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We apologize...
Not all links will work if you are receiving this newsletter on non-TDSB Outlook account. | |
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NEW THIS YEAR--FIRM DEADLINES!
Plan to certify? Apply now...or soon!
Deadline for applying to be
(re)certified is December 15th!
Why not let us know now so
you'll have one less thing to remember? And if you haven't begun, it does give you a good reason to rally your team to get up and running! networked computer). | |
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Evergreen funding for school food gardens
Three dates for applying: Nov. 29th, Feb. 28th, May 2nd. Take a look at the Survival Guide to see when you'll be prepared to apply!
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R4R Step Outside
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The short Nature Guides on LSF's Resources for Rethinking (R4) site provide a perfect opportunity to get a 5-minute overview of seasonal "news from nature." The latest piece, on "When leaves fall," can put new ideas in your head as you walk in the city!
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TREC Education's noble mission
"A world powered by
renewable energy is our future. TREC Education
turns this vision into reality
by sparking innovation
among Canadian youth
through fun, engaging
educational programs".
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Other free workshops
and secondary in-class
workshops and field trips.
20 in-class workshops are available free for schools that meet the funding criteria
(LOI-based).
To find out if you are eligible,
call 416.583.2233 | | |
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Our sister organization has obtained provincial funds to
have many resources translated. While there are small differences between the Ontario and TDSB programs, the curriculum guides are virtually identical. |
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300 years of fossil fuels in 300 seconds
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steps to take to live within
nature's "budget"--we've
heard it before, but this is a very
succinct way to revisit what
we need to do and why.
This is one of 49 short videos assembled by Resources for Rethinking--worth browsing! | |
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Click on the image to view the video
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What if all the ice melted?
National Geographic has
created interactive maps
showing the world as it is
now and our continents with
new shorelines if all the ice on
land melted.
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"Explore the world's new coastlines if sea level rises
216 feet".
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What is ISSUU?
Issuu is the world's fastest growing digital publishing platform. Read more here.
Interested in contributing to Ecoprints?The editorial team is especially looking for poetry, articles, essays, or short stories. Review the Submissions Guidelines on the website.
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How EcoSchools tools can support student involvement
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Click on the links below:
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Go online to register your opinion!
Visit Premier Wynne's
Common Ground website and
vote for and/or comment on the proposal to import water from Quebec. |
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How to get ready for
this virtual classroom
experience
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Act now!
This event may sell out.
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Check out reviews
of Weisman's previous book,
The World Without Us--the New York Times #1 non-fiction book of 2007!
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Citizenship and schooling
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Social Studies (1-6), History and Geography(7-8) summarizes
the perspectives, big ideas, and concepts that describe the elements of the interconnected, respectful world view that leads to the ecologically literate student.
No wonder its inclusion has caused such a buzz among environmental educators!
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Voices of concern: Learning to listen, read, watch, think...and speak up
Here in Toronto these days we know the news can be riveting. But some of the really important stuff gets only passing notice. That's
one reason that we write the newsletter. This issue highlights the importance of research and serious journalism in helping us as citizens to learn more about human impact on the Earth.
A CBC research team has assembled massive data about Canada's pipelines to inform the debate about resource extraction. The new
magazine Ecoprints coming out of Bloor CI gives students a voice; Environmental Defense is sponsoring a contest to encourage green journalism among youth; the Clean Air Alliance is inviting people to join the Ontario energy debate. The principle of free speech remains strong in our country and in our schools. The constraints on government scientists speaking about their environmental research described in The War on Science: Muzzled Scientists and Wilful Blindness in Stephen Harper's Canada also raises the issue of where that principle does not apply--an important question for us all.
Teachers tell us that "current events" and media literacy classes are an excellent way to connect the classroom with the outside world and build awareness, knowledge, critical thinking and critical literacy skills. Do you have tips to share on getting over a reluctance to take this step? Or ways to engage students that awaken enthusiasm--or concern--about environmental stories, and ways to build on that interest? What a gift to colleagues and students across the city that would be! Write to us.
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EcoSchools has two new homes on the website!
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Revised Waste Audit Tip Sheet
EcoSchools Section 1, Questions 1.4, 1.6; Section 2.2, Question 2.2.13
One-stop shopping! Now that Mieke Foster has retired, schools have to rely on the excellent bank of tools she left us. Great opportunities here for significant student involvement and a way to foster active citizens as you gradually "release responsibility"! Click here for a step-by-step concise guide to doing a waste audit at your school.
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EcoSchools School Food Garden Resource
EcoSchools Section 3, Question 3.3; Section 4, Question 4.6
In these 8 crisp pages you can learn a lot of what you need to know to plant a successful garden at your school. Late fall and winter is a time to start thinking ahead and gathering a group of interested people.
