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© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
i
Acknowledgements
Writers: Steve Bibla and Eleanor Dudar
Contributors: Wendy Abbot, Gail Bornstein, Cynthia Chan,
Bruce Day, Kristen Evers, Mieke Foster, Pam Miller,
Jenn Vetter and Erin Wood
Design: Ariella Eben-Ezra (revisions by Akash Patel)
Editor: Jenn Vetter
EcoSchools Certification Toolkit 2015/16
© September 2015 Toronto District School Board
Reproduction of this document for use in schools within the
Toronto District School Board is encouraged.
For anyone other than Toronto District School Board staff, no part
of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system,
or transmitted in any form or by any other means, electronic,
mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior
written permission of the Toronto District School Board. This
permission must be requested and obtained in writing from:
Toronto District School Board
School Programs and Services
3 Tippett Road
Toronto, ON M3H 2V1
Tel: 416.397.2595
Fax: 416.395.8357
Email: curriculumdocs@tdsb.on.ca
Every reasonable precaution has been taken to trace the owners of
copyrighted material and make due acknowledgment. Any omission
will gladly be rectified in future printings.
Art by TDSB student
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
ii
Introduction 2
About This Guide 3
Certification Guides 4
Charts, Labels, Forms and Posters 5
Online Resources 6
Order Form 7
Portfolio Requirements 8
1. Foster Leadership and Teamwork
Overview 12
Leadership and Teamwork EcoReview 13
Building the Team—Questionnaire 14
Students, Have Your Say! 16
Building Team Momentum 17
Team Structure 18
Greendale’s Team Structure 19
Getting Organized-Student Tips 20
Roles and Responsibilities 21
Making Decisions 23
Agenda for an EcoTeam Meeting 24
Designing a Campaign 25
Schools Campaign Action Plan 26
EcoTeam Timeline: Planning for Campaign Implementation 27
Campaign Reflection 28
Action Plan Checklist: Public Viewing of an Environmental Film 29
Event Day Guidelines: Public Viewing of an Environmental Film 31
Action Plan: School Environmental Improvement Plan Template 32
Copy Paper 33
Green Paper Calculator 34
2.1 Reduce Impact on the Environment: Energy Conservation
Overview 36
Energy Conservation EcoReview 37
Energy: Learning Activities by Grade (1-8) 38
The Energy Walkabout 39
The Energy Walkabout: step by step 40
The Energy Walkabout Legend 42
Phantom Power 43
Monitoring Our Use of Finite Resources: Education For the Environment 44
Table of Contents
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
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2.1 Reduce Impact on the Environment: Energy Conservation (cont’d)
Appliances: Synopsis 45
Refrigerators 46
Dishwashers and Clothes Washers 47
CFL Replacement Program 48
2.2 Reduce Impact on the Environment:
Waste Minimization
Overview 50
Waste Minimization EcoReview 51
Waste: Learning Activities by Grade (1-8) 52
The Waste Audit: A “how-to” tip sheet 53
Waste Audit Results 56
Waste Reduction Work Plan 56
What Can You Recycle? 57
Material to Support Your Recycling Program 59
Recycling and Green Bin Rebate Program 61
Lunchroom Recycling Barrels 62
Recycling Toters for Schools and Centres 63
Printer Cartridge Recycling 64
Photocopier Toner Bottle Recycling 65
Duplicator Ink Cartridge Recycling 66
Waste-free Lunches 67
Recipe for a Waste-free Lunch 68
Obsolete or Surplus Text and Library Books 69
Obsolete or Surplus Computers and Other Electronic Equipment 70
Used Appliances and Scrap Metal 71
Surplus and Old Furniture 73
Request for the Disposal of Chemicals and Hazardous Waste 74
Fluorescent Lamps and Light Bulbs 76
Waste Vegetable Oil 77
Sawdust and Wood Cut-offs and Hopper Clean-outs 78
The Electronic Trading Post 79
ArtsJunktion 80
Locker Clean-Out 81
Table of Contents
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
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3. Care for and Create Vibrant Schools Grounds
Overview 84
Vibrant School Grounds EcoReview 85
Seasonal Stewardship Plan 86
Watering Schedule Sign-up Sheet 88
The Bucket Watering Method 89
Mulch Is Magic: Spread It! 91
Invasive Plant Species: Stop the Spread! 93
School Ground Summer Maintenance Tips 95
Road Map: New School Ground Greening Projects 96
A Day with Trees: GRASP Lesson Planning Across the Grades 97
Window of School Ground Wishes 98
Student Survey (elementary) 99
Student Survey (secondary) 101
Helpful How-to Guides 102
Board Support for School Ground Greening 103
Design Consultation Process 105
Request for Design Consultation 106
EcoReview Site Assessment for Shade and Energy Conservation (elementary) 107
EcoReview Site Assessment for Shade and Energy Conservation (secondary) 108
Shade and Energy Conservation Questionnaire for Parents/Guardians 109
Sample Letter to Announce Your Greening Project 110
Build Community: Volunteer Opportunities 111
Guide for Tree and Shrub Planting Projects 112
Recommended Tree and Shrubs Species 114
Nature Study Areas 115
School Food Gardens 116
Fundraising Tips 118
Sample Budget: Native Plants and Other Resources 120
Table of Contents
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
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4. Improve Student Achievement through Ecological Literacy
Overview 122
Ecological Literacy EcoReview 124
Unpacking ecological literacy: Education ABOUT the environment 126
Fundamentals: “How Nature Works” 127
Scenario Mapping 128
Dependency Webs 131
Consequence Mapping 135
UNESCO: Five Community Held Visions of the Future 141
Concept Mapping 142
Unpacking ecological literacy: Education FOR the environment 147
RAFT Assignment 148
Moving from RAFT to GRASP 150
GRASP: Developing Ecological Literacy through Rich Performance Tasks 151
GRASP Across the Grades 152
Writing Letters and E-mails 154
Are you an Environmental Citizen? 155
Unpacking ecological literacy: Education IN the environment 156
Learning Trails 157
Interpretive Hikes 159
Create a Tree Tour 161
Tips for Teaching Outdoors 163
Local Education Program beyond the TDSB to Broaden Ecological Literacy 165
EcoLiteracy Checklist 167
EcoLiteracy Summary 168
5. Contribute to Healthy, Active, Safe and Sustainable School
Communities
Overview 170
Healthy, Active, Safe and Sustainable Schools EcoReview 171
Cleaners 172
Active, Safe and Sustainable Transportation 173
Sun Safe Behaviour 177
Community Clean-up 178
Build Community through an Environmental Education Event 179
Table of Contents
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
1
A revolution in education is under way, and it is starting
in the most unlikely places. The revolutionaries are not
professional educators from famous universities; rather
they are...students, a growing number of intrepid
teacher, and a handful of facilitators from widely diverse
backgrounds.
The goal of the revolution is the reconnection of young
people to their own habitats and communities. The
classroom is the ecology of the surrounding community,
not the confining four walls of the traditional school. And
the pedagogy of the revolution is simply a process of
organized engagement with living system and the lives of
people who live by the grace of those systems.
David Orr, “A Sense of Wonder” in Ecoliteracy: Mapping the Terrain, 2002, 19.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
2
Introduction
EcoSchools helps to implement the TDSB’s Go Green: Climate
Change Action Plan and the Ontario Ministry of Education’s
Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow
EcoSchools offers a structured approach to changing practices and
thinking that can lead to reducing our Board’s environmental
impact. It is closely aligned with the Ministry’s environmental
education policy framework, Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow. To
help teachers fulfill the policy’s curriculum expectations, EcoSchools
section 4—“Improve Student Achievement through Ecological
Literacy”—can better equip teachers to include an environmental
perspective as part of lesson planning.
Our Board has funded EcoSchools since 2003, years ahead of any
other school board or indeed the Province itself. It is a testament to
the long-sightedness of our trustees as well as staff at senior levels
and in many departments that so many resources have been
devoted to building a program that offers more environmental
support to schools with each passing year. This toolkit continues to
be expanded and revised to provide easy access to Board services,
materials, and equipment available to help schools and offices fulfill
their EcoSchools goals.
Introduction
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
3
About this guide
The Toolkit is organized into five sections, with section 2 divided
into two sub-sections. Each section begins with a short overview,
followed by tools to help you carry out specific tasks.
The first tool in each section is the EcoReview whose questions
give you an overview of the expectations for that section. It
consists of the same set of questions that appear in the online
certification application. The examples that follow each question
describe a possible range of actions that your team might take.
The main goal of the Toolkit is to provide efficient ‘one-stop
shopping’ for the tools you need so that most of your energies as
EcoTeams can be put toward planning and implementation.
Flipping through its pages will give you lots of ideas to propose as
your EcoTeam sets goals for the year. Resources to help you bring
the message of environmental stewardship to your school are
available for download from ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides
or order print copies using the form on page 7.
Introduction
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
4
Certification Guides
All Certification Guides are available online to download: www.ecoschools.ca
2015/16 EcoSchools Certification
Guide and Planner
This essential certification resource
provides an overview of the
application and certification
process, the six program sections
and their corresponding
EcoReviews.
2015/16 EcoSchools Certification Toolkit
This guidebook contains resources on
all aspects of the EcoSchools program
including tools for helping you
complete portfolio binder
requirements.
Best Practices
Need some inspiration? The Best
Practices guidebook contains a
collection of tried and true strategies
as well as some unique ideas from
other EcoSchools.
Waste Audit Guide
Refer to this guide for details on the
EcoSchools Waste Audit process,
complete with worksheets, sorting
signs, and posters.
2015/16 EcoSchools DIY Guide
This guide includes a 5-Step Process
for building your program, describes
the certification process, and provides
suggestions on how to prepare for
your audit.
2015/16 EcoSchools Portfolio Requirements
In this guide, the 16 portfolio
requirements are outlined. This
resource includes a one page portfolio
requirements checklist, an example
for each requirement and suggestions
on related tools.
The Green Bin: A How-to Guide
Looking for tips on using the green
bin at your school? This handy guide
outlines how to implement the green
bin within a school and includes
recommendations, resources and
curriculum connections to help your
Green Bin Program thrive.
2015/16 EcoSchools Portfolio Binder Inserts
The Portfolio Binder Inserts serve as
a structured framework for holistic
assessment of your school’s
EcoSchools program. Please note by
September 2017 binder inserts will
no longer be available as we are
moving to a mandatory online
portfolio.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
5
Charts, Forms, Posters and Stickers All monitoring charts, EcoTeam Timelines and Campaign Reflection worksheets are available online to
download: ecoschools.ca>Forms
EcoTeam Timeline
Use this timeline to help
outline your key goals and
campaigns for the year.
Let the Sunlight In monitoring chart
This poster has been designed to
help schools monitor and improve
the use of lights in school
buildings. The poster can be used
by students in an EcoTeam or
environment club or classroom
teachers interested in developing
authentic data management
activities for their students.
Save Our Resources monitoring chart
This chart can help students
monitor and improve the success
of their school's recycling program
by tracking sorting practices room
by room.
Recipe for a Waste-Free Lunch
Use this poster as a reminder to
students about trimming food
waste by using reusable
containers.
Campaign Reflection
Did your campaign reach its goal?
This campaign reflection sheet will
help your team to review the
behaviour changes and school
practices after you’ve implemented
your action plan.
Let the Air Flow monitoring chart
This chart will help schools
monitor whether classroom and
office heating vents are kept
clear of objects so that the heat
can flow unimpeded. It can be
used by students in an
environment club or EcoTeam, or
by classroom teachers interested
in developing authentic data
management activities for their
students.
Lights Off Stickers
Place these Lights Off stickers
around the school to remind
students and staff to turn lights
off when not in use.
Waste Sorting Posters
Use these posters to help sort
waste in the classrooms or
hallways. Schools may order
each one individually or in sets of
three.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
6
Online Resources • Curriculum Resources to support your EcoSchools Program
All Curriculum Resources are available online to download at ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Curriculum Resources
Elementary Resources
Celebrating EcoSchools (gr.1-8)
Developed in partnership with the
City of Toronto, this collection of
learning activities for elementary
schools has been selected for Earth
Week or other EcoSchools
celebration. While each activity can
stand alone, the collection is
especially designed for an entire
school to engage in environmental
learning adventures, focusing on
the theme of human-environment
connections.
Heat in the Environment
Understanding heat is crucial for
students' future success in science
and for heightening their
awareness of the ways that heat
affects our world. This resource, in
combination with an
accompanying, can help teachers
make a timely contribution to
students' ecological literacy by
showing the connections between
energy use, energy transfer, heat
loss, and climate change
Our Solar Future
Developed by EcoSpark and TDSB
staff, this guide offers teachers a
set of activities to get students
thinking about the critical energy
choices that lie ahead. Three
different scenarios and roles give
students a chance to explore ways
to re-shape our energy future. This
resource will be supported by a
Science and Technology kit.
The Toronto Wind Turbine: Excursion
for Kids (gr.5)
This guide provides teachers with
general curriculum connections
and classroom management
strategies as well as teaching
and learning strategies for using
the Virtual Tour described above.
It also provides a summary of
each of the six sections of the
Virtual Tour. Take the virtual
tour at ecoschools.ca>Resources
and Guides>Curriculum
Resources
The Toronto Wind Turbine: Virtual Tour for Kids:
Teacher’s Resource
Many grade 5 classes in Toronto
have already visited the wind
turbine at Exhibition Place. This
guide provides teachers with
lessons and black-line-masters to
use before, during and after the
excursion to the turbine. It offers
opportunities to creatively
integrate numeracy and literacy
into your program.
