observation.

This action is a great opportunity to spend planned, class time outdoors. Consider what spaces students can safely explore to learn more about the nearby environment – is it the school grounds, a nearby park, or conservation area?

How to adapt this action: Ensure that staff and students are practicing safe physical distancing and washing their hands after time outdoors.

Homes for wildlife can be built individually and put up either at school or at home for observation on a regular basis.

How to adapt this action: Be creative and source materials from things you already have in your household to reduce sharing of materials.

Depending on regional guidelines, textile recycling collection may be suspended.

How to adapt this action: Focus on curriculum connections and life cycle analysis, and collect the textiles recycling when you are able. Explore if there are municipal or commercial textile recycling drop-off areas in your region (e.g., municipality or local clothing store), so that textile items can be safely recycled.

Earth Day (April 22) is about coming together as a movement, even if we are celebrating in our own way. Although there are reduced opportunities to gather as a school physically, there are still many ways to celebrate Earth Day / Week / Month!

How to adapt this action: Keep an eye on our CertTips communications for resources and tips!

The EcoCode can be part of the classroom curriculum and a way for students to discuss how they would like our society to move forward after COVID and “build back better.”

How to adapt this action: Hold a virtual town hall for all students to have the chance to give feedback on the EcoCode.

It may be challenging to practice safe physical distancing during an environmental fair or conference. Please check your school board or regional health guidelines before you plan your event.

How to adapt this action: Bring the conference online or have the Environmental Fair in a “gallery style” with timed entry to allow for physical distancing.

Many curricular ideas can be drawn from environmental literacy, even in remote learning!

How to adapt this action: Incorporate outdoor learning into the curriculum whenever possible. If students are learning at home, ensure that they have proper supervision if exploring outside of their homes or in nearby nature.

Always follow proper health and safety guidelines in the kitchen, in addition to regional COVID guidelines.

How to adapt this action: This action can also be done at home, but ensure that families are informed and in support of any kitchen activities well before they happen, and that proper supervision is in place.

This action can be done by one person, but is a good opportunity to get your EcoTeam together to discuss how your year might look like given your school’s safety protocols.

How to adapt this action: Have the meeting outside or over an online meeting platform!

Schools or school boards/districts may place limitations on whether supplies can be shared between students (i.e., one GOOS paper bin for the whole class).

How to adapt this action: You can get creative by making individual GOOS folders or GOOS notebooks.

Every school should follow regional guidelines about public gatherings and groups.

How to adapt this action: Bring meetings online or have the events in a “gallery style” with timed entry to allow for physical distancing.

Planting a food garden can be a great way to feel energized and refreshed when you watch it grow a little bit each day. However, access to the garden may be restricted based on distancing requirements.

How to adapt this action: Create a schedule for students to sign up to maintain or relax in the garden and wash your hands afterwards. Food security can be an issue in many communities, so growing a food garden can support and supplement the local community. Explore safe ways to share food with the broader school community.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school into each room may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: There are still many ways to use inquiry to learn about heating and cooling. For example, you could make a checklist for your own classroom or home.

This action can be done at home and at school, and students can take turns introducing their plant to the rest of the class. Watching plants grow and change every day can be very calming.

How to adapt this action: For planting containers, look around for household items or your home recycling bin for items that can be used as your personal planter.

With physical distancing measures in place, you can schedule maintenance and observational trips while enjoying growing and learning from your low-mow areas.

How to adapt this action: Make observation stations that are 2m apart and wash your hands afterwards.

This can be done through remote learning and at school and students can post or share recipes they like.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school into each room may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: There are still many ways to use inquiry to learn about conservation. For example, you could make a checklist for your own classroom or home.

With physical distancing measures in place, you can schedule maintenance and observational trips while enjoying growing and learning from your pollinator garden.

How to adapt this action: Ensure you have proper distancing between gardeners and wash your hands after being in the garden.

Depending on regional guidelines, electronics recycling collection may be suspended.

