Students can benefit when schools work with the broader community to achieve sustainability outcomes.
By working with experts in their local communities, schools can add depth to student learning outcomes and increase their capacity to teach about the environment.
Schools can also contribute to local community environmental action by working with Landcare or Bushcare groups, or taking advantage of local council programs and initiatives.
An Eco Schools grant provided a group of budding environmental scientists from Billabong High School the opportunity to partner with NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) to undertake field surveys to help save woolly ragwort (Senecio garlandii), a threatened plant species endemic to the area. A group of science students participated in the project as an extension to their normal studies. The small group was essential due to the use of specialised equipment, safety requirements and the remote location of the site, which required travel through steep terrain in a 4-wheel drive. Parents were consulted and were very positive and supportive of the project.
The students conducted 2 full days of field surveys in Benambra National Park to collect data on the location and extent of woolly ragwort within the park. Data collection was initially guided by the NPWS ranger and once students were competent they were split into pairs for the remainder of the fieldwork.
The project linked directly to stage 4–5 curriculum outcomes in Geography and Science, particularly ecology, threatened species and sustaining biodiversity. The students also gained valuable skills in fieldwork, including the design of field sheets and the use of GPS (the global positioning system). The work of the students was reported to the wider school community through school assemblies, meetings of the Parents and Citizens Association, and the school newsletter.
The project has provided a valuable opportunity for students to explore environmental science as an option for university study, work and research while contributing to the scientific knowledge of a threatened species. The students gained a rare insight into an area of national park that is generally not accessible to the public, and had the opportunity to develop a friendly and collegial relationship with staff of the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
The awareness level of the school and the wider community regarding ecological sustainability particularly with the woolly ragwort has been significantly enhanced through this project. The work of the students has placed a clear focus on a species that is under threat in our local area. Their work has been widely reported in the local media and has received very positive feedback.
Think outside the square (or in this case, outside your school grounds). What important biodiversity resources do you have in your community that will provide opportunities for environmental education?
An innovative Eco Schools project by Caroline Chisholm College at Glenmore Park has seen Year 9 Agriculture students teaching the basics of sustainable gardening to primary students in neighbouring schools. The students developed teaching resources on topics such as organic recycling and composting, garden safety, growing plants from seeds and seedlings, worm farming and poultry care. These resources will be refined by students coming through in the following years. A key component of the teachings was the demonstration to younger students of safe working practices such as safe tool handling, poultry handling, hygiene, and the safe handling of potting mix.
The mentoring was delivered through visits to 2 local primary schools. In addition, the students also held a highly successful open day during which they gave seven 30-minute classes to groups of 20 primary students, reaching 140 Year-3 students in one day. The students documented the project using photos and videos and reported outcomes through stories in the school newsletter.
The first group of Year 9 students has continued the program into Year 10 while also instructing the next group of Year 9 students, consolidating the practice of student-to-student mentoring.
Many of the resources produced in this project are underpinned by excellent research, but still require fine-tuning to meet the needs of different primary student age-groups. Photography was a powerful tool for communication as it personalised the learning for the students involved. Uploading photos and videos into online documents and pre-formatted magazine-style layouts was also discovered to be very effective in encouraging students to report on activities.
Mentoring younger students is a powerful way to strengthen the student leadership program in a school by providing relevant experience and responsibility to students.