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Personal Reflection
The design and implementation of this pilot project was an enlightening and fulfilling experience. My initial plan for the Heartwoods & Soulwords website to be a community-building platform that integrated interactive nature mapping, story sharing, and sustainable actions did not pan out the way I expected. Although I introduced students to the website early on in the unit, there was a lack of engagement with the maps and the padlet on the "Plant a Seed" page. I am not entirely sure why, as students responded positively during class time, however, did not spend time exploring the website on their own time. Perhaps, due to the virtual nature of the class, students were experiencing digital fatigue and were not motivated to further engage on an online platform in addition to Google Classroom.
This project demonstrates both the benefits and limitations of teaching Environmental and Sustainability Education in a virtual world. Depending on the learners and the circumstances, there could be a lack of engagement in online ESE, and yet there is immense potential for innovative teaching tools and approaches (i.e., interactive maps, nature journaling apps, etc.).
Fortunately, I was able to pivot and develop the Poe[TREE] unit. I am proud of this unit and was rewarded by the phenomenal work that my students created. They were interested, engaged, and passionate. This project and unit are highly significant in creating connections within schools and communities. Student feedback emphasizes how they not only enjoyed the learning but felt heard and seen. The interdisciplinary links, the space for creativity, and the connections formed with both nature and each other showcase the potential for this style of teaching to transform students' learning experiences and lives.
Moving forward, I hope to continue developing units such as this one and encourage other educators and community members to collaborate on art/science/environmentalist initiatives. This project has potential to create ESE networks across schools, neighbourhoods, and cities through sharing creative outputs, stories, and nature landmarks. I hope that getting outside and journaling in, about, and for nature and the environment sparked an emotional connection in students thus nourishing their minds, bodies, and souls while also motivating a desire for sustainable action and positive thinking about the environment.
Student Feedback
Students responded positively to this unit! It was something they had never done before and they enjoyed the content, the creativity, the collaboration, and the conversation.
What did you like about this unit?
"I really liked the final project and how we were able to display our creativity and spread awareness to the class"
"I loved how you brought the environment and nature into an English class! It was very fun and would love to do it again :) very creative miss"
"getting in touch with nature"
"the poetry!!!"
"I liked how you incorporated environmentalism with English. It was such a refreshing and powerful unit!"
"The fact that we talk about real environmental issues and spread awareness of them"
"How we got to be creative with the assignment for this unit and learning about climate issues was pretty interesting."
"I liked that I was able to further look into literature through an environmental lens because I often do not indulge in nature. It was nice to see new and different perspectives about environmental issues."
"I've always been a fan of animals and The Amazon Rainforest, but it reminded me of what was going on, and how the entire rainforest could be gone before we know it. Hopefully, we can do something in the future to prevent it from happening!"
What would you change about this unit?
"Nothing really maybe just 15 min instead of 10 to go outside and journal."
"I wouldn’t change anything because I love learning about environmental/climate issues"
"I would not change anything about this unit. I personally enjoyed the nature journaling activities as well as the climate change assignment."
"Nothing, the creative element for the unit assignment was fun!"
What was your favourite piece of art (poem/spoken word/video)?
"definitely Earthrise by Amanda Gorman"
"I think my favourite piece of art was spoken word because it allowed poets to truly express their work and their message in an engaging way."
"Leave the whales alone. Please!"
"I'm Sorry or Amanda Gorman"
Associate Teacher Feedback
"Ellen used many different types of activities to engage students, including minds-on physical activities at the start of class, and nature journaling that allowed students to either go outside or sit by a window and interact with nature. Students enjoyed these activities immensely and they helped with their mental health in the Pandemic."
"Ellen built in some cross-curricular work with the use of her own expertise in environmental biology. Through Ellen's "Poet-tree" unit, students (who I often see completing their science homework in English class) were thoroughly engaged and it was lovely to see the "lightbulb" moments as students discovered these cross-curricular connections in their in-class activities."
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