Secondary Resources
EcoSchools Climate Change and Your Future:
An Inconvenient Truth
This guide aims to help you have
the biggest impact possible in
educating about climate change
at your school—to shift the way
staff and students see the impact
of their everyday choices and
actions at home and at school,
and thus to create a climate for
change.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
7
Order Form • Print resources available to order
ecoschools.ca>Forms
Name: ______________________________ Role: __________________________ Date: _____________
School: ___________________________________________ # of students: _______ Route: __________
Phone: ______________________________ Preferred email: _____________________________________
Certification Guides and Binder Inserts
2015/16 EcoSchools Certification Guide and Planner
2015/16 EcoSchools Certification Toolkit
2015/16 EcoSchools DIY Guide
2015/16 EcoSchools Portfolio Requirements
2015/16 EcoSchools Portfolio Binder Inserts
Charts, Forms, Posters, and Stickers
Leadership and Teamwork
EcoTeam Timeline: Planning for Campaign Implementation
(11x17)
Energy Conservation
“Lights-off” stickers Qty: ________
Let the Sunlight In monitoring chart Qty: ________
Let the Air Flow monitoring chart Qty: ________
Waste Minimization
What Goes in the Landfill poster Qty: ________
What Goes in the Recycling poster Qty: ________
What Goes in the Green Bin poster Qty: ________
Put ORGANICS Here label (room size) Qty: ________
Put ORGANICS Here label (bulk bin) Qty: ________
Put RECYCLING Here label (bulk bin) Qty: ________
Recipe for Waste-Free Lunch poster Qty: ________
Save Our Resources monitoring chart Qty: ________
PLEASE PRINT
online fillable form
Ecological Literacy & Curriculum Resources
Elementary
Celebrating EcoSchools, Festival Ideas
EcoSchools Toronto Wind Turbine: Grade 5 Teacher's Guide
EcoSchools Toronto Wind Turbine Virtual Tour for Kids:
Teacher's Resource
EcoSchools GRASP: a tool for developing ecological literacy
through rich performance tasks
EcoSchools Heat in the Environment, Grade 7
Our Solar Future: Rich Performance Tasks, Grade 6
Electricity, TDSB and EcoSpark
Secondary
EcoSchools Climate Change and Your Future:
An Inconvenient Truth
City of Toronto Biodiversity Series
toronto.ca> Living In Toronto > Your City > City Planning
> Environment > Biodiversity
Mammals of Toronto (2009)
Reptiles and Amphibians of Toronto (2012)
To order these free materials go to ecoschools.ca or, complete this form and fax it to Diana Suzuki at 416.395.4610, or email diana.suzuki@tdsb.on.ca
Go to ecoschools.ca>Forms to complete and submit the online fillable form.
Questions? Please contact Cynthia Chan at Cynthia.Chan@tdsb.on.ca
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
8
Portfolio Requirements
The EcoSchools portfolio is a structured framework for holistic assessment of your school’s EcoSchools
program. Its primary purpose is to provide evidence of your EcoTeam’s and school’s efforts required by
an EcoSchools auditor to fairly judge the strength of your program. It should also serve as a tool to
document progress, support self assessment, and reflect on and communicate your EcoTeam’s and
school’s achievements. The portfolio can take time to compile, we encourage schools to make use of the
paperless portfolio option and assign completion of the different requirements to members of the
EcoTeam early in the year, to help share the work of uploading your documentation.
There are a total of 15 requirements for the EcoSchools portfolio
We have purposefully chosen these
requirements to help:
Prepare your team for a year of eco-action
Build student leadership
Reduce your school’s carbon footprint (e.g.,
energy walkabouts —conservation and
action)
Build whole school environmental awareness
and involvement
Showcase your wonderful work for our
auditors and future team leaders
What the symbols mean:
portfolio requirement
photos encouraged
Download the Portfolio
Requirements guide at
ecoschools.ca>
Resources and Guides>
Certification Guides for
detailed examples (with
pictures!) of each
portfolio requirement.
1. Leadership and Teamwork—
3 requirements
Tell us about your EcoTeam (see the
Team Structure tool on pp.18-19 of this guide
for examples).
What do you plan to work on this year?
Write a brief timeline (5 sentences to a
paragraph). Look at the EcoTeam Timeline
(p.27 of this guide) as a starting point.
Students, Have Your Say! Submit a
brief written reflection or creative piece (see the
form on p.16 of this guide).
Portfolio Requirements
Not sure where to start?
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
9
Portfolio Requirements (cont’d)
3. Vibrant School Grounds—1 requirement
Your best example of how your school is
caring for and/or planning to enhance your
school grounds. (A photo [or series of photos
showing the progress of your project over the
school year] and a brief caption may be all we
need to get a sense of your work!)
Schools do not have to implement new projects
each year; points can be claimed for the
maintenance of existing projects.
4. Ecological Literacy—
6 requirements (minimum)
A brief (3–5 sentences) description of the
ways in which your school is planning
collaboratively with a reflection on how well it
worked
5–10 examples of teachers’ best
samples of student work (representing different
grades and subjects) accompanied by the
Ecoliteracy Checklist form on p.167 of this guide
5. Healthy School Communities—
1 requirement
Up to 3 examples of your team’s best
community engagement projects that show
environmental learning and action (e.g., walk/
cycle to school campaign, Earth Week, school
mentoring, community eco-fairs).
Portfolio Requirements
2.1 Energy Conservation—2 requirements
Evidence* of a completed Energy
Walkabout Worksheet, and how results were
communicated** to the school.
Up to two examples of your most
effective energy conservation awareness
campaign/activity. (e.g., targeted signage, day
of action, interactive display, etc.)
* Evidence can include copies or photos of the Energy
Walkabout Worksheet.
**Communication of results to school can include
examples of announcements, posters created, bulletin
board displays, recognition awards, etc.
2.2 Waste—2 requirements
One example of your most effective
waste reduction and awareness
campaign/activity (e.g., plastic water bottle
reduction campaign, paper reduction campaign,
waste-free lunches)
Evidence of the school’s waste
analysis and related actions (e.g., Save Our
Resources chart and description of actions taken
to address observations, waste audit results and
work plan)
Note: Completing a full EcoSchools waste audit
earns a level 4 in the look-fors
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
10
Schools, like ecosystems, come to life through
networks of relationships
Rather than residing within a single individual, ecological
intelligence is inherently collective. Socially and emotionally
engaged ecoliteracy, therefore, encourages us to gather and
share information collectively, and to collectively take action
to foster sustainable living. This makes school
communities—which, like ecosystems, come to life through
networks of relationships—ideal places to nurture this new
and essential ecological sensibility.
Daniel Goleman, Lisa Bennett and Zenobia Barlow, Ecoliterate: How Educators
are Cultivating Emotional, Social and Ecological Intelligence, 2012, 7.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
12 Section 1
In an effort to reduce paper
usage, schools can choose to
use the paperless portfolio
option when they register for
certification. Starting
September 2017 all schools will
be required to use the
paperless portfolio option.
Foster Leadership and Teamwork: Overview
Providing staff and students with opportunities for leadership is a core
value of good education. EcoSchools offers leaders the challenge of
making our schools more sustainable places to work, study, and play,
and shaping curriculum delivery that is more attuned to environmental
learning and action.
A combination of solid leadership and teamwork enables schools to act
as ambassadors for the environment. Knowing how to conserve
energy, minimize waste, and green your school grounds is all for
naught without people motivated, organized, and equipped to do the
work.
Role of the principal
In our experience the most successful EcoSchools have internal
administrative support that incorporates environmental programs into
the everyday culture of the school. When an EcoTeam is being well
supported by the principal, the EcoTeam is able to:
function as a representation of the entire school population
make decisions that affect the school population
liaise directly with staff
voice its concerns freely
communicate to students and staff frequently and in an
accessible manner
In addition to the Toolkit, we urge school leaders to keep these four
resources close at hand (all are available online at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides> Certification Guides:
EcoSchools Certification Guide and Planner (order form p.7)
EcoSchools DIY Guide (order form p.7)
Best Practices (online only)
Portfolio Requirements
The EcoSchools portfolio can act as a useful organizer for the team. If
you are a newcomer, these five guides and the portfolio, in
combination with ready assistance from our staff, will help you to get a
good start. If you are a veteran EcoSchool, these guides can help you
become even better!
The tools in this section have been workshopped at middle school and
secondary school conferences and taken back to schools with great
success. Both new and seasoned teams will find fresh ideas here.
NEW
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
13 Section 1
1. Foster Leadership and Teamwork EcoReview
GUIDING QUESTION
Is your whole school mobilized to tackle the challenges involved in creating a sustainable
school?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Endorsing environmental action throughout the school
1.1 Does your principal and/or other administrators make EcoSchools a part of the school culture (set aside school time for EcoTeam leaders to plan; provide time for presentations/updates at
staff meetings; encourage staff to plan collaboratively to include ecological literacy in their
classroom program; use the school improvement plan to record goals; include EcoSchools
initiatives in budget planning; embed EcoSchools and/or ecological literacy expectations in
Positions of Responsibility; support the collection of materials from teachers for the EcoSchools
portfolio)?
1.2 Does your EcoTeam reflect all parts of the school community (students, teachers, parents,
caretaker, principal/administration, daycare, student council, long-term tenant, parenting
centre, community centre)?
Organizing and planning for success
1.3 Are your EcoTeam members and plans organized (e.g., define roles, responsibilities and decision-making approaches; meet regularly and keep minutes; establish an executive and/
or committees such as a recycling team; use last year's audit report recommendations, the
EcoReviews, and/or the EcoTeam Timeline [Certification Toolkit p.27], to develop targets
and lay out action plans)?
Portfolio requirements: 1) Project timeline (e.g., EcoTeam Timeline);
2) Team Structure (e.g., Certification Toolkit pp.18-19)
1.4 Does your EcoTeam pay attention to team-building (e.g., set up a system for identifying
and training classroom energy and recycling reps; invite team members to participate in
decision making; build fun into the work; celebrate successes; on team trips)?
Promoting sustainable behaviour
1.5 Does your EcoTeam communicate successes and areas for improvement to the school (e.g.,
in newsletters; on your school website; at staff and school council meetings; through email
lists, blogs, videos, social media; in the yearbook; on the school's outside sign)?
1.6 Does your EcoTeam nurture student leadership (e.g., offer opportunities to gain
communication skills by using the P.A. system; give classroom presentations and/or
facilitate school assemblies; encourage students to take the lead in developing campaigns;
foster mentoring of younger students by older students both within and beyond the school;
encourage attendance at EcoSchools leadership conferences)?
Portfolio requirement: Students, Have Your Say! form (Certification Toolkit p.16)
1.7 To what extent is your environmental program evident throughout the school (e.g.,
EcoSchools plaques, environmental awards, bulletin boards, a recycling centre, signs for
garden areas, displays in classrooms and in the halls)?
1.8 All portfolio requirements have been met in an electronic or print copy of the portfolio
(Use the checklist on pp.8-9 of the Certification Toolkit).
1.9 What percentage of the copy paper used by your school is Dumtar Husky
fibre rather than Staples Copy FSC-certified paper which contains no recycled fibre (Level
1=10-25%;Level 2=26-40%; Level 3=41-74%; Level 4=75-100%)? Note: Riso not included.
1.10 How much has your school’s consumption of all copy paper (on a per student basis) declined
compared to previous years (Level 1=5-10%; Level 2=11-20%; Level 3=21-30%;
Level 4=31-40%)?
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (60% this year) 0 1 2 3 4
School Visit “look-fors” (25%)—Scored by EcoSchools auditor using rubric 0 1 2 3 4
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
siv
e
Performance Indicator (1.9 –5% this year; 1.10—10% this year) 0 1 2 3 4
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
14 Section 1
Building the Team—Questionnaire
Every EcoTeam has to start somewhere. At the beginning of the year,
survey your EcoTeam members to find out what they are interested
in and what skills they bring. This will help you to evaluate where
your strengths lie…and perhaps reveal where you need to seek more
talent!
At the end of the year, use the Students, Have Your Say tool (p.16)
to find out what worked well and what changes you might make for
the following year. Try using the questionnaire below to get started.
(A whole sheet is on the next page to make photocopying easy!)
Did you know?
Team building activities are a
great way of developing trust and
collaboration, and encouraging
communication among EcoTeam
members. Go to
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides for team building
activities.
QUESTIONNAIRE • EcoTeam/Environment Club Member
Name: Grade:
I am interested in the following areas:
waste minimization and recycling gardening/school ground greening
energy conservation fundraising
communication/promotion campaign management & events
taking leadership renewable energy
Other
Why do you want to be a member of this EcoTeam/Environment Club?
What environmental issue within our
school/class concerns you the most?
What environmental issue within our
school/class concerns you the most?
QUESTIONNAIRE • EcoTeam/Environment Club Member
Name: Grade:
I am interested in the following areas:
waste minimization and recycling gardening/school ground greening
energy conservation fundraising
communication/promotion campaign management & events
taking leadership renewable energy
Other
Why do you want to be a member of this EcoTeam/Environment Club?
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
15 Section 1
What environmental issue within our
school/class concerns you the most?
What environmental issue within our
school/class concerns you the most?
What environmental issue within our
school/class concerns you the most?
QUESTIONNAIRE • EcoTeam/Environment Club Member
Name: Grade:
I am interested in the following areas:
waste minimization and recycling gardening/school ground greening
energy conservation fundraising
communication/promotion campaign management & events
taking leadership renewable energy
Other
Why do you want to be a member of this EcoTeam/Environment Club?
QUESTIONNAIRE • EcoTeam/Environment Club Member
Name: Grade:
I am interested in the following areas:
waste minimization and recycling gardening/school ground greening
energy conservation fundraising
communication/promotion campaign management & events
taking leadership renewable energy
Other
Why do you want to be a member of this EcoTeam/Environment Club?
QUESTIONNAIRE • EcoTeam/Environment Club Member
Name: Grade:
I am interested in the following areas:
waste minimization and recycling gardening/school ground greening
energy conservation fundraising
communication/promotion campaign management & events
taking leadership renewable energy
Other
Why do you want to be a member of this EcoTeam/Environment Club?
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
16 Section 1
Students, Have Your Say!
Students, we want to know about your experiences as an EcoTeam this year. Your submission
should answer the four questions below. You can either write a reflection or create an alternative
submission.
1. What did you do as a team this year?
2. What are some of your team's highlights? What is your team most proud of?
3. What are some of your team’s challenges and how did you overcome them?
4. What advice would you give to next year's team?
Get creative! Here are some other submission ideas:
Record (audio, video, or written)
students reflecting together on their
experiences (for example, survey your
team or conduct an interview). Audio or
video recordings should be a maximum
of 10 minutes.
Create a brochure that can be used as a
tool to promote your EcoTeam, recruit
new team members, and help build
community partnerships.
Design a poster or bulletin board
that can be displayed in your school
to help promote your EcoTeam.
Submit a video created by your
team this year.
Write a newsletter article or create a
flyer.
Portfolio Requirement
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
17 Section 1
Building Team Momentum
At the end of each meeting, give everyone a job! When people
know how valuable they are to the team's function they will
often be more committed to the cause.
Use incentives! Bring snacks, order pizza for the team
occasionally or for special events.
Create friendly competition among students and staff to build a
positive school climate.
Poll or monitor your school occasionally for environmental
behaviours and provide small rewards for good behaviour (e.g.,
sustainable transportation to and from school, waste-free
lunch, classroom lights-off competitions, etc.)!