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Apply today! Large Tree Planting Program
EcoSchools Section 3, Question 3.3; Section 5, Question 5.5
Did you know that the emerald ash borer infestation will eliminate
 10% of the tree canopy on TDSB grounds? More than 2,500 ash trees are expected to die, and with them all that protective shade! In response, EcoSchools is launching the Large Tree Planting Program with free trees provided by the City of Toronto. And
we are very determined that these trees
go to good "homes" where they will be kept
healthy.
All schools are eligible to apply.
However, those schools with the least
number of trees and shade will be ranked
higher on the list. The newly designed Heat Vulnerability Map is one of three tools used to rank applications--don't miss the chance to drill down and see your school grounds on the map! For more details, go to our web page.
Deadline to apply: December 6th, 2013.
PLEASE NOTE: ONLY SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS WILL BE CONTACTED (in early January).
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Nov. 12th Webinar--"Go with the Flow: Exploring Local Watersheds with Students"
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.4 and 4.5
Green Teacher's "Go with the Flow" webinar will be full of ideas for integrating "water-centric" learning into curriculum, with a focus on local rivers, streams, ponds and lakes. Co-sponsored by Evergreen.
Audience: K-8 teachers and school administrators.
Date and time: Tuesday, November 12th, 2013 7:30-8:30pm
Presenter: Dr. Hilary Inwood, OISE
Register here: Free, but a good idea to register now!
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TREC R-E (Renewable Energy) Design Challenge--in-class workshop
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.4, 4.5
TREC Education will offer 3 elementary classes (grades 5/6/7) and 3 secondary classes a new in-class workshop that extends its inquiry-based workshops into an exercise in planning, design, testing, and building. Teachers will receive some basic design ideas and small kits with essential materials. Students will get to try out their own ideas to create working renewable energy models (e.g., a wind turbine that turn on an LED light). Completed designs will be showcased at TREC's Kids' World of Energy Festival next May.
Includes one half-day TREC Education workshop in the classroom, a follow-up half-day workshop to mentor the R.E. Design Challenge, basic materials, and a free trip to the Kids World of Energy Festival at the Evergreen Brick Works in May 2014. Funded by the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Interested? Email: education@trec.on.ca or call 416.583.2233
Workshop dates: To be arranged by teacher and TREC educator
Deadline: Register by November 15th. But don't wait--places will go fast!!
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 EcoSchools Section 4, all questions
EcoSchools Instructional Leader Pam Miller has assembled a delicious online Pinterest "pinboard" of picture books for French language classrooms. We are so aware that resources in French can be hard to find, so here's a place to look! And NO you don't need a Pinterest account to access this beautiful feast of book covers. |
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Resources for digging deeper |
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New CBC map uncovers pipeline "safety incidents"
EcoSchools Section 3, Question 3.3; Section 5, Question 5.5
Through an access-to-information request, CBC News received a data set of every pipeline safety incident reported to the National Energy Board (NEB) in the past 12 years. (No pipelines within a provincial boundary are included.)
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1047 pipeline incidents--2000-2012
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This body of information is amazing in itself. A treasure trove for teachers and students wanting to learn about specific spills in
particular places, a glimpse into what gets reported and
what is left out. And of course a site for critical thinking in the secondary classroom... science, geography, data management, literacy, media literacy, civics. In the context of the recent furor over Line 9, it's easy to focus on what we don't like and don't want. Do we avoid the temptation to stop there?
What are some of the hard questions? If we don't want pipelines carrying bitumen oil and we're not happy about shipping by rail, what instead? How do we build credibility and political will for pursuing cleaner energy sources? (See energy debate item below.)
What are the dangers of Canada's increasing dependence on natural resource extraction for our economy? For our environment? For our democracy? Calgary writer Andrew Nikiforuk's recent Toronto lecture on this subject was riveting--you can get a short version in his TED talk: 18 minutes truly well-spent when you're ready to chew on this subject.
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Ecological financial literacy: Earth Overshoot Day
EcoSchools Section 4, Question 4.4
Imagine that humanity has an Earth bank account. Once a year, nature deposits the "ecological services" (like absorbing CO2) and natural resources that it can produce into our Earth bank account. Earth Overshoot Day arrives when we when humans use up what's in that account for the year.
This year the Global Footprint Network estimated that that day arrived on August 20th (it's earlier every year--in 1993 it was October 21st). Since then we've been living on credit--borrowing from the future, using resources faster than they can be replenished. How we turn this around is the big challenge of this century, one that schools can help students to understand and respond to!
Here's a 2 minute video explaining Earth Overshoot Day and why it matters.
FAQs about the Ecological Footprint.
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New student magazine coming out of Bloor CI an international hit!
