(Exploration, Awareness & Early Stewardship)
Activities:
Schoolyard biodiversity walks
Sit spots (quiet observation areas)
Seasonal change tracking
Weather journals (daily/weekly)
Insect and pollinator observations
What students do:
Observe and draw plants/animals
Track weather patterns
Ask questions about what they see
Cross-curricular connections:
ELA: Nature journaling, storytelling, vocabulary building
Math: Counting, graphing weather or species
Science: Life cycles, habitats
Art: Drawing, color studies, textures
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Protect Our Pollinators” poster campaign
Activities:
Tree planting & watering routines
Container or raised-bed gardens
Pollinator patches
Simple habitat zones (logs, brush piles)
What students do:
Plant and care for living things
Observe growth and changes
Learn basic needs of plants/animals
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Plant needs, ecosystems
Health: Food and nutrition
Math: Measuring growth
ELA: Observation writing
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Adopt-a-Tree” classroom project
Garden signage created by students
Activities:
Classroom waste sorting
Waste-free lunch days
Intro compost bins (teacher-led)
What students do:
Sort materials
Track trash vs recycling
Learn decomposition basics
Cross-curricular connections:
Math: Sorting, tally charts
Science: Decomposition
Social Studies: Community responsibility
ELA: Persuasive writing (“Reduce Waste!”)
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Week”
Classroom waste challenge
Activities:
Rain tracking
Puddle/runoff observation
Simple water cycle demonstrations
What students do:
Observe where water goes after rain
Track rainfall
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Water cycle
Math: Measuring rainfall
Art: Drawing water systems
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Save Water at School” reminders
Activities:
Nature storytelling
Outdoor reading time
Environmental art projects
Cross-curricular connections:
ELA: Reading & writing outdoors
Art: Nature-based creativity
Social-emotional learning
Investigation, Systems Thinking & Problem-Solving)
Activities:
Stormwater mapping on campus
Drain marking awareness
Schoolyard runoff observations
Simulated water testing
What students do:
Map water flow paths
Identify pollution sources
Investigate how surfaces affect runoff
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Watersheds, ecosystems
Math: Mapping, graphing
Geography: Land use
ELA: Reporting findings
Student-led campaign ideas:
Storm drain awareness campaign (“Only Rain Down the Drain”)
School presentation on runoff pollution
Activities:
Soil testing (texture, infiltration)
Erosion models
Vegetation comparisons
What students do:
Compare soil types
Test water absorption
Analyze erosion impacts
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Earth systems
Math: Data collection
Social Studies: Land use history
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Protect Our Soil” awareness posters
Recommendations for planting areas on campus
Activities:
Schoolyard biodiversity surveys
Habitat quality assessments
Bird and insect monitoring
What students do:
Identify species
Compare habitats
Track changes over time
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Ecology
Math: Data tracking
Art: Field sketches
Technology: Digital documentation
Student-led campaign ideas:
Habitat improvement proposals
“Increase Biodiversity” school initiative
Composting Projects (expanded)
Waste Audits
What students do:
Analyze school waste systems
Maintain compost systems
Propose waste-reduction solutions
Activities:
Schoolyard biodiversity surveys
Habitat quality assessments
Bird and insect monitoring
What students do:
Identify species
Compare habitats
Track changes over time
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Ecology
Math: Data tracking
Art: Field sketches
Technology: Digital documentation
Student-led campaign ideas:
Habitat improvement proposals
“Increase Biodiversity” school initiative
Activities:
School-wide waste audits
Compost system expansion
Cafeteria waste tracking
What students do:
Collect and analyze waste data
Identify reduction strategies
Cross-curricular connections:
Math: Percentages, data analysis
Science: Decomposition
ELA: Persuasive writing
Student-led campaign ideas:
Waste reduction campaign
“Zero Waste Lunch” initiative
Activities:
Classroom energy audits (lights, devices)
Temperature comparisons (indoor vs outdoor)
Shade vs sun studies
What students do:
Track energy use behaviors
Identify ways to conserve energy
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Energy, climate basics
Math: Data tracking
Civics: Responsibility
Student-led campaign ideas:
“Turn Off the Lights” campaign
Energy-saving classroom competitions
(Analysis, Leadership & Action)
Activities:
Water quality monitoring (if available) or modeling
Climate data analysis (local vs historical)
Flooding and runoff studies
What students do:
Analyze trends
Interpret environmental data
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Environmental science, chemistry
Math: Statistics
ELA: Technical writing
Student-led campaign ideas:
Climate awareness campaign
School resilience planning proposals
Activities:
Full school energy audit
Classroom energy tracking
Heating/cooling efficiency observations
What students do:
Identify inefficiencies
Propose energy-saving solutions
Cross-curricular connections:
Science: Energy systems
Math: Cost analysis
Economics: Cost savings
Civics: Policy and decision-making
Student-led campaign ideas:
Energy reduction campaign
Proposal to administration for changes
Activities:
Stormwater mapping and redesign
Rain garden or solution planning
Impervious surface analysis
What students do:
Design solutions
Present proposals
Student-led campaign ideas:
Advocate for installation of green infrastructure
Activities:
Habitat assessments
Invasive species identification
Restoration planning
What students do:
Evaluate ecosystem health
Propose improvements
Student-led campaign ideas:
Campus restoration plan
Native planting initiative
Activities:
Garden management
Compost system leadership
Food waste analysis
Activities:
Garden creation/management
Compost system leadership
Food waste analysis
Activities:
Environmental storytelling
Video/documentary projects
Class presentations