In secondary schools, provide volunteer hours to the recycling
or garden committee.
Have fun! Create your own EcoTeam mascot; show a sense of
humour; encourage school spirit!
Be entrepreneurial! Find a reason to hold an environmental
fundraiser.
Work together! Collaborate with other club events and
campaigns within the school.
Watch out for 'SUPER GREENMAN' at Northview Heights Secondary School. He walks the halls, rewards
students and staff for good environmental behaviour, attends spirit assemblies and EcoTeam events. He even
wears a cape! Just one way to make going green fun!
At CW Jefferys CI incentives are tasty…
The EcoTeam encourages waste-free lunches and hosts “Lug-A-Mug” events where students get a free drink
when they bring a reusable mug. During Earth Week, visit the recycling centre, recycle your containers, or
participate in the 'Race to Recycle' game and receive candy! Compete in the Scavenger Hunt and win pizza!
At Bloor CI, G.U.S.H. (Greening Up Starts Here) representatives go from class to class challenging each
home room to do its best to turn off lights, care for classroom plants, and collect scrap paper. Each
semester prizes are given out to the classes with the most points!
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
18 Section 1
Team Structure
EcoTeams are the driving force of the EcoSchools program. Our
most successful teams have at least one teacher advisor (large
schools need more!), a caretaker's involvement, administrative
support, students, and parents. Planning how responsibilities can be
shared often leads to a more effective program and helps share the
workload. A clear description makes it easier to see what the team
does and how each member contributes.
Use the questions to tell us how your EcoTeam is organized and
responsibilities are shared.
1. Who is on your EcoTeam (where applicable include
administration, caretaking, teachers, students, class reps,
parents)?
2. How are responsibilities divided among your team?
3. What role do students play on your team? Where are there
places to integrate them into decision-making?
What does your team look
like?
Use the example below and
on p.19 to create your own
representation of how you
work together and where
opportunities lie to become
involved.
Portfolio Requirement
Team Structure Example
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
19 Section 1
Names Role Responsibilities
Ms. Deuerlein
Ms. Scott
Teacher advisors Consult with different sub-committees; connect with
administration for permissions
Max and Vishal—
lead students
Executive Train student teams, make sure everyone is on
track, connect regularly with subcommittees and
teachers, oversee goals for the year, help in running
events
Durga and Jairus—
lead students
5 other students
Events Brainstorm events for the year, recruit students to
help with different events and train them in duties,
help with promotion for the events, make sure
events are in line with goals for the year
Sarah and Brenda—
lead students
2 other students
Leadership and
teamwork
EcoTeam minutes, write up team structure, club
enrollment, attendance sheets, in charge of
organizing celebration of team successes/
recognition of achievements
Callum—lead
student
4 other students
Communication and
promotion Photos! Help with designing posters, edit anything
going out to the school, help with writing
announcements, skits, keep bulletin board up to date
Ms. Greenfield, Mr.
Mavraganis
(principal), Ms.
Scott—staff advisor
Cam and Muriel—
lead students
5 other students
Energy conservation Track energy readings on Board website, develop
and implement energy monitoring—train classes on
how to track, collect data every two months and
create display with data
Ms. Deuerlein and
Ms. Scott—staff
advisors
Hiba and Halima
4 other students
Waste minimization Organize waste audit at the start of the year—post
results and work plan, run targeted waste reduction
campaigns based on audit—e.g., take food home,
promotion for reusable water bottles, make
informative recycling posters etc.
Ms. Bandurak
Grace and Vance
8 other students
Greening Stewards for the school grounds (regular waste
pick-up, mulch trees in the fall, care for the
gardens), fundraise for plants and new garden
features (e.g., sitting rocks, trees)
Whole team Ecological literacy Collects outlines and examples of student work for
projects/assignments; makes sure the Teacher Notes
on Project/Assignment forms are completed
Greendale’s Team Structure (example)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
20 Section 1
Getting Organized—Student Tips
To work most effectively as a team within a school it is important to
organize yourselves from the get-go! In our experience, our most
successful EcoTeams…
meet on a weekly or bi-monthly basis
create a school identity by naming the EcoTeam
take notes/minutes of the meeting’s discussions, decisions, and
action items
create a school legacy by recording the EcoTeam’s initiatives in
the EcoSchools portfolio; see pp.8-9 in the Certification Toolkit
for a list of requirements
Tips from student EcoTeams…
The Jarvis CI EcoTeam (JET) has developed a "Resource Ranger" program that brings together
classroom reps who monitor environmental behaviour, remind students/staff to turn off lights and
educate students on what does and does not go in the recycling bin. Every month Resource
Rangers meet to share their conservation results. To make these meetings come alive, JET
includes hands-on activities and discussion that allow the group to engage with the bigger ideas
that inform its work. In preparing for Earth Day, students watched inspiring videos and made seed
bombs—a novel way to plant native species on school grounds. JET certainly makes environmental
stewardship creative and fun!
The Martingrove CI Environment Club (MEC) knows how to infuse friendly competition into its
teamwork. With the aid of its comedic executive council, the club holds events like slam poetry,
haiku-off, interpretive dance competitions, and recycling twister tournaments. This has helped
them to retain their members throughout the year, and keep things lively!
Runnymede CI maintains a small and dedicated Eco Club that is gradually turning its school
ground into a greener space! With the help of their staff advisors, club members have planted
trees for shade, cared for trees by mulching and watering them, and installed large rocks where
students and staff can sit outside on warm days. This team shares a common vision and is
beginning to reap the benefits of making the school yard a thriving green space!
At Marc Garneau CI, being a team member means being part of the change! Characters such as
Bobby Bright the Light Bulb campaigned for Earth Hour, while Perry the Pop Can and Mr. Bloo
performed a skit for the local daycare on the importance of recycling. Creative ideas are constantly
being shaped to deliver the message—from slogans on scrap paper bins to P.A. announcements
and skits. This team reminds us that there are limitless ways you can educate others on how to
protect the environment.
Looking for more ideas?
Download the Best Practices
document at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides> Certification Guides.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
21 Section 1
Roles and Responsibilities
Establishing who does what within the first part of the year is
important so that everyone knows who is responsible for which
part of the team's function.
Our most successful EcoTeams have an executive student
structure that helps to establish roles and identify each member's
responsibilities. The following roles are suggested; however, your
team may find that it needs to create new or different roles. You
might also choose to rotate roles for each meeting.
Note: See p.24 for an agenda template to assist your Executive
Council in planning for its next EcoTeam meeting.
Waste
Minimization
Team Leader
Communi-
cations/
PublicitySecretary
Chair/
President
Student
Represen-
tatives
Treasurer
(Fundraising)
Energy
Conservation
Team Leader
Campaign &
Events
Manager
Vice-Chair/
Vice-
President
team
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
22 Section 1
Roles and Responsibilities (cont’d)
Energy Conservation:
Organizes energy campaigns,
classroom challenges; monitors lights
off, window coverings closed at
appropriate times; coordinates Earth
Hour actions; completes initial (fall)
EcoReview, portfolio requirements for
energy.
Other:
Paper, Sustainable Transportation,
Water, Food, Greening
Communications/Publicity
Communicates information to and from the
student body (e.g., through student/class
reps, group email, weekly announcements,
bulletin boards, school websites, campaigns,
posters, newsletter, social media). Ensures
that communication occurs with principal
and head caretaker on matters of school
concern.
Treasurer
Keeps records of budget, operating costs;
manages funds acquired from events. Helps
to organize fundraising (e.g., eco-fair,
school/community screening of a film, etc.).
Student Representatives
Communicate EcoTeam decisions to group/
class that they represent; lead classroom
initiatives; assist with EcoTeam events; help
with fundraising and incentive activities
(e.g., contests, competitions).
Chair
Takes leadership, calls meetings, sets and
follows agenda, facilitates meetings with staff
advisor, encourages participation and team
building among all team members. Uses the
Portfolio Requirements guide to ensure that
essential EcoSchools material is filed in the
portfolio.
Vice Chair
Supports the Chair and assists with all of the
Chair’s responsibilities; able to fulfill Chair’s role
if absent.
Secretary
Takes minutes and attendance at meetings,
posts meeting schedule, records decisions made
by the team, identifies the name of person
responsible for carrying out an action item, puts
meeting minutes/agenda for EcoTeam to review
in EcoSchools portfolio, and assists with
uploading portfolio requirements to the
EcoSchools’ Portal.
Campaign Manager/Events Coordinator
Raises awareness and school-wide spirit, helps
to create an identity for the EcoTeam (e.g.,
design t-shirts, buttons, posters for campaigns).
Works with team leaders of Waste and Energy
groups to design themed campaigns, school-
wide assemblies, cafeteria contests, or
fundraising events.
Team Leaders
Waste Minimization:
Coordinates weekly recycling, waste
audit, school-wide waste challenges;
monitors recycling; looks for innovative
ways to reduce waste in classrooms and
cafeterias; completes initial (fall)
EcoReview, portfolio requirements for
waste.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
23 Section 1
Making Decisions
EcoTeams are often faced with having to make decisions as a
group. It is helpful if teams have discussed a decision-making
process that works for them before having to make actual
decisions. In our experience, high-functioning EcoTeams have
identified a way to make decisions as a group that everyone can
agree upon.
Democratic decision-making
Each method has both its advantages and disadvantages.
1. Reaching consensus*
Consensus means that everyone agrees or can at least 'live
with' the decision. Polling the group: Do a go-around, asking
each person to verbally state where she/he stands. YES, OK (“I
can live with this decision”).
2. Voting
Majority vote means that you can reach a decision even if a
certain percentage (e.g., 1/3 of your group) or some other
agreed-upon number or percentage disagrees with the
majority.
Thumbs up and down: Ask people to give a hand sign (thumbs
up = YES; thumbs to the side = you are OK with the decision;
thumbs down = NO).
One-party rule (teacher or team president decides)
Allowing a single person to decide can be very efficient. It also
limits opportunities to make decisions that take many perspectives
into account. Efficient may not always mean effective.
* Reaching consensus takes longer and is often not always realistic for groups
greater than 8. However it fosters a more complete discussion of the issues and
ensures that once a decision is made, everyone in the group is behind the decision.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
24 Section 1
The EcoTeam
meeting checklist
Responsibilities
Who is doing what?
Timeline
When will these tasks be
completed?
Communication
Who do we need to talk
with?
Resources
Do we need money,
equipment, more people?
Barriers
What challenges might we
come up against?
Check out Getting Organized
(p.20), Building Team
Momentum (p.17) and the
Leadership and Teamwork
section of the Best Practices
guide (available for download
at ecoschools.ca> Resources
and Guides > Certification
Guides) to find out how other
teams have made EcoSchools
initiatives come alive in their
schools!
Agenda for an EcoTeam Meeting
This agenda template works well for the Executive Council when
planning an EcoTeam meeting.
Day, date, and time: ______________________________________________
Location: _________________________________________________________
Items for discussion:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Goals:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Next meeting
Date and time? ___________________________________________________
Focus and agenda items to carry forward to next meeting:
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
Action items for next meeting:
(actions that need to be taken to move forward on a project or goal)
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
25 Section 1
Designing a Campaign
School-wide campaigns are a great way to create environmental
change within schools. As a team, brainstorm one idea or issue you
would like to raise awareness about or change within your school.
EcoTeams identify the resources necessary, explore creative ways
to communicate, and envision a campaign where the whole school
gradually becomes engaged.
Communication
Strategy
How will we communicate
our message?
Implement
When is the best time and
who will take what role?
Campaign Idea
Identify the main goal,
purpose or idea behind
the campaign.
Support
Whose support do we need
within the EcoTeam, staff,
and school community? Evaluate
Identify successes and
challenges.
Design
What type of social marketing
tools will we use?
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
26 Section 1
Eco
Schools
Cam
paig
n A
ctio
n P
lan
Go
al/
Acti
on
Ite
m
Tim
eli
ne
(Is t
his
manageable
?
When is t
he m
ost
appro
priate
tim
e t
o
imple
ment?
)
In
form
ati
on
/
Reso
urces
(Who d
o w
e n
eed t
o
speak w
ith? W
hat
resourc
es w
ill w
e n
eed?)
Ro
les a
nd
Resp
on
sib
ilit
ies
(Who is r
esponsib
le for
what
aspect
of th
e
pro
ject?
)
Barrie
rs a
nd
Op
po
rtu
nit
ies
(What
challenges m
ight
we
com
e u
p a
gain
st?
How
will w
e s
olv
e t
hem
?)
Bu
dg
et
(Will w
e n
eed m
oney?
How
much?
Fro
m w
here
?)
Make a
com
ple
x t
ask m
ore
manageable
by b
reakin
g it
into
pie
ces!
Cam
paig
n t
itle
: ________________________
Dow
nlo
ad t
his
form
in a
n 1
1”
x 1
7”
form
at
from
ecoschools
.ca>
Form
s
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
27 Section 1
Portfolio Requirement
Ecoteam Timeline: Planning for Campaign Implementation
Outline your key goals for the year below (e.g., complete energy walkabout). Review your last EcoSchools audit report for
ideas on next steps and be sure to keep your goals manageable.
Goal 1: _________________________________________________________________________________
Goal 2: _________________________________________________________________________________
Goal 3: _________________________________________________________________________________
Use the timeline below to block out time for your key goals and see if what you want to accomplish is manageable. If one
month seems overloaded think about how you could shift a project or do less. Include: activities that have become a
tradition in your school (e.g., Earth Hour); events connected to important program requirements (e.g., waste audit), and
important deadlines for new projects.
Not sure how to meet your goals? Refer to pp.25-26 for a step by step breakdown of what you need to consider before
embarking on a new goal. Note: This is not a requirement.
Order using the form on p.4 to get the 11” x 17” format or download, at ecoschools.ca>Forms
SEPTEMBER OCTOBER NOVEMBER DECEMBER JANUARY FEBRUARY
EcoSchools
kick-offs
National Forest
Week
Oct. 30th:
EcoSchools
Platinum
registration
deadline
EcoSchools
kick-offs
Waste Reduction
Week
iWalk to School
Day/Week/
Month
Buy Nothing Day Dec. 15th:
EcoSchools
registration
deadline
Middle Schools
conferences
National Sweater
Day
MARCH APRIL MAY JUNE JULY AUGUST
Earth Hour April 15th:
Online
certification
application due
Earth Day/Week
Auditing for
certification
Auditing for
certification
World
Environment Day
Summer
stewardship
Summer
stewardship
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
28 Section 1
Campaign Reflection
After planning and taking action with your campaign, use the following questions to reflect on your
successes and challenges. Don’t forget to celebrate your campaign successes!