How to adapt this action: Focus on curriculum connections and electronic security (e.g. how to safely wipe personal data off) and collect the e-waste recycling when you are able. Explore if there are municipal or commercial e-waste recycling drop-off areas in your region (e.g., your local electronics store), so that personal e-waste items can be safely recycled.

This can be done at home and at school, by bringing your reusable utensils and water bottles!

 Food security is an important national issue that has been made worse because of COVID-19. With Reduce Your Food Waste, learn how to use every part of our food and reduce waste at home and and school.

How to adapt this action: Invite families to discuss ways to reduce food waste and share your tips virtually in the newsletter, on the school website, or through social media.

Collecting materials such as juice pouches or used markers may be discouraged by your regional safety guidelines.

How to adapt this action: Be creative and upcycle what you have in your home. Everyone can have a different upcycling project to work on!

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school to connect with the appropriate personnel may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: Consider assigning one person (staff or student) to this action, who can connect with the appropriate personnel at your school to collect the required energy data, and then share the findings with others. For at-home learning, have a staff member be the point person.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school to collect information and connect with the appropriate personnel may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: Consider assigning one person (staff or student) to this action, who can connect with the appropriate personnel at your school to collect the required water data, and then share the findings with others. For at-home learning, have a staff member be the point person. Many aspects of this action can be integrated into classroom lessons.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school to connect with the appropriate personnel may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: Consider assigning one person (staff or student) to this action, who can connect with the appropriate personnel at your school to collect the required water data, and then share the findings with others. For at-home learning, have a staff member be the point person.

This action is a great opportunity to spend planned, class time outdoors. With proper supervision, students can also practice a Sit Spot at home, in an outdoor space closeby.

How to adapt this action: Ensure that staff and students are practicing safe physical distancing and washing their hands after time outdoors.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school into each room may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: Connect the action to the curriculum and monitor your own classroom. You can make informative posters to display in common areas of the school or online.

There will be many exciting professional development opportunities via webinars and online conferences. 

How to adapt this action: Check out CertTips communications for upcoming professional development opportunities!

This action can be connected to curriculum and can be delivered as a classroom activity.

How to adapt this action: Consider having group discussions outside at a safe distance.

Although this action is purely observational (survey-based), depending on the safety guidelines in your region, walking throughout the school into each room may not be advised.

How to adapt this action: There are still many ways to use inquiry to learn about energy conservation. For example, you could make a checklist for your own classroom or home.

Take Me Outside Day encourages outdoor learning and play and has a guide on how to do it safely while navigating COVID-19.

Surveying the school population may be difficult with staggered entry, hybrid learning, and physical distancing measures.

How to adapt this action: Take your survey online, or survey your cohort.

With physical distancing measures in place, you can schedule maintenance and observational trips while enjoying growing and learning from trees. 

How to adapt this action: Ensure you have proper distancing between tree planters and wash your hands afterwards! If tree planting is happening in groups, follow regional guidelines including wearing masks and gloves.

The location, access, and maintenance of the composter and vermicomposters should be considered with distancing measures in effect.

How to adapt this action: Remind everyone you should be wearing gloves and washing their hands after handling compost and worms.

This can be done at home or at school, by bringing your reusable utensils and water bottles. Packing your waste-free lunch also makes it easier to have a picnic outside and leave no trace.

How to adapt this action: Consider asking each classroom to collect waste-free lunch pledges or report on the number of waste-free lunches being brought to school.

You may have to adapt your Earth Hour activities this year to accommodate physical distancing, but you can still pledge to make a personal commitment to reduce energy use!

How to adapt this action: Go stargazing with your friends and family.

You may have to adapt your Sweater Day activities this year to accommodate physical distancing, but you can still wear your sweater and pledge to make a personal commitment to reduce energy.

How to adapt this action: If weather is suitable and regional health guidelines are considered, spend the entire day outside for physically distanced outdoor learning!

YRE Canada is an individual activity that can be completed as a class assignment or an extra-curricular activity.

How to adapt this action: Submissions can be shared on a class website for peer-feedback, since they must be submitted digitally through the YRE contest website.