Connected through the theme “Water: What are the ripple effects of our actions?”. This year's AIRS program at Beaconsfield elementary is an interdisciplinary collaboration between the school community, artist in residence and the Vancouver Parks Board. Inspired by the urban watershed, future site of the rain garden at Beaconsfield Park, this year’s concept engaged with the reality of environmental “ripple effects” in nature and our communities (on the macro and micro scale). Students explored indoor and outdoor art practices rooted in environmental sustainability, First Nations, Metis, and Inuit Ways of Knowing and First Peoples Principles of Learning; with a particular focus on “Learning involves recognizing the consequences of our actions”, “Learning involves generational roles and responsibilities” and “Learning involves patience and time”. Interwoven with teachings from Indigenous knowledge keeper Candice Halls and ethno-botinist Cease Wyss, students from grades K-7 engaged with Coast Salish connections to the school’s urban-nature surroundings. With the guidance of the artist in residence Kathryn Wadel, students made their own water-based paints using repurposed pastels; they practiced watercolour painting techniques and utilized water as the guiding medium to express and explore intra-connections of our environmental actions. The students’ sketchbooks became “water-logs”, documenting their creative process, painting techniques, and self expression. In the studio, the students’ brainstormed and shared personal, communal and global connections with water; the tears we cry in joy and sadness, the many forms of water we drink, the rain that fills the watershed, water’s ability to create electricity for our homes, and more; water is life. Bridging their studio practices outdoors, students had the opportunity to practice “plein air” (outdoor) drawing and painting by the urban watershed at Beaconsfield park, connecting their art practices in community with nature.