Campaign Title: _____________________________________________________________
1. What did you do as a team to reach your campaign goal? How was your target met?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
2. What are some of your team's highlights?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
3. How would you address your challenges next time?
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
4. What advice would you give to next year’s team if they wanted to run this campaign again (eg.
stop, start, continue)?
_____________________________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
29 Section 1
————————-———————
This checklist is an organizer
to help you plan a public
viewing of an environmental
film. Many of these steps can
also be applied to organizing
other events! The checklist
was selected and abridged
from pp.13-14 of EcoSchools
Climate Change and Your
Future: An Inconvenient
Truth, TDSB, 2007.
———————-————————
To download a pdf of this
guide, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Curriculum Resources
———————-————————
To order a print copy, see
the order form on p.7 of this
guide.
——————-—————————
————-———————————
Warning:
Films rented from
video stores DO
NOT provide public
viewing rights
——————-—————————
Action Plan Checklist Public Viewing of an Environmental Film
1. Behind the scenes
A film has been watched and chosen by the team.
Two sources of films are:
Library Teaching Resources
Phone: 416.395.5148
Email: teachingresources@tdsb.on.ca
Website: http://tdsbweb/_site/viewitem
Planet in Focus presents Green School Tour
Environmental Films in the Classroom
33 Mill Street, Unit 1209, Toronto, ON M5A 3R3
416.531.1769
Email: information@planetinfocus.org or
alessandra@planetinfocus.org
A goal for the event has been discussed, for example:
stimulate concern about climate change
create a more environmentally friendly school community
build awareness for a new campaign
other ____________________________
The scale of the event has been set:
whole school entire grade
entire course individual classes
EcoTeam or Environment Club
Approval of the plan has been given by the principal
(always, but especially important when costs are involved)
A location, date, and time(s) have been chosen and approved
The film has been booked
Appropriate equipment and the stage crew have been booked
2. Going public
Publicity is being developed
Brochures are created and distributed
Signs and posters are created and distributed
Announcement script is written; speaker is selected
Other: __________________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
30 Section 1
—————-——————————
Continue to educate your
school community
Invite environmental
organizations to your
school.
Use the momentum to
launch a new EcoSchools
initiative.
Create reminders in
newsletters, on the P.A.,
and at other school
assemblies where possible.
———————-————————
Action Plan Checklist (cont’d)
3. Prepare for debriefing
OPTION A:
A local school team will debrief the film
Students on the team have previewed the film
Points to include in the introduction have been reviewed
Debrief strategy has been chosen—here are some examples:
Use a checklist of possible actions people can take in
their own lives to help address the issues in the film
Issue a challenge or make a commitment
Preparation for Q&A session has been completed
Master of ceremonies has been chosen
OPTION B:
A guest speaker has been arranged to debrief the film
A biography has been received from the speaker
The speaker has been given information about what you
hope to achieve by showing the film
Master of ceremonies has been chosen
4. Event day execution
The master plan of events for the day is complete (see
Event Day Guidelines on the next page)
A team has been identified to respond to last-minute
glitches
A person has been assigned to thank the speaker
The speaker knows how much time he or she will have to
speak, and when he or she is to speak
Show the film!! Remember to follow your event day plan
5. Follow up and evaluation
It is important to follow up your event with opportunities for
students to react to what they saw in the film.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
31 Section 1
————-———————————
The example was selected and
adapted from p.20 of
EcoSchools Climate Change
and Your Future: An
Inconvenient Truth, TDSB,
2007.
———————–————————
To download a pdf of this
guide, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Curriculum Resources
———————–————————
To order a print copy, see the
order form on p.7 of this
guide.
———————–————————
Event Day Guidelines
Public Viewing of an Environmental Film
The schedule below is a starting point. Adjust the times according
to your goals and the length of the film.
Event set-up
1. Morning announcement is prepared and announcer is ready.
2. Confirm with stage crew that the equipment is set up and
ready to go.
3. Test the video and sound equipment.
Event begins
(8 min) Audience arrives at the location and gets settled
(2 min) Master of ceremonies welcomes audience and
outlines agenda
(5 min) Student team challenges the audience with some
comments to consider while viewing the film
(60 min) Film is shown (time here will depend on the film)
(10 min) Student team debriefs the film
(10 min) Question and answer period
(5 min) Student team is available for further questions
while audience members who wish to leave do so
Total time: 100 min (1 hr 40 min)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
32
S
ch
oo
l En
vir
on
men
tal
Im
provem
en
t P
lan
Tem
pla
te
School:
Fam
ily o
f Schools
:
D
ate
:
Are
as o
f fo
cus:
Evid
ence o
f need (
What
info
rmation indic
ate
s t
he n
eed for
impro
vem
ent?
):
Targ
ets
What
do w
e n
eed
to im
pro
ve?
Acti
on
s
How
will w
e t
ry t
o
achie
ve t
he
targ
ets
?
In
dic
ato
rs o
f
pro
gress
How
will w
e k
now
we’re h
eaded in
the r
ight
direction?
Bu
dg
et
Responsib
ility
who w
ill hold
the
budget?
Tim
eli
ne
Sta
rt/e
nd d
ate
s
Resu
lts
To w
hat
degre
e
have w
e m
et
the
targ
ets
?
Reso
urces
How
much w
ill it c
ost?
Hu
man
M
ate
ria
l/$
Action P
lan
Dow
nlo
ad t
his
form
in a
n 1
1”
x 1
7”
form
at
at
ecoschools
.ca>
Form
s
Section 1
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
33 Section 1
———-————————————
Did you know?
The TDSB uses approximately
45,000 cases of 8.5”x11"
photocopy paper annually in
serving our 250,000 students
in 550 schools. (FSC and
100% recycled combined.)
While the best action we can
take is to REDUCE our overall
paper use, we still need a lot
of paper. Our Purchasing
Department provides two
choices—Forest Stewardship
Council (FSC)—certified paper
which contains no recycled
materials, and 100 percent
recycled paper.
—————-——————————
GREAT NEWS!!!
For the 2014-2015 school
year 100% recycled paper
represented almost 20% of
the overall 8.5” x 11" paper
purchased by the Board.
—————-——————————
Copy Paper
Paper use represents one of the largest impacts that TDSB schools
and offices have on the environment.
Domtar Husky copy 100—100 percent recycled paper is made
entirely of waste papers captured in recycling programs. The waste
paper, sometimes called “post-consumer waste” is de-inked,
re-pulped, and made into new paper. Paper made from 100% post
consumer waste diverts paper from landfill. And no trees are cut!
Staples Copy—FSC-certified paper comes from Forest
Stewardship Council-certified forests. These forests must meet the
internationally developed principles and criteria for forest
management. These 10 principles and 57 criteria address legal
issues, Aboriginal rights, labour rights, multiple benefits, and
environmental impacts surrounding forest management.
Distribution Centre (DC) ordering information
For current pricing and to place an order, see the DC catalogue on
TDSBweb at http://tdsbweb.tdsb.on.ca/DCcatalogue/Default.aspx.
Type in the material number in the box provided.
100 percent Post Consumer Waste
(Domtar Husky Copy 100)
DC #5901 8.5x11" white, plain
FSC-certified (Staples Copy)
DC #638 8.5x11" white, plain
100 percent Post Consumer Waste
(Domtar Husky Copy 100)
DC #8352 8.5x14" white, plain
Turn to the next page to learn how easy it is to calculate the cost of
purchasing 100% recycled paper for your school.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
34 Section 1
-———————————————
“Completing the cycle”
through green decision-
making. Several schools have
switched completely to using
100% recycled copy paper
and found ways to reduce the
amount of paper used overall
to pay the extra cost. This
tool will bring your attention
to the impact of paper use on
our forests.
-———————————————
Green Paper Calculator
Find out how many trees your school could save!
Copy paper made from 100% post-consumer fibre (Domtar Husky
copy 100) has a lower impact on the environment than other copy
papers. At present, it is only $6 more per case (5000 sheets) than
the alternative (Staples Copy—FSC-certified paper). To find out the
number of trees that your school could prevent from being cut
down to make copy paper, enter your copy paper budget dollars
into the paper calculator. The calculator will also inform your school
how much less 100% recycled paper you would have to use to
switch and stay within budget.
What would it take to make the switch at your school?
Go to ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Green Paper
Calculator to try it out!
The information found in this table is very useful as it can help schools understand how much to reduce their
paper consumption to make the switch to Domtar Husky 100% recycled paper without increasing total costs.
Make the
switch!
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
36 Section 2.1
Energy Conservation: Overview
The human impact on climate can be reduced more by energy
conservation and efficiency measures than by any other means.
Because the production of all energy (including nuclear) relies on
burning fossil fuels to greater and lesser extents, the message “use
less energy wherever we can” must become our watchword.
Exploring, improving, and adopting renewable energy sources such
as wind and solar are other important steps toward reducing
human impact.
The search for ways to further reduce energy use in our schools
never stops. The TDSB’s Sustainable Design department designs
and oversees the installation of new Building Automation Systems
(BAS) and mechanical systems retrofits in our schools. The BAS
and mechanical retrofits improve the operating efficiency of
heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in our
schools and allow our school caretakers to automatically schedule
equipment operation based on building occupancy. In this way, the
operation of fans, boilers and air conditioners can be reduced at
night, on weekends, and during holidays when schools are empty
or partially occupied. Important building information such as boiler
status, room temperature and alarm conditions are continually
monitored by the BAS so that maintenance staff can be alerted to
equipment break downs or other issues requiring service.
Equally important to reducing our energy use is the growing
participation in energy conservation practices at the school, where
everyone—principals, teachers, students, administration, and
caretakers—can play a role.
The tools that follow will make it easy to access free compact
fluorescent bulbs to replace remaining incandescents, and order
Energy Star appliances when it's time to replace the old.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
37 Section 2.1
2.1 Reduce Impact on the Environment:
Energy Conservation EcoReview GUIDING QUESTION
Does your school make decisions and follow daily routines and operational practices
that significantly reduce its impact on the environment, with respect to renewable and
non-renewable energy sources?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (50%) 0 1 2 3 4
Endorsing environmental action throughout the school
2.1.1 Are portable electric heaters used only as a short-term emergency measure with the
principal's approval until heating problems are resolved? Note: no heaters in school= level 4
Reducing energy use across the whole school
2.1.2 To what extent is lighting used only when necessary in common use areas and classrooms (e.g., outside lights adjusted seasonally and turned off during daylight hours and at night
after caretakers leave the school; not in stairwells and corridors with extensive natural
lighting; de-lamping)?
2.1.3 To what extent are energy losses kept to a minimum (e.g., [i] electricity: computer monitors
off when not in use, standby power losses minimized from TVs, DVDs, VCRs, modems/
adaptors/Smart Boards; [ii] heat: keep outside doors closed)?
2.1.4 Does your school use less equipment by consolidating devices and machines in an ongoing
way to save energy (e.g., replace a large number of “bar” refrigerators with fewer standard-
size Energy Star refrigerators; reduce number of computer printers through networking;
reduce number of microwaves)?
2.1.5 To what extent has your school purchased energy efficient devices and machines (e.g.,
duplex [double-sided] printers; Energy Star refrigerators, dishwashers, clothes dryers,
compact fluorescent bulbs)?
Conserving energy through specialized practices of caretakers
2.1.6 Are regular inspections of the building conducted and notifications submitted as required
(e.g., fix broken valves; check roof vent seals, dampers, louvers, filters for school and
portables, motors, compressors, thermostats, window/door seals as indicated in the TDSB
Caretaking Handbook)?
2.1.7 Does the caretaker review the building automation system (BAS) schedules for instructional
and non-instructional days (to ensure that the BAS is used to reduce the school’s energy
consumption as much as possible—the BAS is set to automatic mode, the BAS schedules
equipment off in zones when heating/cooling is not needed)?
2.1.8 Lighting is used only when necessary (e.g., lights are turned off when adequate light is
available from the sun, or when rooms are not being used; use task lighting where
appropriate).
2.1.9 To what extent has the school conducted an energy walkabout, analyzed its energy practices
to identify areas of concern and communicated the results of the walkabout to the school?
Portfolio requirements: Energy Walkabout Worksheet and communication of results
2.1.10 To what extent has the school implemented targeted energy conservation strategies based on
the results of the energy walkabout?
Portfolio requirements: Evidence of your targeted campaign/activity (this could
include the energy monitoring charts)
School Visit “look-fors” (50%)—Scored by EcoSchools Auditor using rubric 0 1 2 3 4
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
siv
e
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
38 Section 2.1
To download this guide go to
ontarioecoschools.org/
curriculum_resources/
energy_ele.html
ENERGY: Learning Activities by Grade (1-8)
Energy Conservation by Grade (1-8)
This TDSB guide has been revised by Ontario EcoSchools. It is
organized around “big ideas” about energy and energy
conservation that are based on identified clusters of learning
expectations. These ideas complement the 2007 revised
environmental education-enriched Science and Technology
curriculum, helping the teacher incorporate ecological thinking
into the curriculum. Annotated Internet resources offer
background facts and student learning activities.
Grade Big ecological ideas
1 We rely on the constant flow of energy from the sun to live.
Adjusting the devices we use allows us to conserve energy.
2 The sun is the source of wind and water energy.
People can use water and wind power to produce electricity that is non-polluting.
There are significant advantages and challenges to using renewable energy sources such as
wind and water energy.
3 Plants…perform the important (but often overlooked) “service” of moderating outdoor
temperatures. This directly affects the amount of energy we use!
4 The high consumption of energy in North America has an effect on plant and animal habitats
and communities.
5 The extraction, transportation and processing of natural resources uses a lot of energy.
Different energy sources have different impacts on the environment.
Devices and systems can be designed to minimize energy use and thus reduce our impact on
the environment.
6 The use of electricity improves our lives, but has many different kinds of impacts on the
environment.
Conserving energy at home and in school reduces negative impacts on the environment.
7 Heat is a form of energy. This energy is becoming more costly both economically and
environmentally. To save energy in buildings one needs to check the heating system for
inefficiencies and the building for “heat leaks”—and fix them.
8 Automation has the potential to increase energy efficiency… impact of the technology needs
to be considered.
Ecological/environmental factors are increasingly included in manufacturer and consumer
decisions.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
39 Section 2.1
New
Energy Walkabout
The human impact on climate can be reduced more by energy conservation and efficiency
measures than by any other means. An energy walkabout is a detailed snapshot of your school’s
overall energy practices. It is designed to identify areas of energy consumption and help you
search for ways to further reduce energy use in your school. By assessing, analyzing, and
communicating energy practices within the school community, EcoTeams have an important role to
play in helping reduce energy consumption both locally and globally.