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.4, 4.5
Last year at Bloor CI, editor-in-chief Cha Chang Yang and her dedicated
team created Ecoprints, an environmental magazine that gives students a place to communicate serious environmental ideas. Its first issue was picked up within a week in June by ISSUU as a "staff favourite" and quickly gained a wide audience (1500 views in over 20 countries!). In response to emails from students across the province, EcoPrints' founders decided to expand its staff beyond Bloor, and is now working on its second issue.
Ecoprints seeks to "overcome youth apathy and turn that into youth activism." Students and teachers are invited to check out the magazine where you'll find opinion pieces, factual articles, literature, art work, photographs, and more. Available on its own website or on ISSUU's site.
Submission deadline for next issue: December 1, 2013.
Questions/submissions: ecoprintsmagazine@gmail.com
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Help us find the potential green journalists at your school--spread the word!
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
 solutions to local environmental issues.
This year's themes:
Ages 11-14 and 15-18:
"What's Your Litter Solution?"
Ages 19-21:
"What's Your Waste Management Solution?"
Deadline: March 7th, 2014.
Winners receive attractive prizes and a chance to compete in the international Young Reporters for the Environment competition--and a chance to win an all-expense paid trip to report on an international environmental education issue. Winning submissions are also published online.
Click for FAQs
Questions? Contact Jen Mayville at 416.323.9521 x228 or jmayville@environmentaldefence.ca |
Become part of the energy debate: water power from Quebec
beats nuclear hands down!
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.4, 4.5
The Clean Air Alliance is mounting a campaign to build public awareness about getting cleaner, safer, cheaper energy: "The numbers tell the story: Quebec is exporting clean, renewable water power at half the cost of what Ontario Power Generation optimistically estimates will be the cost of electricity from a re-built Darlington nuclear station. And that means Ontario can save more than $1 billion a year by importing low cost power from our neighbour instead of rolling the dice on another costly nuclear nightmare."
The small, tireless staff at Clean Air Alliance are inviting participation in a simple campaign to alert people to the little known facts about this safe energy supply alternative. You can help! Give people at your school or office or on your street its new Water power from Quebec pamphlet. They're free, and contain postcards to Premier Wynne. Become part of the energy debate. To order pamphlets, click here .
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Tapped Out: Our Right to Safe and Clean Drinking Water:
On Tues, Nov. 19th or Wed, Nov 20th talk with David Suzuki right in your classroom!
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
Classrooms across Canada can connect virtually with David Suzuki and Canadian Olympic kayaker Adam van Koeverden to discuss water conservation., one of our country's greatest environmental issues. Presented by the National Film Board of Canada and the David Suzuki Foundation. Register NOW!
Subject areas: Science, Social Studies, Technology Education, Health / Personal Development
Recommended age level: 15+
When: Tuesday, November 19th, and Wednesday, November 20th, 2013 at 12:30 p.m. EST
Spaces remaining as of Nov. 7th:
Nov. 19th 164 places
Nov. 20th 12:30 pm 171 places
Price: $50 per class
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Nov. 20th--biggest environmental talk of the season at Evergreen Brick Works!
EcoSchools Section 4, Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
Author Alan Weisman reads from his new book Countdown, where he gathers the results of interviews with scientists and other experts in  21 countries. The book tackles the question "How might we arrive at a stable, optimum population and design an economy to allow genuine prosperity without endless growth?" and shares ideas for bringing the human population into balance with what the planet can sustain (called its "carrying capacity"). Sounds like a must if you can get out during the week!
Details: Available here.
Location: Evergreen Brick Works, BMO Atrium
Time: Wednesday, November 20th, 7-9 pm
Cost: Admission $15; admission plus a signed copy of the book $35
Buy tickets here.
Talk to Alan here. He answers every letter he receives!
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From the editors' desk...
"Democracy is not being. It is becoming. It is easily lost, but never finally won." Frances Moore Lappe loves to quote this remark made by the first African American federal judge. What does that have to do with EcoSchools?
"Democracy" has many meanings. Are schools a training ground for being a citizen of a democracy? What do we teach in school? Not only systems of government, but participation and having a voice. EcoSchools is a program well suited for the "gradual release of responsibility" that turns students into questioning, problem-solving learners and doers who will engage with the world around them.
Active student participation can keep EcoSchools gains from being lost, and even expand them. Last year, with many teachers needing to pull back, students took on greater responsibility for organizing and running parts of the program. We hope that each EcoSchool can give its 'student-citizens' practice in learning to work together, speak up, create change, and take on bigger challenges. Are you or your students willing to share stories of the successes and challenges that arise when students take the lead? What are the lessons--the "must-do's" and "don'ts" for different age groups? We'd love to pull them together and pass them on to all our readers! Email us by December 1--if you don't have time to write, call and we can talk for 10 minutes! 416.395.2882
Eleanor Dudar and Jenn Vetter
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