This is a highly experiential learning resource that explores the relationship among biodiversity, climate change and human health. In addition to drawing attention to the importance of species diversity the resource provides both ideas and support for students to take action in their community
Program elements include:
• Exploring and sharing how students and others value, use and impact local ecosystems. Students view an on-line video and discuss the issues raised.
• Examining connections between biodiversity, climate change, and human health and well-being. Students participate in a game and an Envirothon-type activity
• Enjoying a local ecosystem in a low-impact manner. Students visit a local ecosystem.
• Taking seasonally appropriate action to mitigate against these impacts. Students build nesting boxes and/or remove invasive species from a local ecosystem.
• Connecting international conventions to individual action, and individual action to international impact.
Both pre and post-program educator resource materials have been provided.
Nesting box building and plant identification are some of the skills taught.
The following tool will allow you to explore the relevant curriculum matches for this resource. To start, select a province listed below.
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Consideration of Alternative Perspectives | Satisfactory | Information presented is factual in nature. |
Consideration of Alternative Perspectives:
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Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions | Good | Not always explicit in the activity but present in the available resources. Less attention is paid to the economic dimension. |
Multiple Dimensions of Problems & Solutions: Effectively addresses the environmental, economic and social dimensions of the issue(s) being explored.
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Respects Complexity | Very Good | A complete range of activities is provided for biodiversity education from simple awareness to action. |
Respects Complexity: The complexity of the problems/issues being discussed is respected. | ||
Acting on Learning | Very Good | There are hands-on experiences where students can make positive changes such as removing invasive species and building bird houses. |
Acting on Learning: Learning moves from understanding issues to working towards positive change — in personal lifestyle, in school, in the community, or for the planet
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Values Education | Good | Most of the issues are presented in a scientific terms but students are given some opportunities to clarify their own values. |
Values Education: Students are explicitly provided with opportunities to identify, clarify and express their own beliefs/values. | ||
Empathy & Respect for Humans | Good | Respect is fostered for First Nations in the resource but is not a part of the main activities. |
Empathy & Respect for Humans: Empathy and respect are fostered for diverse groups of humans (including different genders, ethnic groups, sexual preferences, etc.). | ||
Personal Affinity with Earth | Very Good | This is explicit throughout the activities. |
Personal Affinity with Earth: Encourages a personal affinity with -the natural world.
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Locally-Focused Learning | Good | The lead questions don't explicitly relate to the student's personal experiences but the activities provided are highly engaging. |
Locally-Focused Learning: Includes learning experiences that take advantage of issues/elements within the local community.
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Past, Present & Future | Good | A sense of time is present but could be developed further. For example attention could be paid to how ecosystems in the past could adapt more effectively with slow changes in climate vs the more rapid changes occurring now. |
Past, Present & Future: Promotes an understanding of the past, a sense of the present, and a positive vision for the future. |
Principle | Rating | Explanation |
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Open-Ended Instruction | Satisfactory | Most of the activities involve actions with fixed outcomes. |
Open-Ended Instruction
: Lessons are structured so that multiple/complex answers are possible; students are not steered toward one 'right' answer. | ||
Integrated Learning | Good | While the activity is geared primarily to science and geography outcomes there are connection made for agriculture, health, and economics. |
Integrated Learning: Learning brings together content and skills from more than one subject area
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Inquiry Learning | Good | Students are provided with unique and intriguing situations and must come up with their own answers. |
Inquiry Learning: Learning is directed by questions, problems, or challenges that students work to address.
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Differentiated Instruction | Good | All of the activities provide a range of different learning styles either through physical activity, group work or by building something themselves. |
Differentiated Instruction: Activities address a range of student learning styles, abilities and readiness.
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Experiential Learning | Very Good | A variety of authentic, hands-on activities are provided. |
Experiential Learning: Authentic learning experiences are provided
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Cooperative Learning | Satisfactory | Student work in groups but cooperative skills are not explicitly taught. |
Cooperative Learning: Group and cooperative learning strategies are a priority.
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Assessment & Evaluation | Poor/Not considered | There is a program evaluation form but it is a feedback form about the program itself. It does not assess student learning. |
Assessment & Evaluation: Tools are provided that help students and teachers to capture formative and summative information about students' learning and performance. These tools may include reflection questions, checklists, rubrics, etc. | ||
Peer Teaching | Satisfactory | Some peer teaching occurs during group work. Students take on action projects on their own. However they are not empowered to teach others. |
Peer Teaching: Provides opportunities for students to actively present their knowledge and skills to peers and/or act as teachers and mentors.
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Case Studies | Good | Students built bird house that will be used to restore swallow populations. Students are involved in removal of a harmful invasive species. |
Case Studies: Relevant case studies are included. Case studies are thorough descriptions of real events from real situations that students use to explore concepts in an authentic context. | ||
Locus of Control | Poor/Not considered | Students do not choose their program content. |
Locus of Control: Meaningful opportunities are provided for students to choose elements of program content, the medium in which they wish to work, and/or to go deeper into a chosen issue. |