An energy walkabout is now a portfolio requirement (EcoReview question 2.1.9 on p.37).
Planning your energy walkabout:
Establish your energy team and identify responsibilities
Download the walkabout worksheet, an electronic fillable form
Complete the initial energy walkabout column to track current energy conservation practices
Analyze the initial results and complete the energy conservation work plan
Communicate results to the school
Complete the follow-up energy walkabout column to check for improvement
F.A.Q.
Q: How do we open the electronic fillable
Energy Walkabout worksheet on an iPad?
A: Download Adobe Reader if it is not already
installed on your iPad. Adobe Reader can be
downloaded for free at https://get.adobe.com/
reader/. Open Adobe Reader first on the iPad, then
open the Energy Walkabout worksheet.
Q: We have an established system for
regular energy monitoring that works
well. Can we still continue monitoring?
A: Yes, monitoring continues to be an
effective energy conservation strategy and is
also considered evidence of a targeted
campaign/activity (EcoReview question on
Q: Our lights are on sensors/the lights are
always off/our vents are on the ceiling. Why do
we have to perform an energy walkabout?
A: Every school has room for improvement in their
energy practices. Check out your school’s energy
report on FS Web (TDSB Web>Services>Facility
Services>School FS Home Pages>School By
Name>School Name>Energy Reports) to investigate
your school’s energy patterns. Based on your
findings, you might create a campaign to ensure that
good energy habits are being followed at home as
well as at school. Doing a walkabout once or twice a
year ensures that best practices are being
maintained (e.g. minimizing energy consumption
from interactive whiteboards and computers).
Q: We are confused by the new look-for,
2.1.10. What exactly constitutes “taking
action”?
A: Areas for improvement will become clear
as you assess the results of your energy
walkabout using the Energy Walkabout
worksheet. For instance, if you find that
lights are being left on, students can make
posters or announcements to remind
teachers/students to turn off the lights when
they leave a room. Follow-up actions can
include, but are not limited to,
announcements, posters, staff meetings,
assemblies, class visits, meetings with
caretaking staff, etc.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
40 Section 2.1
Portfolio Requirement
Step 1: Complete an initial energy walkabout
Count the number of rooms in the school and determine the number of rooms to be visited.
Complete the initial energy walkabout column for each room.
The Energy Walkabout: step by step The following tool has been created to support schools in completing an energy walkabout to assess, analyze and
communicate energy practices to the school community. The Energy Walkabout Worksheet, Energy Conservation Work Plan
and Campaign Reflection sheet are available for download at ecoschools.ca>Forms.
Step 2: Calculate the energy walkabout results
Calculate the results to determine the percentage for each of the initial energy walkabout columns.
For online fillable forms, select “Calculate Scores” to calculate the percentage.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
41 Section 2.1
Portfolio Requirement
The Energy Walkabout: step by step(cont’d)
Step 3: Communicate results from Energy Walkabout to School
1) Communication of results can include examples of announcements, posters, bulletin board
displays, awards, etc.
2) Encourage feedback from your school community to inform your energy work plan (eg.
suggestion box, democracy, brainstorming, world café session)
Step 4: Implement targeted energy conservation strategies
Step 5: Complete a follow-up energy walkabout
Repeat Steps 1-2 and compare the results from your initial and follow-up energy walkabouts. Did
you notice a difference? As a team, reflect on why you think this was/was not the case? What could
you have done differently? Consider using the Campaign Reflection worksheet to guide your
reflection process, available for download at ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Forms.
Communicate the results from both the initial and follow-up energy walkabout to your school.
1) Use your observations and data from the initial energy walkabout and feedback from your com-
munity to brainstorm ideas to launch a campaign/take action to conserve energy at your school.
2) Identify specific improvement goals, actions and success criteria for each energy category. You
might find it helpful to use the Energy Conservation Work Plan to organize your ideas. Check out
the Best Practices guide for inspiration. EcoSchools.ca>Resources and Guides>Best Practices
3) Remember to engage the whole school community in your energy conservation campaign/
activities.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
42 Section 2.1
Energy Walkabout Legend
LIGHT
Response is “NO” Response is “SOME” Response is “ALL” Response is “N/A”
Lights are left on
when adequate
natural light is
available.
Some lights are left on
when adequate natural
light is available.
All lights are off when
adequate natural light
is available.
There is no natural
light in the room
OR the lights are on
sensors.
Response is “NO” Response is “SOME” Response is “ALL” Response is “N/A”
Vents in the room are
obstructed (less than
15 cm. of space
between vent and
object).
Some vents in the
room are obstructed
(less than 15 cm. of
space between vent
and object).
All the vents in the
room are clear
(objects are more than
15 cm. away).
Vents are on the
ceiling OR there is
radiant heating in
the room.
Response is “NO” Response is “SOME” Response is “ALL” Response is “N/A”
None of the monitors
are turned off and
computer/laptops are
not in stand-by.
Some of the
computers/laptops are
in stand-by and some
of the monitors are
turned off.
All the computers/
laptops are in stand-by
and all monitors are
turned off.
There are only
devices that do not
require a power
source (e.g.,
iPads).
Response is “NO” Response is “SOME” Response is “ALL” Response is “N/A”
All appliances are left
on when not in use.
Some appliances are
left on when not in
use.
No appliances are left
on when not in use.
Room does not
have any
appliances.
VENTS
**Possible obstructions: Furniture (desks, shelves, etc.), posters, bulletin boards, Smart Boards.
COMPUTERS
**The computer/laptop is on “stand-by” when the hard drive light is blinking. All monitors should
be turned off.
ELECTRONICS
**Chargers, Smart Boards and projectors should be unplugged.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
43 Section 2.1
———————————————-
Did you know?
The average projector is in stand-
by mode for 8560 hours/year.
This creates approximately 117
lbs. of CO2 emissions every year.
Green City Blue Lake, 2015
<http://www.gcbl.org/live/home/
efficiency/understanding-how-
much-energy-we-use>
———————————————-
Phantom Power
Phantom power is the electricity that is lost when appliances and
electronics are turned off but still plugged into a power source.
Some of the biggest consumers of phantom power are interactive
whiteboards, computers/laptops, printers/fax machines, projectors,
chargers, and kitchen appliances.
Conserving Energy in Your School
Even when electronics are in stand-by mode, they consume energy.
Whenever possible, unplug devices that are not in use. This will
save electricity and money. Understandably, some appliances and
devices cannot be unplugged regularly. Therefore, the purpose of
this tool is to encourage these energy conservation practices:
1. Interactive boards (e.g., Smart Boards/Prometheans) are
unplugged
2. Projectors (e.g., Elmo) and TVs on carts are unplugged
3. Wall chargers for tablets and cell phones are unplugged
4. Ensure monitors are turned off
5. Computers (CPU), and printers are in stand-by mode
CPU should be
in stand-by.
Light is flashing
in this mode.
Monitor should
be turned off. No
light will be
flashing in this
mode.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
44 Section 2.1
———————————————
To download a pdf of these
charts, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Charts and Posters
———————————————
To order print copies in
colour see the order form on
p.7 of this guide.
———————————————
Monitoring Our Use of Finite Resources
Education For the Environment
It is said that you can only improve what you can measure. The
monitoring charts (shown below) give students a system for
checking and recording classroom energy conservation practices
throughout the year. The charts provide a way to gather primary
data for authentic data management lessons. And of course, they
are a great way to communicate progress (or slippage!) visually to
the whole school! These charts come highly recommended from
teachers and students (they are suitable for both elementary and
secondary schools). Attractive colour copies are available on
11” x 17” sheets. See the order form on p.7.
Let the Sunlight In
Conserve electrical
energy.
Use this chart to
remind people to let
free sunlight do the job
whenever possible!
Let the Air Flow
Use the monitoring
chart to learn how well
your school is keeping
air vents clear.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
45 Section 2.1
Appliances: Synopsis
Out with the old, in with the new—and for good reason!
Modern appliances use much less energy than older appliances
because of improvements in design. The numbers are really
surprising. The following chart indicates the average annual energy
consumption (kilowatt hours) of three major appliances:1
The data suggest two strategies for conserving energy.
Strategy 1
Reduce: Our energy use is contributing to climate change. It
makes sense to shift priorities and reduce energy use wherever we
can. School staff are asked to discuss how many appliances are
really needed.
Strategy 2
Replace: Once we would have applauded keeping something as
long as it still worked. Today, the cost of operating an old appliance
calls for a change in behaviour. The “second price tag”—the cost of
operating that old clunker—has an economic and environmental
cost to be removed as soon as possible. The difference between old
and new translates into significant greenhouse gas reductions.2
1 nrcan.gc.ca/sites/www.nrcan.gc.ca/files/energy/pdf/energystar/
EnerGuideappliances.pdf#page=7
2 Natural Resources Canada, EnerGuide Appliance Directory 2007. Available at
oee.nrcan.gc.ca/publications/statistics/cama11/pdf/cama11.pdf
Appliance 1984 2010
Standard
2014
Energy Star
Refrigerator
(16.5 - 18.4 cu ft) 1,457 kWh 427 kWh 348 kWh
Dishwasher
1,213 kWh
310 kWh
286 kWh
Clothes Washer
1,243 kWh
319 kWh
145 kWh
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
46 Section 2.1
———–———————————
Did you know?
Altogether at the TDSB we
have approximately 5,000
refrigerators.
In 2013/2014 there were 209
refrigerators purchased, 94 of
which were 15 cubic feet or
larger—all Energy Star-rated.
——–————————————
Refrigerators
Teachers are busy people, and when energy was cheap and we
didn't fully understand the link between energy use and climate
change, it seemed reasonable to have several fridges to reduce
steps taken, especially in schools that are very large or very
spread out.
But consider the greenhouse gas reductions (kilowatt hours per
year) that result from a single upgrade:3
Today, the average school has about 10 refrigerators, with
some having over 30 refrigerators—most of which are empty,
old, or both. Clearly, these numbers matter. They ask us to
weigh convenience against the need for energy conservation.
ORDERING INFORMATION
for Energy Star-rated refrigerators
Appliance Canada (through the TDSB)
Contract number 4600006421.
Refer to the Appliance Guide for current pricing.
Go to Purchasing and Distribution Services on TDSBweb at:
tdsbweb/_site/ViewItem.asp?siteid=61&menuid=3999&pageid=3330
3 Bullfrog Power. bullfrogpower.com/home/onfaq.cfm#q8
Old refrigerator (kWh per year) = 1,067.0
New Energy Star refrigerator (kWh per year) = 407.0
Difference in consumption (kWh per year) = 660.0
Reduced consumption over lifespan
of new refrigerator (kWh per year) = 13,200.0
Equivalent CO2 reduction (tonnes) = 9.3
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
47 Section 2.1
Dishwashers
Just like refrigerators, today's dishwashers are 62 percent more
energy efficient than they were in 1984. A 1990 dishwasher uses
more than twice as much electricity as a new model. Improved
design means that dishwashers now require less hot water. The
air-dry cycle also saves energy.
All dishwashers available from Purchasing and Distribution Services
are Energy Star-rated.
ORDERING INFORMATION
for Energy Star-rated dishwashers
Appliance Canada (through the TDSB)
Contract number 4600006421
Refer to the Appliance Guide for current pricing.
Purchasing and Distribution Services on TDSBweb at:
tdsbweb/_site/ViewItem.asp?
siteid=61&menuid=3999&pageid=3330
Clothes Washers
As with dishwashers, improved design has contributed to greater
energy efficiency. Today’s clothes washer uses less than half the
electricity a 1990 model uses. As well, front-loading washers
extract more water from the clothes, shortening drying times.
Additionally, the development of high-performing cold water
detergents challenges the idea that only energy-guzzling hot water
can get fabrics clean!
Since 2006, 93 new clothes washers were purchased through our
TDSB contract; 22 of these purchases were Energy Star-rated.
ORDERING INFORMATION
for Energy Star-rated clothes washer
Appliance Canada (through the TDSB)
Contract number 4600006421.
Refer to the Appliance Guide for current pricing. Purchasing
and Distribution Services on TDSBweb at:
tdsbweb/_site/ViewItem.asp?
siteid=61&menuid=3999&pageid=3330
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
48 Section 2.1
————–-——————————
For more information contact
Wendy Abbot at
wendy.abbot@tdsb.on.ca or
647.224.4382
—————–——-———————
CFL Replacement Program Get those curly light bulbs for free!
The standard incandescent light bulbs found in lamps and pot
lights in many schools waste up to 90 percent of their energy by
producing heat, not light. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) use
only a quarter of the energy of standard incandescent bulbs and
produce the same high-quality light! Energy efficient light bulbs
will decrease your school's electricity use, which in turn results
in fewer climate changing greenhouse gas emissions.
To receive free CFLs, get started by simply searching your
school for lamps and overhead pot lights that use incandescent
light bulbs and record the numbers on the form below. Consult
with your head caretaker (since he or she would have to change
the bulbs) and get permission from your principal to go ahead
with this program.
Fill out the form below and fax it to us at 416.395.4610. Upon
receipt of your form, we will visit your school to determine
exactly what you need so that we can order (and pay for) the
new bulbs for you.
School name: _______________________________ Contact person: _____________________
Phone: ___________________________ Email: _____________________________________
# of lamps ________________________ # of pot lights ________________________________
Wattage of current bulbs _________________________
Do you have the support of your school’s principal and head caretaker? Yes No
Principal’s name: ___________________ Principal’s signature: __________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
50 Section 2.2
The City of Toronto has
mandated the Green Bin
Program in all TDSB schools.
For more information about
implementing or expanding
the Program at your school,
download The Green Bin:
A How-to Guide at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Certification Guides.
Waste Minimization: Overview
Minimizing waste means using less stuff, reusing what you can,
and recycling as much as possible. These actions have multiple
benefits—reducing the energy required to extract, process, and
transport resources, as well as reducing the land impacts of
unnecessary waste disposal. Any time we reduce energy use,
we produce fewer greenhouse gases.
Waste audits are an important component of the EcoSchools
program. Conducting a waste audit at your school and analyzing
the results can reveal how effectively students and staff are
properly sorting and minimizing waste, and help determine key
issues that need to be addressed. This information will inform
your decisions about running an effective waste reduction/
awareness campaign.
