Learning beyond the classroom walls with EcoSchools Canada

As we move into the spring season, there is no better time to explore the natural world around us and incorporate outdoor learning into school curriculums. In Alberta, the EcoSchools Canada program has been steadily growing by providing a tested framework and suite of resources to support environmental learning and action at schools, including activities and resources to take learning outdoors.

Outdoor learning provides students with an opportunity to step away from the distractions of technology and reconnect with the nature around them. This can have a positive impact on a student’s mental and emotional health, helping them to reduce stress levels and improve concentration. Studies have also shown that outdoor learning can improve academic performance, creativity and problem-solving skills.

Some of the outdoor learning activities and initiatives featured in the EcoSchools program include guidance and resources to cultivate a regular “sit spot” practice with students, a suite of resources to facilitate the creation of guides, maps and signs for spaces in nearby nature and guidance and inspiration for creating food and pollinator gardens. Actions like these encourage students to become more connected to their local environment and promote a deeper understanding of the importance of biodiversity and ecological systems.

Alberta schools participating in the EcoSchools program can currently access resources and guidance for over 50 environmental actions, which are available through an engaging online platform that’s available for free to publicly funded schools across the country. Schools are invited to select and participate in actions and exciting campaigns throughout the academic year to earn points towards a certification level ranging from bronze to platinum as they track their individual and collective impact.

Currently, there are 54 Alberta schools participating in the 2022-2023 EcoSchools program, and that number is expected to grow by the end of the school year. A key to the program’s success in Alberta has been partnering with the Alberta

Council for Environment Education (ACEE), an environmental education leader since 2005. ACEE supports Alberta schools by hosting information sessions and professional development opportunities, providing one-on-one support and connecting teachers to local curriculum and resources. ACEE aims to support all Alberta schools in becoming EcoSchools.

Since its inception in Alberta, the EcoSchools Platform has allowed teachers to increase their knowledge and skills, support their work as environmental leaders in their schools, pursue certification, gather resources and ideas and connect with likeminded teachers who are also interested in climate education and action. Most notably, the EcoSchools program has helped engage students in the following ways:

• Engaging in outdoor activities that allow them to connect with the natural environment, including sit spot, take me outside day, ravine walks, outdoor scavenger hunts and journaling,

• Learning from the environment,

• Making connections to the environment with literature and discussions, and

• Learning how to improve the environment.

ACEE’s ongoing partnership with EcoSchools Canada has continued to provide Alberta teachers with meaningful engagement opportunities with their students, contributing to thoughtful and innovative community-based climate solutions.

About EcoSchools Canada

EcoSchools Canada reaches about one million Kindergarten to Grade 12 students annually through its bilingual, environmental certification program. Participating schools track their individual and collective impact, enabling them to benchmark their progress year-over-year and compare their success across the national EcoSchools network.

To learn more about the EcoSchools program and join the growing EcoSchools movement in Alberta, visit www.ecoschools.ca. Alberta schools are also encouraged to connect with ACEE at www.abcee.org for region-specific opportunities. n