Interactions June 2019

Volume 31, Issue 4, June 2019

It’s my favourite time of year; the birds are singing, the flowers are blooming, and our EcoLinks conference was a huge success.

We would like to thank our presenters for their engaging and informative workshops. Each workshop was packed with resources, and hands-on activities for us to bring back and share in our classrooms.  We would also like to thank the 115 attendees (!!)  for joining us at this year’s conference. We hope you all enjoyed yourselves and left inspired and informed.  Last, but not least, thank you to all our volunteers for your hard work to prepare for and facilitate this year’s conference. We could not have done  it without you. We are humbled to be a part of a growing community of like-minded individuals, contributing to the goal of increasing Environmental Education awareness and helping to make resources more accessible to educators across Ontario.

For our final edition of Interactions leading up to our conference in review edition (to be released in July), we are excited to showcase two inspiring articles. Erica Lagios, Science demonstrator with Dynamic Earth Sudbury, shares with us the story of a how an entire community came together to support Sudbury’s re-greening story.

We are also featuring an article by Outdoor Educator Laurie Lynn Clark, who explains to us Jon Young’s The Nature Connection Experiential Learning Approach, and shares with us the benefits to the outdoor classroom. These programs, which have begun to be adopted by Ontario Public Schools, benefit the entire school community and work towards being a nature connected community.

You will also find a list of resources and upcoming events to support you on your journey as an Environmental Educator.

“In the spring, at the end of the day, you should smell like dirt.”   – Margaret Atwood

Get outside, get dirty, and have fun!,

Tiffany Tierney

Article 1

Finding Environmental Education in Unlikely Places:  A Sudbury Story

Erica Lagios, Science Demonstrator – Dynamic Earth, Sudbury
OSEE Northern Regional Director

Results of regreening efforts from the early 1980’s to 2013 on Martindale Road (Sudbury Protocol).

What do environmental education and a geology and mining science centre have in common? A lot if that centre is based in Sudbury! While Sudbury may best be known for its mining operations, there’s a surprising environmental story that also shapes this northern city that many may not know about, and a visit to Dynamic Earth allows one to engage in this ongoing story.

Since 1884 open pit and underground mining have dominated Sudbury’s landscape. Rich nickel and copper deposits created in the aftermath of a meteorite impact 2.5 billion years ago made Sudbury a prospector’s dream. Many novel technologies have been tried and tested since the first mine opened, however the early years were marked by intense resource use. Land needed to be cleared to access deposits, and logging was vital for roast yards, which were large open smelting fires that allowed the lucrative metals to be separated from the rest of the ore. Since all of Sudbury’s deposits are sulphides, one of the byproducts of smelting is sulphur dioxide gas, a
precursor to acid rain. Deforestation coupled with acid rain decimated the landscape, leading to the infamous nickname of “moonscape” to describe Sudbury.

It would take the entire community coming together to make the necessary changes to restore the Sudbury environment. While roast yards were phased out by the 1930’s, more modern smokestacks still emitted sulphur dioxide. Starting in the 1970’s, business began to adopt “greener” technologies that reduced sulphur emissions. With reductions in atmospheric pollution, reforestation could begin in earnest. The Vegetation Enhancement Technical Advisory Committee (VETAC) was put together by city council in 1973 to bring together experts from all
sectors to restore Sudbury’s terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems, as well as engage the community. Since 1978, VETAC members and community volunteers – individuals, students, families, scout groups – have planted nearly 10 million trees!

The program has been recognized with 14 awards over the years, from groups as diverse as the Ontario Horticultural Society to the United Nations. However it’s how Sudbury residents can now enjoy the restored landscapes that hopefully brings the biggest reward to all those who took part in reforestation efforts. From hiking, cycling, canoeing to camping, there’s endless ways to appreciate 40 years of regreening efforts. A visit to Dynamic Earth is another great way to engage in the different parts of the regreening story – from learning about mining technology and pollution abatement, to how tree seedlings are grown in the world’s deepest nickel mine. And
where a look out the window isn’t just a quick look at the landscape, but a way to see Sudbury’s environmental success story in action.

Victoria mine roast yard circa 1900 (Geological Survey of Canada).

Resources
Dynamic Earth: http://sciencenorth.ca/dynamic-earth/
Sudbury Regreening Program: https://www.greatersudbury.ca/live/environment-and-sustainability1/regreening-program/
Sudbury Protocol Conference: https://www3.laurentian.ca/sudbury-protocol/

Article 2

Preparing Children, Parents and Educators for the Future with Nature Connection Programs in Ontario Schools

Written by Laurie Lynn Clark,
Outdoor Educator/Nature Immersion Programs
laurielynnclark.com

Ontario Public schools are now beginning to adopt gradual release Nature Connection Programs to embrace and encourage each student’s natural cycle of learning. The Nature Connection Experiential Learning approach, founded by Jon Young, essentially fosters the resilience of high cognitive functioning in the outdoor classroom. As an alternative to absorbing content delivered at the front of a classroom, nature connection mentorship engages experiential learning as a process of learning through hands-on activities and reflection. “Jon Young, co-founder of the 8 Shields Institute, has established an international network of consultants and trainers working to cultivate effective nature connection mentoring programs in communities and organizations. As the originator of the 8 Shields model, a best-practices process for nature connection mentoring, Jon has implemented vital advancements in the regeneration of nature-based cultural knowledge for the benefit of current and future generations.”
(http://8shields.org/mentoring-consulting/village-builders/)

Nature Connection programs differ from outdoor education curriculum as teachers work towards attribute based nature rich experiences over subject based information rich curriculum. How? Teachers role model experiential learning strategies supported by the art of questioning where they emphasize questions over answers. This approach emphasizes nature rich content and is less focused on information rich subject matter. Meeting the needs and mentoring a diversity of attributes, as opposed to knowledge sets, will prime each mind for intentional learning supported by an inquisitive focus and deepened sense of curiosity.