Organizing your school to reduce waste and improve recycling,
especially if it is a large one, can be a mammoth task. The tools
that follow will give you quick access to posters, labels, and
information about everyday recycling as well as sawdust and
wood cut-offs; ordering information for recycling boxes, toters,
and lunchroom barrels; tips for waste-free lunches; and where
to both donate and acquire used materials. Make sure that your
recycling team knows about these tools! Together with effective
leadership and teamwork, they will help you get the job done
well.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
51 Section 2.2
2.2 Reduce Impact on the Environment:
Waste Minimization EcoReview GUIDING QUESTION
Does your school make decisions and follow daily routines and operational practices
that significantly reduce its impact on the environment, with respect to waste?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
School 3Rs commitments
2.2.1 Do staff, students, and parents find ways to reduce lunch time waste in the lunch room, snack
program, or cafeteria (e.g., organize a waste-free lunch program, develop a waste-free recess/
snack plan, reduce food packaging at the school, have a liquid waste bucket, take home
uneaten food, participate in the City of Toronto Green Bin program)?
2.2.2 Do staff, students, and parents find ways to reduce waste in all other areas of the school
(e.g., include the collection of reusable and recyclable items as part of locker cleanouts;
promote refillable water bottles and coffee cups)?
2.2.3 Has the school developed routines to reduce all paper consumption (e.g., double-sided printing
and photocopying; sibling lists; notices on half-sheets or less; e-mail notices and online
newsletters; use of projectors, chalk/whiteboards, and Smart Boards; paper limits)?
2.2.4 To what extent has the school put in place systems to reuse single-use paper; cardboard; and
other products (e.g., boxes for Good On One Side [GOOS] paper placed beside photocopiers)?
2.2.5 To what extent does the school have an effective recycling program throughout the school—in
classrooms, offices, meeting rooms, lunchrooms/cafeterias, common areas, and daycare/
parenting centre (e.g., common recycling day, reps in every classroom, recycling teams)?
2.2.6 To what extent do you educate and communicate to the school community about proper waste
sorting and overall waste reduction (e.g., plastic water bottle reduction campaign, paper
reduction campaign, waste-free lunches)? Portfolio requirement: one example of your
most effective waste reduction and awareness campaign/activity
TDSB 3Rs commitments
2.2.7 Does the school recycle all obsolete computers, electronic, audio visual equipment, and ink and
toner products through the Board-approved recycling programs (Certification Toolkit pp.64, 70)?
2.2.8 Does the school make full use of Board-approved services to recycle special products (e.g.,
vegetable oil, sawdust and wood cut-offs, scrap metal, [Certification Toolkit pp.71, 77, 78])?
2.2.9 Does the school make full use of Board services to reuse through the Trading Post on TDSBweb,
ArtsJunktion and/or onsite re-use centres (Certification Toolkit pp.79-80)?
2.2.10 Does the school comply fully with green disposal practices for products such as batteries;
fluorescent tubes and CFLs; hazardous waste (e.g., chemical waste from science, technology,
and visual arts programs [Certification Toolkit pp.74, 76])?
City of Toronto 3Rs commitments
2.2.11 Does the school make full use of City programs to recycle products (e.g., broken school furniture
[desks, chairs, tables] and used appliances [stoves, fridges], [Certification Toolkit pp.71-73])?
2.2.12 Garbage cans and recycling bins are paired and labelled to improve sorting.
2.2.13 To what extent has the school analyzed its waste to determine key issues and implemented
targeted waste reduction strategies? (e.g., Save Our Resources chart and description of actions taken to address observations, waste audit results and work plan).
Note: EcoSchools Waste Audit = Level 4.
Portfolio requirement: Evidence of the school’s waste analysis and related actions.
2.2.14 The school's bulk garbage bins/toters do not contain recyclables. Recycling bins/toters do not
contain garbage.
2.2.15 To what extent has the school implemented the Green Bin program? (labelled green bin in: one
key area of the school (e.g., lunchroom, food prep area, or washroom) (level 1); two key areas
(level 2); in key areas and some classrooms (level 3); in all areas of the school (level 4)
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (60%) 0 1 2 3 4
School Visit “look-fors” (40%)—Scored by EcoSchools Auditor using rubric 0 1 2 3 4
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
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NEW
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
52 Section 2.2
To download this guide go to
ontarioecoschools.org/
curriculum_resources/
downloads/
Waste_Min_by_grade.pdf
WASTE: Learning Activities by Grade (1-8)
Waste Minimization by Grade (1-8)
This TDSB resource has been revised by Ontario EcoSchools. It is
organized around “big ideas” about waste and waste minimization
based on identified clusters of learning expectations. These ideas
complement the 2007 revised environmental education-enriched
Science and Technology curriculum, helping teachers to incorporate
ecological thinking into the curriculum. Annotated Internet
resources offer background facts and student learning activities.
Grade Big ecological ideas
1 Practicing the 3Rs keeps materials useful, reduces waste, and helps the environment.
2 Clean air and clean water are very important for the health of all living things...
3 Waste from a community affects that community’s natural environment.
Early Canadian settlers’ communities had a much smaller effect on the environment…
Composting is a way to…nourish the soil.
4 Materials used in the production and construction of the things we use (inputs) and their disposal
(outputs) alter the landscape.
5 The Earth is a closed system in terms of matter.
Recycling and composting help redirect waste materials to appropriate new uses.
Choosing household products with care can ensure that their use or disposal does not put toxic
ingredients into the environment.
6 International trade had advantages for people—but comes with harmful environmental impacts.
7 In nature there is no waste. Composting can help us recycle our organic waste the way nature
does—and improve the health of the soil.
Our production and disposal of waste materials affect the balance of local ecosystems by affecting
air, water, and land.
Sustainability means living our lives within the tolerances of the Earth’s ecosystems…
Life cycle analysis examines the many (often hidden) environmental impacts of goods….
Mixtures and solutions can have an impact on the environment…
Sustainable development…”meets the needs of the present generation without compromising the
ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”
8 Informed consumers can have a positive impact on the environment by making wise purchasing
choices. Our economy and society are dependent upon a healthy environment…
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
53 Section 2.2
———————————————-
The Waste Audit Guide with
illustrative photos and step-by
-step instructions can be
downloaded at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Certification Guides.
The guide invites learning,
encourages student
leadership, and is
accompanied by downloadable
resources.
———————————————
Questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Download and print these
worksheets for your 3-step
waste audit:
Step1: Waste Source
Worksheet (online only)
Step 2: Waste Audit Results—
see p.56 (online, this sheet
will automatically do your
calculations)
Step 3: Waste Reduction
Work Plan—see p.56
All 3 sheets can be
downloaded from the
Certification Toolkit, section
2.2 at ecoschools.ca>Forms.
The Waste Audit
A “how to” tip sheet
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment requires schools to do
an annual waste audit and post the results along with a Waste
Reduction Work Plan. Producing your own audit results gives
you data for developing a Work Plan that has meaning!
1. Plan your waste audit
Consult with the principal, head caretaker, and other
EcoTeam members to identify day, time, and space for audit
Arrange for the caretaker to save at least 6 bags of
representative waste—2 bags each of garbage, recycling and
organics for your audit (Label where they come from to
provide feedback!)
2. Identify your waste audit team and responsibilities
Appoint one person to be in charge
Define tasks: gathering supplies, setting up, auditing,
recording, taking pictures, cleaning up, and communicating
results
3. Assemble your audit supplies
large sorting table (tape 2 together if necessary)
5 chairs to hang bags of sorted waste on
clear plastic bags
sorting category signs fastened to chairs
5 two inch fold-back/binder clips to hold bags and signs to
chair backs
5 labeled basins for transferring sorted waste to clear bags
audit posters listing items in each category
a hanging spring or digital scale
gloves for auditors
worksheets to record findings and begin plan (see side bar)
clipboards and pens
camera for recording the stages of the audit
clean-up supplies
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
54 Section 2.2
Create two other optional
categories: “Unopened
food” and “Reusable
things”!
If you plan to audit more
than 6 bags of waste, set
up a second sorting
station.
To download working
copies of the Waste
Source Worksheet, Waste
Audit Results, and Waste
Reduction Work Plan, go
to ecoschools.ca>
Forms.
Calculate the results of
your waste audit using the
online Waste Audit Result
worksheet. Visit
ecoschools.ca>Forms.
4. Waste audit categories
Recyclable containers: see pp.57-58
Recyclable papers: see pp.57-58
Other recyclables: see pp.64, 70, and 76
Food wastes and soiled papers (organics): download
the Green Bin Guide at ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides
Real garbage: coffee cups, plastic/foil wrapping
5. The waste audit itself
A. Set up
Gather audit team together and review tasks
Bring 2 bags each of garbage, recycling, and organics to
sorting area
Set up tables, basins (label by waste category), chairs with
bags and signs, wall posters
B. Auditing
Starting with garbage, empty each bag's contents one at a
time onto sorting table and sort items into labeled basins
Write observations on Waste Source worksheet (see side
bar) as you sort
Empty full basins into plastic bags draped over chairs until
all garbage is audited
Weigh bags of sorted garbage and record weights on Waste
Audit Results worksheet (see template on p.56)
Repeat process for recycling and organics
C. After the audit
Tidy up and deliver sorted recyclables, garbage, and
organics to appropriate containers
Calculations—transfer the weights you’ve recorded to the
online excel sheet (use the online Waste Audit Result excel
sheet—see side bar)
As a team, develop your Waste Reduction Work Plan to
address specific issues in the school (see template on p.56)
Decide how to communicate your findings to the whole
school
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
55 Section 2.2
Portfolio Requirement
Step 1: Sort waste and record observations
Step 2: Weigh and Record
The Waste Audit: step by step
The following four sheets have been created to support schools in completing their waste audits. Each sheet in addition to a
waste audit video and detailed guide are available for download at ecoschools.ca.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
56 Section 2.2
Portfolio Requirement
Step 3: Calculate Waste Audit Results
Step 4: Waste Reduction Work Plan
1) Measure the weight for each waste category that was sorted from the garbage cans and record under the appropriate
category (followed by sorted waste collected from the school’s recycling and organics).
2) After your audit enter these weights in our online excel spreadsheet to calculate the percent composition and diversion
rates.
3) Use the information from your waste audit results to complete your Waste Reduction Work Plan (Waste Audit Step 3).
1) Use your observations from the waste Source Worksheet (Waste Audit Step 1) and data from the Waste Audit Results
(Waste Audit Step 2) to brainstorm ideas to reduce waste at your school.
2) Identify specific improvement goals, actions and diversion targets (%) for each waste category to complete your waste
audit work plan.
3) Remember to post a completed Waste Audit Results sheet (after excel calculations) and Waste Reduction Work Plan
(Waste Audit Step 3) where everyone can see them.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
57 Section 2.2
———————————————
Questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Note: Remember to remove
any food from rigid aluminum
trays, pie plates, roasting
pans, Styrofoam® containers,
and pizza boxes.
———————————————
For a complete list of
recyclables go to:
toronto.ca/garbage/
bluebin.htm
———————————————
* Adapted from City of
Toronto information
toronto.ca/garbage/
bluebin.htm
What Can You Recycle?
The City of Toronto accepts recyclables mixed together (i.e.,
bottles and cans mixed in with paper products). Please empty
and rinse containers. If you are not currently mixing
recyclables, check with your caretaker before making any
changes!
You can recycle*
Containers, plastic bags, overwrap and foam polystyrene
Metal food and beverage cans: put lids inside can and pinch
closed
Plastic bottles and jugs: fasten lids (includes sprayers)
Milk/juice cartons and drink boxes: remove and discard straws
Plastic food jars, tubs, and lids (e.g., yogurt, cottage cheese)
Glass bottles and jars: lids should be left on glass jars
Cardboard “cans” (e.g., frozen juice, chip containers)
Rigid aluminum trays, pie plates, and roasting pans
Empty aerosol cans: remove and discard lids
Empty paint cans and lids: separate lids from cans
Bags (e.g., milk, bread, sandwich, produce, frozen food, and dry
cleaning)
Plastic shopping bags (without drawstrings, metal, and/or hard
plastic handles.)
Styrofoam® (foam polystyrene) (e.g., protective packaging, coffee
cups, plates, clamshells, takeout food containers)
Plastic clamshell containers used for fruits, vegetables, and
baked goods, clear egg cartons, plastic plates and glasses, and cold
beverage cups/lids
Paper
Classroom/office paper: put shredded paper in clear plastic bags
Newspapers, magazines, catalogues, telephone directories,
and books
“Boxboard” boxes/bristol board (e.g., tissue, cereal, cracker
boxes. Remove liners and flatten.)
Corrugated cardboard (unwaxed)/pizza boxes: flatten
Paper egg cartons, tubes, and bags
Paper gift wrap and cards: remove ribbons and bows
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
58 Section 2.2
———————————————
Not sure?
Use the City of Toronto Waste
Wizard feature for answers to
recycling, garbage, green bin,
yard waste, and drop-off
depot questions:
app.toronto.ca/wes/winfo/
search.do or call Toronto 311.
———————————————
You cannot recycle
Plastic: bubble wrap, cling wrap, plastic paint pails, black
plant trays and pots, toys, plastic pails with metal handles
Paper/other fibres: coffee cups and black lids, paper
tissues, towels and napkins, waxed paper, foil gift wrap
Aluminum: foil wrap and bags (e.g., potato chip bags)
Glass: drinking glasses, dishes, cups, window glass, light
bulbs, pottery
Metal: coat hangers, pots, pans. Take batteries to drop–off
depot.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
59 Section 2.2
Materials to Support Your Recycling Program
Separating recyclables is no longer necessary now that the City of
Toronto has the technology to sort materials at its central collection
points.
1. What goes in the Landfill
A comprehensive poster specially designed for schools that lists
items that go to landfill.
2. What goes in the Recycling
A comprehensive poster specially designed for schools that lists
items that go in the recycling.
3. What goes in the Green Bin
A comprehensive poster specially designed for schools that lists
items that go in the green bin.
—————————————————————————————————--
To order print copies see the order form on p.7 of this guide.
—————————————————————————————————--
Put Organics here
This label lists what can go in the green bin.
Recipe for a Waste-Free Lunch
This poster provides a strong visual reminder of what a waste-free
lunch consists of. Post in your lunchroom, cafeteria, and staffroom.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
60 Section 2.2
Material to Support Your Recycling Program (cont`d)
The Green Bin: A How-to Guide
A short guide with illustrative photos that helps schools
implement the City of Toronto Green Bin Program. To download
a copy of the Green Bin: A How to Guide go to
ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Certification Guides
Waste Audit Guide: Measuring Our Progress
This short guide with illustrative photos shows you step-by-step
how to do a school waste audit that invites learning and
encourages student leadership. Downloadable resources include
sorting signs and posters (including one on safety), waste
source and waste audit worksheets, and a template for a Waste
Reduction Work Plan (also on p.56).
