VISUAL ARTS AND WRITING
My students visited Milliken Park on “Take Me Outside” day later in October. I planned a full day of outdoor activities that included using the pond as an inspiration to create watercolour paintings.
STEWARDSHIP Water for the World Workshop
My grade 8 students participated in the Water for the World program in March 2015. This workshop is presented by En- gineers Without Borders who lead discus- sions about local and global water issues, including questions about equity and ac- cess. As part of the workshop, students had the opportunity to build a water filtration system in small groups and further discuss how to improve both the condition of our water systems and access to water across the globe.
AQUATIC PLANTS PROGRAM
My students wanted to do more. We learned about wetlands and how water-loving plants filter and purify water and decided to participate in the Aquatic Plants Program offered by the Toronto and Region Con- servation Authority (TRCA). I asked five other teachers and their classes to join me. We received a kit at the beginning of April. This gave our students the chance to grow native aquatic plants. They then had the op- portunity to go back to Morningside Park (where the journey began) in June to trans- plant what we grew. This outreach program taught them about storm water pollution, local wildlife and the importance of main- taining native plants.
IT ALL COMES TOGETHER
Having gone through this amazing journey with my students, I decided to ask them again to explain what a watershed is. “It’s like a container where all the water
from streams, rivers and lakes goes into the same place,” a student responded. That’s a good answer. Using the inquiry process and place-
based learning has changed my teaching. Our learning was driven by my students’ cu- riosity, but the best part is that they decided to take on a stewardship role to help sustain our freshwater systems on their own! n
Farah Wadia is a member of the Elementary Teachers of Toronto and one of the recipients of the 2015 RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions Award.
COMMUNITY AND OUTREACH PROGRAMS: EcoSpark:
Changing Currents Program
ecospark.ca/changingcurrents
Engineers Without Borders:
Water for the World Workshop
toronto.ewb.ca/program-areas/water-for- the-world/
Evergreen Brick Works:
evergreen.ca/get-involved/evergreen-brick- works/visitor-info/school-visits/
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority Programs:
Aquatic Plants Program
trca.on.ca/school-programs/program/29621
Clean Water; Clear Choices
trca.on.ca/school-programs/program/29659
Pond or Stream Study
trca.on.ca/school-programs/program/29913
ELEMENTARY TEACHERS’ FEDERATION OF ONTARIO 37
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