Teachers role model as mentors through listening and observing the child’s needs and by asking questions coming from a place of authenticity. Engaging the student’s mind with questions encourages them to bring their interests back to the indoor classroom for follow-up and further research. When teachers present themselves as fellow learners through authentic questioning and curiosity, they become an integral part of stimulating the students’ fervour for learning. Teachers also practice authenticity when revealing that they do not have all the answers.

Toronto Star article written by Brandie Weikle; ‘Preparing kids for the future means learning outside the classroom’ ( By Brandie Weikle- Special to the Star/), interviews Guelph Outdoor School Founder- Christopher Green- who brings children outdoors to learn in the invisible classroom. The article also introduces a centrally assigned principal (Felson) who oversees nature immersion experiential learning for the Toronto District School Board.

Guelph Outdoor School Founder, Christopher Green states; “If a child is spending one day a week
doing deep nature immersion mentorship and being mentored into connecting with the natural world,
then all sorts of magic is going to happen with their other endeavours.”

‘Felson states that these kinds of (nature connection experiential learning) programs are helping to build better workers. “We really feel technological education fits well with our emphasis on those skills employers are looking for,” said Felsen. “Whether it be with traditional technologies, such as automotive or construction, or with new technologies like computer engineering, we think that what’s common is the emphasis on things like problem solving, which is one of the global competencies we’re trying to build. In one recent example, elementary students explored the question of why bees are dying, said Felsen. “The students learned about what plants are from this area that would attract bees. That’s an important part of experiential learning that takes them out of the regular classroom.”

On Tuesday June 4th (9 am until 3 pm), Drummond Central School’s parents, youth, teachers, administrators and community partners unite to plant trees and perennial polyculture gardens in the outdoor classroom on the elementary school playground. Algonquin College (Perth Campus) and the Upper Canada District School Board along with our funding partners (TD Canada Trust, Hay Design, and the Perth Rotary Club) gather on Drummond Central School’s playground to assist with the first phase of a three-phase outdoor classroom project. This collaborative community ‘dig’ gathers volunteers from Algonquin College’s Early Childhood Education program, The Table’s Community Garden & Good Food in Schools team, and Leeds &Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.
Experienced gardeners / permaculturalists of Lanark County who believe in the importance of outdoor learning will lead the day’s activities in growing medicinal/edible perennial polycultures and annual gardens in the outdoor classroom. All ages at Drummond Central School will be planting for the future of DCS’s outdoor education program.

Throughout the planting day and parent and child workshop; Laurie Lynn Clark, Outdoor Educator collaborates and coordinates teachers, parents, children and community partners through her outdoor classroom curriculum based design oriented around the Cardinal Directions on the playground. The Outdoor Classroom planting day involves planting polycultures of perennials in cardinal direction locations on the playground with a focus of the regions common medicinal/edible flora. As students, and teachers navigate themselves around the cardinal directions on the playground, multiple curriculum strands may be accessed by students and teachers daily through outdoor nature immersion classes or by simply experiencing the gardens during recess play. Through inquiry and experiential pedagogical strategies, through naturalizing the school playground as an outdoor classroom, and through the inclusion of parents learning alongside students, teachers and administrators – the entire school
community benefits and becomes one step closer to being a nature connected community.

Upcoming Events

• • June 5 – World Environment Day #WED2017 http://worldenvironmentday.global/

• • June 8 – Rivers to Oceans Week http://cwf-fcf.org/en/events/rivers-to-oceans-week/river-to-oceans-week.html, http://cwf-fcf.org/en/events/rivers-to-oceans-week/

• • June 8 – World Oceans Day http://www.worldoceansday.org/
    More Oceans & Rivers resources
    • • http://cwf-fcf.org/en/do-something/events/rivers-to-oceans-week/river-to-oceans-week.html
    • • https://www.youtube.com/user/OneWorldOneOcean
      • http://www.oneworldoneocean.com/

• • June 16 – World Sea Turtle Day https://www.wwf.org.uk/updates/world-sea-turtle-day

Featured Resource

This year, we are excited to offer current Ontario classroom educators and teacher candidates enrolled in a Faculty of Education program, the opportunity to access our new Business of Food e-Learning Platform. This innovative, online agri-food course allows learners to enhance their knowledge and understanding of agriculture and food at their own pace, from any location. The online platform offers 25 learning modules on 12 agri-food topics such as conventional and organic agriculture, food security and environmental initiatives. An “essentials” and “comprehensive” level is provided for each topic, along with one module on careers in the agri-food sector. The course also enable learners to ‘live track’ progress and immediately measure impact, as each module contains pre and post surveys and quizzes.

We are now accepting scholarship registrations for the summer session until July 2^nd. You can learn more about the Business of Food e-Learning Platform and scholarship registration at https://agscape.ca/businessoffood.

We want to share this opportunity with as many Ontario educators and teacher candidates as possible. We would appreciate your help to get the word out to your network! Please let me know if you would be interested in sharing details about the Business of Food scholarships in an upcoming e-newsletter to your stakeholders or if you have any advertisement options that you can offer.

Please respond to confirm your interest and to provide details of any promotional opportunities that you can offer to help AgScape share this unique learning experience with Ontario educators and teacher candidates.