Save Our Resources monitoring chart
This chart can help students monitor and improve the success of
their school's recycling program by tracking sorting practices room
by room.
————————————————————————————————-
Questions?
Contact EcoSchools at ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca.
————————————————————————————————-
To download a copy of the EcoSchools Waste Audit Guide go
to ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Certification Guides.
———————————————————————————————–--
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
61 Section 2.2
———————————————
Questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Recycling and Green Bin Rebate Program
As part of the Board’s waste disposal agreement with the City of
Toronto, all schools on city garbage collection are now required to
participate in the Green Bin Program. To help support schools’ efforts
to sort and manage their waste and recycling, EcoSchools now offers
a rebate program for recycling bins and barrels, and green bins.
Schools can receive a rebate of up to $150.00 per school year,
depending on their student population (see sidebar), by sending the
SAP order confirmation page to robin.mccrudden@tdsb.on.ca.
GREEN BIN—BEIGE
ROOM SIZE
DC Catalogue # 8045
Capacity: 84 litres /1.85 gallons
Use: classrooms, offices, small
meeting rooms
GREEN BIN—GREEN
RESIDENTIAL SIZE 12 Gal.
DC Catalogue #8046
Capacity: 54 litres/12 gallons
Use: lunch rooms, cafeterias,
meeting and staff rooms,
special events
RECYCLING BIN—BLUE
UNDER DESK
DC Catalogue #132
Dimensions: 38 x 30 x 20 cm (LxWxH)
Capacity: 15 litres/4 gallons
Use: classrooms, offices
small meeting rooms
RECYCLING BIN—BLUE
16 Gal.
DC Catalogue #4943
Dimensions: 48 x 41 x 33 cm (LxWxH)
Capacity: 60 litres/16 gallons
Use: lunch rooms, meeting and
staff rooms
RECYCLING BIN—BLUE
22 Gal.
DC Catalogue #4945
Dimensions: 48 x 41 x x53 cm (LxWxH)
Capacity: 83 litres/22 gallons
Use: lunch rooms, cafeterias, special events
To check current prices, go to TDSBweb>Services>Purchasing>
Catalogues>DC Catalogue—Classroom Supplies.
50% Rebate Program
Student
population
Maximum
rebate
0-500 $75
500-1,200 $100
1,200 + $150
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
62 Section 2.2
———————————————
To order lunchroom barrels
create a Contract Release
Order (CRO) through SAP with
Flexo Products Ltd-Recycling
Barrel, vendor #18037
contract #4600004812.
Barrels and lids can only be
ordered by office staff.
———————————————
For further information
about this product, contact
William MacDonald at
wiliam.macdonald@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.4014
———————————————
Lunchroom Recycling Barrels
Separating lunchroom and cafeteria recyclables from other lunch
waste is a challenge in larger elementary and secondary schools.
Blue lunchroom recycling barrels with lids are now available in 20-
and 32-gallon sizes. Barrels and lids must be ordered separately.
Schools can receive a rebate of up to $150.00 per school year,
depending on their student population (see sidebar), by sending
the SAP order confirmation page to robin.mccrudden@tdsb.on.ca.
The barrels should be paired with garbage containers in lunchrooms
and cafeterias, but not in
hallways.* You can line each barrel
with a clear plastic bag for easy
emptying and cleaning, or use
without and wash the barrels
regularly.
* Toronto Fire Services reminds us
that by provincial statute, hallways
must be kept clear of garbage and
recycling containers in case the
building needs to be evacuated
quickly.
Material Number Description Dimensions Cost **
200012040 20 gallon barrel 20” D x 23” H $16.00 (+TAX)
200000407 Lid for 20 gallon barrel $5.75 (+TAX)
200012041 32 gallon barrel 22” D x 32” H $21.15 (+TAX)
200002293 Lid for 32 gallon barrel $8.70 (+TAX)
** Prices subject to change.
50% Rebate Program
Student
population
Maximum
rebate
0-500 $75
500-1,200 $100
1,200 + $150
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
63 Section 2.2
———————————————
Before you order a new toter
or toter parts, contact your
Family Team Leader about the
availability of used toters,
used toter parts, or the
removal of broken toters.
Contact your Family Team
Leader for missed collections,
or for changeover to bulk bin
recycling.
———————————————
For a complete list of products
that can be recycled see
p.57.
———————————————
New! Toter replacement parts
are available from the
Distribution Centre.
Lids (blue and grey), lid
axles, lid axle caps (Items
7573, 7574, 7575, 7576)
Retention bars and pins
(Items 7577, 7578)
Wheels and axles (Items
7571, 7572)
For additional details go to
TDSBweb>Distribution
Centre>Catalogues>
Caretaking Catalogue
———————————————
Recycling Toters for Schools and Centres
The TDSB has switched to single stream recycling to align with the
City of Toronto. That means that schools may decide to combine
all recyclables in the same toter or they may continue to use blue
toters for containers and grey toters for paper. Choosing to combine
recyclables saves time and effort, but separating them may keep
the recycling boxes and toters cleaner. Each school should decide
which system suits it better to encourage maximum recycling while
keeping the containers from getting unmanageably messy.
BLUE OR GREY TDSB TOTER WITH METAL LIFT BAR
Capacity: 95 US gallons
To order: Caretakers or Family Team Leaders create a Contract
Release Order (CRO) through SAP. The toters are listed as
“recycling toters” and are paid for out of the caretaking, not school,
budget.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
64 Section 2.2
Purchasing questions?
Contact Lorraine Gilmour at
lorraine.gilmour@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8341.
———————————————
Recycling questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Printer Cartridge Recycling
Schools and centres can recycle empty toner and ink cartridges to
minimize their waste. The Computer Media Group collects,
refurbishes, and recycles the following toner and ink cartridges
used at school: laser, ink jet, fax, ribbon.
1. For return of above toner and ink cartridges contact Samentha
DaSilva at samentha@thecomputermediagroup.com or
1-888-289-1202 ext 221 and request empty cartons with
prepaid UPS labels.
The following information is required:
school name
complete address including postal code
contact name
contact telephone number
the number of cartridges to be recycled
2. Follow the instructions provided with your carton for preparing
cartridges for recycling.
3. To arrange for a pick-up of full boxes contact UPS at
1.800.742.5877. Do not use the automated system. Simply
press “0” for a Live Agent. Tell the agent that you have an ARS
label and would like to schedule a pick-up for the next day. Do
not request “same day” service or you will be charged.
Have your carton(s) prepared and ready for pick-up at a
convenient location for the driver.
4. Filled boxes are returned to Computer Media Group's recycling
centre by UPS. There is no minimum or maximum on return of
filled boxes.
Download and post the EcoSchools printer cartridge recycling
poster on the left to promote this initiative from section 2.2 of
the online Toolkit at ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Certification Guides
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
65 Section 2.2
Purchasing questions?
Contact Manuela Sequeira at
manuela.sequeira@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8299
———————————————
Recycling questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
* The practice of having the suppliers
of goods take back their products and
packaging is known as Extended
Producer Responsibility (EPR).
“Extended Producer Responsibility is
an environmental protection strategy
to reach an environmental objective of
a decreased total environmental
impact from a product, by making the
manufacturer of the product
responsible for the entire life cycle of
the product and especially for the take
-back, recycling and final disposal of
the product.”
- “Extended Responsibility as a
Strategy to Promote Cleaner
Products," edited by Thomas
Lindhquist, Department of Industrial
Environmental Economics, Lund, June
1992.
Photocopier Toner Bottle Recycling
Ricoh Canada collects and recycles the toner bottles used in their
photocopiers as part of its contract with the TDSB.*
To support this process Ricoh Canada provides TDSB schools and
centres with toner boxes for collection of the empty toner bottles.
Note: The dimensions of the boxes are: 36" L x 29" W x 10"D.
They can hold approximately 40-50 empty toner cartridges.
Please follow these steps:
1. Contact Ricoh Canada at 1.800.267.9469 or email
canadasupplies@ricoh.ca and request a Ricoh toner box, part
#TNRRTNBOX.
2. Set-up the Ricoh Toner box in a convenient location.
Note: Full boxes will need to be picked up in the office.
3. Collect your empty Ricoh toner bottles and place in the
collection box.
4. Once the box is full go to http://www.ricoh.ca/en-Ca/About-
Ricoh/Environment/Toner-Bottle-and-Cartridge-Recycling.html
and scroll down the page to complete the Online Courier
Label. Make sure you are not generating a Canada Post
label or your boxes will not be picked up by the courier.
5. Complete an on-line courier label (Enter the school name,
address, phone number and weight, select EAST in the 'Ricoh
Address' dropdown), print the courier label, and affix it to the
toner box
Note: Do not photocopy the label - it has a unique barcode
attached to it and is good for only one parcel return item. If you
require a second label, simply click "generate label" again for a
new label.
6. Call Purolator at 1.888.744.7123 to pick up your box(es) of
empty toner bottles.
7. Have the box(es) of empty toner bottles ready for pick-up at
the main office.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
66 Section 2.2
Purchasing questions?
Contact Manuela Sequeira at
manuela.sequeira@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8299
———————————————
Recycling questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Duplicator Ink Cartridge Recycling
RISO Canada collects and recycles ink cartridges as part of its
contract with the TDSB.*
It is important that
all empty ink cartridges be returned in a box or bag
the main office be used for both the delivery of new ink
cartridges and the pick-up of empty cartridges
the school or centre call Debby at Bryte Com at
905.726.1557, to request a pick-up of empty cartridges
(Technicians will be advised of schools who have empties
and they will pick them up when they are in the area.)
There are several advantages to using a Risograph copier.
The Risograph
is a high speed digital duplicator and makes copies very
quickly
uses less expensive newsprint in addition to regular
photocopy paper, stock paper, and envelopes
can copy onto both sides of the paper (using manual duplex)
works best for 20 or more copies
uses soy-based inks
is Energy-star rated and offers significant energy savings
over photocopiers
* The practice of having the suppliers of goods take back their products and packaging is known
as “Extended Producer Responsibility is an environmental protection strategy to reach an
environmental objective of a decreased total environmental impact from a product, by making
the manufacturer of the product responsible for the entire life cycle of the product and especially
for the take-back, recycling and final disposal of the product.”
- “Extended Responsibility as a Strategy to Promote Cleaner Products," edited by
Thomas Lindquist, Department of Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund, June
1992.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
67 Section 2.2
———————————————
What to look for in a
waste-free lunch
reusable drink container
cloth napkin
non-disposable cutlery
durable lunch bag or box
reusable sandwich and
snack containers
label all containers with
student’s name
———————————————
A waste-free lunch may
include items such as apple
cores and banana peels,
which can be taken home to
compost or placed in the
green bin.
———————————————
For more tips and ideas check
out wastefreelunch.com/ and
TRCA waste free lunch posters
at trca.on.ca/
dotAsset/69940.pdf
———————————————
To order a print copy of the
poster below see the order
form on p.7 of this guide.
———————————————
Waste-free Lunches
Introducing waste-free lunches can help your school reduce the
amount of garbage you produce.
Running a waste-free lunch event encourages students to reduce
waste in an area where they can have control. Class activities can
link waste-free lunches to larger issues related to the
environmental and economic impacts of waste disposal.
Here are a few suggestions
for running a waste-free lunch event
Make announcements leading up to the waste-free lunch day,
letting staff and students know that it is coming and reminding
them to bring a waste-free lunch.
Put an announcement in the school newsletter or send a flyer home
(see next page) to help parents understand the purpose of a waste-
free lunch day and to ask for their support.
Invite the environment club or a class to create posters and
displays promoting healthy waste-free lunches and depicts how
this goal can be accomplished.
Have students fill out a personal pledge to bring a waste-free lunch
and attach the pledges to a large drawing of a lunch box or a waste
-free lunch banner prominently displayed.
Turn over all garbage containers in the lunch area and put a sign on
the container explaining that it is a waste-free lunch day and that
all waste will need to be taken home. (This is called a “boomerang”
or “pack it in, pack it out” lunch.)
Recognize achievements by offering points or by posting or
announcing names of students/classes and staff who regularly bring
waste-free lunches.
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
Recipe for a Waste-free Lunch
Not only is a waste-free lunch better for the environment, it can save you money as well.
When packing a lunch for or with your child, consider the following ideas.
Source: wastefreelunches.org/ © 2014 Toronto District School Board
Here are some packing tips to MUNCH on
Yes Please No Thank You
REUSABLE lunch carrier AVOID paper or plastic bags
REUSABLE container AVOID plastic wrap, foil, or Styrofoam®
REUSABLE drink bottle or thermos AVOID single-use cans, bottles, or cartons
CLOTH NAPKIN to wash and re-use AVOID paper napkins
CUTLERY to wash and re-use AVOID plastic forks/spoons
HEALTHY snacks! AVOID over-packaged snacks
Why pack a waste-free lunch? Food for thought
It’s waste-free The average student lunch generates
It costs less 30 kg of waste per school year.
It’s healthier That adds, on average, about 8500 kg
of waste per school, per year!!!
Here are some costs to MUNCH on
Waste-free lunch Regular lunch
$2.65/an average day $4.02/an average day
$13.25/week $20.10/week
$477.00/school year $723.60/school year
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
69 Section 2.2
———————————————
With the possible exception of
literary classics, weeded
library books are inappropriate
for any school and are not
suitable for reuse.
———————————————
Questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Obsolete or Surplus Text and Library Books
Books no longer in use can be managed in several ways.
Reuse (textbooks only)
To sell or give away textbooks, first post a notice on the Trading
Post, at zwebtradingpostprd/TradingPost.aspx/Index.
Next, check the resale value of surplus textbooks by contacting
the Canadian School Book Exchange, csbe.net/, Vendor# 4065
in SAP.
Recycle (text and library books)
Covers do not need to be removed.
Small quantities—place in the toter. DO NOT overload the
toter.
Large quantities (if you have a bulk recycling bin)—place
the books directly into it.
Large quantities (if you do not have a bulk recycling bin)
—box the books in preparation for pick-up and deliver to the
shipping/receiving area. Do not exceed 20 kilograms per box.
(If you don’t have sufficient supply, 18”x12”x12” boxes can be
ordered from the Distribution Centre, material number 480 at
$0.59)
Ask the caretaker to contact the Family Team Leader to arrange
transport of the books to a transfer station.
