Implementing Your Action(s) During COVID
🦸♀️️🦸♂️️--->PBSE Effort Alert!
👥 ---> Community Partner Connection!
📚--->Supplemental Resource!
🔔 ---> Environmental Justice Connection!
Emojis Have Meanings to Guide you >>> 🤔➡️📝🧮️🧭️
The above photo is Alcona Elementary students exploring the Harrisville Library garden and adjacent habitats.
WHAT IF...we are learning from home? We can't bring community partners to the classroom? We can't access our field site?
Our NEMIGLSI Network of community partners is ready to surround your class with support and do the "heavy lifting" to make your project happen, in whatever capacity that may look like this year.
Let us help you explore ways to engage students in addressing your PBSE issue and project.
STUDENT VOICE is more important than ever.
Empowering youth to explore what they CAN do is vital as we all work to protect and preserve the Great Lakes and our natural resources through PBSE.
The NEMIGLSI Network is eager to help facilitate brainstorming sessions with you and your students about ways we can engage in PBSE using new virtual tools.
Taking Action in Any Learning Scenario
Below are two scenarios where students have identified an issue they would like to address in their community. Each scenario includes examples of actions that can be taken from home or at school, with or without access to your field site.
Issue Scenario #1: Threatened/Endangered Species Habitat Loss
If learning online or from home students may be able to...
Identify different habitat types/features in their yard or neighborhood
Look for information online about threatened or endangered species near their home or in their region
Communicate with 👥"Friends of ..." groups to find out if threatened or endangered species have been found at their field location
Do a virtual site visit with the help of the "Friends of ..." group or other community partner
Use Google Earth to try to identify habitat types at their field site.
Work with 👥community partners to build a story map of the field site using 📚Google Poly Tour Creator (with optional 360 camera images).
🔔A reminder that access to an outdoor space where youth feel safe may vary among students.
If learning from school with no field site visits, students may be able to...
Meet online or in person with 👥community partners to share information about their field site
Obtain genetically similar seeds and grow native threatened/endangered plants in their classroom or greenhouse
Communicate with 👥"Friends of ..." groups to find out if threatened or endangered species have been found at their field location
Do a virtual site visit with the help of the "Friends of ..." group or other community partner
Use Google Earth to try to identify habitat types on the local lands.
Work with 👥community partners to build a story map of the field site using 📚Google Poly Tour Creator (with optional 360 camera images).
In any setting, students may be able to...
Research the habitat types/features specific to their field location
Research any existing management plans for their field location
Research habitat preferences for their target species
Research any invasive species (plant or animal) that may be threatening the native plant species
Connect with 👥partners for advice on best management practices for reducing habitat loss or creating new habitat for target species
Generate maps/drawings of their field site
Issue Scenario #2: Lack of Biodiversity to Support Local Pollinators
If learning online or from home students may be able to...
Document the biodiversity at their home
Share their biodiversity findings with 👥community partners, discuss ways to improve biodiversity
Map potential garden sites at home; include soil type, infiltration, hours of sunlight and area
Identify ways to increase biodiversity at their home site - pollinator garden, bushes for birds
Identify/choose native plants for future planting of a schoolyard garden
Create pamphlets/presentations about herbicide and mowing best management practices
Create pamphlets/presentations about invasive species or the value of native species
🔔A reminder that access to an outdoor space where youth feel safe may vary among students.
If learning from school with no field site visits, students may be able to...
Meet online or in person with 👥community partners to share information about their site
Physically investigate and mark potential locations for pollinator garden installation
Map and calculate area of potential garden sites on schoolyard; include soil type, infiltration, hours of sunlight and area
Evaluate potential schoolyard garden sites with 👥community partners and school administration in person or virtually
Identify any invasive species on the schoolyard and research removal methods
Calculate how much mulch/ soil will be needed to install a garden
Install pollinator garden at school
Conduct garden maintenance/ monitoring
In any setting, students may be able to...
Generate maps/drawings of potential garden plans.
Connect with 👥partners (local nurseries, landscapers, native plants specialists, school grounds staff) for advice on what to plant, where to plant it and how to maintain it.
Research local ordinances and school practices for mowing and herbicide use.
Write letters to local officials about municipal mowing/herbicide practices and present their findings to substantiate their requests
Develop an outreach and education campaign relating to residential BMPs for herbicide use/mowings (e.g., a video with social-media distribution with a hashtag; an article in a community or school newsletter) and track its reach. If needed, connect with a local journalist to help with effective social or print media.