Under the City’s “All or nothing” policy, the City manages
recyclable materials, including books, from Board sites. Private
recycling of books is not an option.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
70 Section 2.2
Questions?
Contact either Geoff Acheson
at Geoff.acheson@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8110 or Lorraine
Gilmour at Lorraine.gilmour@
tdsb.on.ca or 416.395.8341
in Purchasing.
Obsolete or Surplus Computers and
Other Electronic Equipment
The TDSB has contracted with Artex Environmental Corporation to
recycle non-repairable obsolete equipment (computers, printers,
peripherals, fax machines, scanners, calculators, radios, TVs, VCRs,
VHS tapes, microwave ovens, projectors, CDs, floppy disks,
overhead transparencies) in an environmentally responsible
manner.
Obsolete computers often contain confidential data on their hard
disk drives and software obtained through Board licensing
agreements. For this reason, all obsolete computers must be
collected for recycling and not made available for reuse. Do
not place computers or other electronics in the garbage.
Schools are reminded to consolidate their pick-ups to include as
many items as possible by holding on to the equipment until a
sufficient number of items are collected. A minimum of 25 pieces is
recommended.
Instructions
1. Identify equipment that is obsolete or surplus.
2. Create a Contract Release Order in SAP with Artex
Environmental Corporation.
3. Artex Environmental Corporation will contact you to confirm the
date of pick-up.
4. Ensure that all items are consolidated to include as many items
as possible in the shipping/receiving area prior to the pick-up.
There is no fee to schools for this service.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
71 Section 2.2
———————————————
Purchasing questions?
Contact Manuela Sequeira at
Manuela.sequeira@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8299.
———————————————
Recycling questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Used Appliances and Scrap Metal
Two options are available for disposing of your old, broken, or
energy-inefficient stoves, microwaves, dishwashers, washers,
dryers, refrigerators, and freezers.
1. Collection of used appliances upon delivery of new
appliances
When purchasing a new appliance from Appliance Canada (through
the TDSB), you have the option to have old appliances removed at
no cost. Indicate this option when you create your Contract Release
Order in SAP with Appliance Canada.
Please note:
Washing machines must be empty of water and clothing
Built in dishwashers and microwaves must be removed
Gas ranges need to be disconnected
It is not necessary to remove appliance doors
2. Collection of used appliances and scrap metal
i. If you do not receive curbside garbage collection
a. Prepare a list of how many and what sorts of items are
ready for pick-up.
b. Include any appliances or metal items illegally placed on
school property.
c. Contact Miller Waste at 905.513.2716 to schedule a pick-
up. Place the items beside the bulk garbage bin for
collection by 7:00 am on pick-up day.
ii. If you receive curbside garbage collection, you must call
Toronto 311 to arrange a pick-up. Place appliance(s) at the
curb by 7:00 am on collection day or the night before. Your
region’s Task Force can be used to move appliances outside.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
72 Section 2.2
———————————————
Reuse of appliances
Highly efficient Energy Star-
rated appliances in good
working order can be offered
for reuse through the Trading
Post zwebtradingpostprd/
TradingPost.aspx/Index
———————————————
———————————————
Purchasing questions?
Contact Chris Nicoloff at
Chris.nicoloff@tdsb.on.ca or
416.395.4578
———————————————
iii. If you receive private garbage collection from
Canadian Waste, contact your Family Team Leader to
arrange a pick-up.
Please note:
IMPORTANT: All doors must be removed from appliances before
they are set out.
The City is responsible for removing freon from refrigerators.
Metal items such as microwave ovens, air conditioners,
dehumidifiers, storage sheds, bicycles, non-metal chairs (seats
and backs removed) can be picked up with the appliances.
Schools can arrange for a separate scrap metal pick-up,
minimum 10 items, using the above process. Remove any non-
metal components before placing the items at the curb.
3. Collection of clean scrap metal from auto shops, Design
and Technology classes for recycling
i. For collection containers and to arrange a pick-up, have your
head caretaker or Family Team Leader contact Melanie
Fernandes at Combined Metal Industries Inc. at 416.909.9799
or mfernandes@combinedmetal.com.
ii. Payment will be made if the quantity and quality of the scrap
metal is sufficient.
There is no cost for this service
Used Appliances and Scrap Metal (cont’d)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
73 Section 2.2
———————————————
About the Trading Post
Contact Geoff Acheson at
geoff.acheson@tdsb.on.ca
or 416.395.8110.
———————————————
Questions about this or other
recycling programs?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca.
———————————————
Surplus and Old Furniture
Surplus and old furniture no longer in use can be reused or
recycled.
Reuse
To sell or give away tables, desks, chairs, bookcases, pianos,
etc., post a notice on the TDSB Trading Post,
zwebtradingpostprd/TradingPost.aspx/Index. For more
information, see The Electronic Trading Post (p.79).
Disposal
Prepare a list of how many and what sort of items are ready
for pick-up (student desk, chair, bookcase, couch, teacher’s
desk, table).
Include any furniture illegally placed on school property.
If you do not receive curbside collection, contact Miller Waste
at 905.513.2716 to schedule a pick-up.*
If you receive curbside garbage collection, you must call
Toronto 311 to arrange a pick-up.
If you receive private garbage collection from Canadian
Waste, contact your Family Team Leader to arrange for a
pick-up.
Place items beside the garbage bin by 7:00 am on your pick-
up day.
Note: *Bulky items will no longer be collected from bulk garbage
bins.
There is no cost for this service
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
74 Section 2.2
———————————————
Hazardous waste
questions?
Contact the Occupational
Health and Safety Office at
416.397.3210.
———————————————
Community hazardous
waste collection events are
not supported by the Board or
the City’s Toxic Taxi. Instead,
collected waste should be
delivered to a City of Toronto
household hazardous waste
depot.
———————————————
Request for the Disposal of
Chemicals and Hazardous Waste
The Occupational Health and Safety Office is responsible for managing
Board-generated hazardous wastes. Hazardous wastes are those
materials that may be injurious to persons or the environment if not
handled and disposed of properly. These include:
1. Classroom-generated waste
This includes batteries, science and photographic chemicals,
biological specimens, and automotive shop waste. Removal of these
wastes is the principal's responsibility.
2. Caretaking waste
This includes batteries, waxes, strippers, cleaners, disinfectants.
Removal of these wastes is the caretaker's responsibility.
To request a pick-up of your school’s hazardous wastes, complete
the General Request for the Disposal of Chemicals and Hazardous
Waste form (p.75) and fax to the Occupational Health and Safety
Office at 416.397.3215.
The cost of disposal is the responsibility of Health and Safety. A
full-size copy of the general form and one for secondary science can
be found on TDSBweb at Employee Services>Health and
Safety>H&S Reporting/Forms.
Large lead acid batteries
Contact your school or centre's Family Team Leader for proper
disposal instructions.
NOTE: Students and staff should take their own personal batteries to
any of the following:
i) Retail outlets: Home Depot, Future Shop, Best Buy, Canadian Tire,
RONA, The Source, and Staples. For additional locations go to
call2recycle.ca/ontario.
ii) City depots or events: City of Toronto drop-off depots:
toronto.ca/garbage/depots.htm or during a Community
Environment Day event: toronto.ca/environment_days/index.htm
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
75 Section 2.2
Gen
eral R
eq
uest
for t
he D
isp
osal
of
Ch
em
icals
an
d H
azard
ou
s W
aste
In
str
ucti
on
s:
1.
When c
om
ple
ting t
he “
physic
al sta
te”
colu
mn p
lease u
se t
he f
ollow
ing c
odes:
S=
solid
L=
liquid
G
=G
as
2.
Ple
ase indic
ate
if th
e c
onta
iner
is n
ot
in a
tra
nsport
able
conditio
n (
i.e.,
im
pro
per
lid).
3.
Ple
ase fax a
com
ple
ted c
opy t
o t
he O
ccupational H
ealth a
nd S
afe
ty O
ffic
e 4
16.3
97.3
215
4.
Questions? P
lease c
all t
he O
ccupational H
ealth a
nd S
afe
ty O
ffic
e 4
16.3
97.3
210.
Date
of
req
uest:
S
ch
oo
l/b
uild
ing
nam
e:
Co
nta
ct
perso
n #
1:
Co
nta
ct
perso
n #
2:
Ph
on
e/
E-m
ail
:
Lo
cati
on
of
waste
:
IS W
ASTE S
TO
RED
ON
MAIN
FLO
OR
? I
F N
OT,
IS T
HER
E E
LEVATO
R A
CCESS? (
√)
YES
N
O
DE
SC
RIP
TIO
N
PH
YS
IC
AL S
TA
TE
L=
liq
uid
S=
so
lid
G=
Ga
s
NU
MB
ER
OF
CO
NT
AIN
ER
S
SIZE
OF
CO
NT
AIN
ER
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
76 Section 2.2
———————————————
This program was first piloted
by the TDSB working with the
Recycling Council of Ontario.
Together they developed a
program that is now available
to all TDSB schools and offices
as well as being the basis for
a province-wide program!
For more information, go to
takebackthelight.ca/
———————————————
Purchasing questions?
Contact Rick Barlow at
Rick.barlow@tdsb.on.ca or
416.395.4582.
———————————————
Fluorescent Lamps and Light Bulbs
Robertson Electric collects and recycles fluorescent lamps and
other bulbs containing mercury as part of its new contract with
the TDSB.*
Instructions
Place expired lamps and bulbs into original empty cases and
boxes (or use other boxes if original packaging has
disappeared!). Do not include broken bulbs.
Securely tape up the end of the case or top of the box and
write TDSB USED LAMPS on the side. Store until a new
order is delivered.
When an order for new fluorescent lamps or bulbs is placed
using SAP, also complete the line “Pick up used lamps (full
case only) n/c” and enter the quantity of full cases/boxes
that you are returning.
When the new lamps arrive, give the delivery person the full
cases/boxes of used lamps/bulbs that you requested be
picked up.
Reminders
Do not place fluorescent lamps in the garbage.
Recycle only full cases of used lamps.
Personal fluorescent lamps and compact bulbs can be
dropped off at Toronto Solid Waste Depots (toronto.ca/
garbage/depots.htm), Community Environment Day Events
from April to October (toronto.ca/environment_days/
index.htm) or at stores, including Canadian Tire, IKEA, and
Rona. Call first to confirm.
* The practice of having the suppliers of goods take back their products and packaging is known as Extended Producer
Responsibility (EPR). “Extended Producer Responsibility is an environmental protection strategy to reach an environmental
objective of a decreased total environmental impact from a product, by making the manufacturer of the product responsible
for the entire life cycle of the product and especially for the take-back, recycling and final disposal of the product.”
- “Extended Responsibility as a Strategy to Promote Cleaner Products," edited by Thomas Lindhquist, Department of
Industrial Environmental Economics, Lund, June 1992.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
77 Section 2.2
———————————————
Purchasing questions?
Contact Chris Nicoloff at
chris.nicoloff@tdsb.on.ca or
416.395.4578
Questions about this or other
recycling programs?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
———————————————
Note: This program is
available for all school- and
centre-produced waste
vegetable oil. It is not limited
to programs managed by
Nutrition Services.
———————————————
Waste Vegetable Oil
Waste vegetable oil, produced in cafeteria kitchens and school
cooking programs, can be collected at no cost for reuse in other
applications.
Directions
1. Place cooled vegetable oil in clean 16 or 20 litre plastic food
pails and secure the lid.
2. Label the pail “Waste vegetable oil for recycling” on the top
and side.
3. If you need a larger container or to arrange a pick-up,
contact Lillian Young at Roslin Enterprises at
lillian.young@roslinent.com or 416.409.3381.
Reminders
1. Arrange for regular collection at least once per calendar
year.
2. Do not store a large numbers of pails for an extended period
of time.
3. Do not place used vegetable oil with school garbage, pour it
down storm sewers, or flush it down the drain.
4. Residential cooking oil can be dropped off at city depots or
events: City of Toronto drop-off depots: toronto.ca/garbage/
depots.htm or during a Community Environment Day event:
toronto.ca/environment_days/index.htm.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
78 Section 2.2
———————————————
Purchasing questions?
Contact Chris Nicoloff at
chris.nicoloff@tdsb.on.ca or
416.395.4578.
———————————————
Recycling questions?
Contact EcoSchools at
ecoschools@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Sawdust and Wood Cut-offs Pick-ups and
Hopper Clean-out
The new contractor for sawdust pick-up and hopper clean-outs is
City Environmental Services Ltd. (Contract #4600006464).
Sawdust and wood cut-offs from wood shops and Design and
Technology classes can be collected in either 45 gallon drums or
64 gallon wheeled totes.
If you require a drum or tote, have your head caretaker or Family
Team Leader contact Tony Iannetta at tony@cityenvironmental.ca
or 416.889.6855.
Pick-up information
Contact Tony Iannetta if your school requires a (one-off) drum
or tote exchange
If your school requires a monthly or bi-monthly pick-up, contact
Chris Nicoloff at chris.nicoloff@tdsb.on.ca
There is a minimum requirement of 4 drums or totes monthly or
bi-monthly to qualify for scheduled pick-ups
Your head caretaker or Family Team Leader needs to create a
Contract Release Order (CRO) to City Environmental Service for
each hopper clean-out
Clearly identify any specific instructions e.g., parking lot
obstructions, specific time slots, and contact names/numbers
Reminders:
Keep sawdust and wood cut-offs in separate bins
Ensure that nails, other metals, and garbage are removed from
sawdust and wood cut-offs
Sawdust is not suitable for school ground composting or
mulching
Information subject to change. There is no cost to schools for this service.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
79 Section 2.2
Access the Trading Post at
zwebtradingpostprd/
TradingPost.aspx/Index
———————————————
Questions?
Contact Geoff Acheson at
geoff.acheson@tdsb.on.ca or
416.395.8110
———————————————
The Electronic Trading Post
The Trading Post is the official online site for all schools to advertise
and/or seek usable surplus furniture, equipment, and textbooks.
Schools are asked not to use e-mail or other methods to advertise
their surplus goods.
Postings remain on the site for 60 days. During this period,
interested schools can reserve items and directly contact offering
schools that have available surplus goods. Receiving schools make
their own arrangements for the transfer of the goods and any fund
transfers agreed upon.
Following the 60-day posting, the Purchasing and Distribution
Services department will work with the school to dispose of any
surplus goods that are no longer required within the TDSB through
sale, auction, and/or other means.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
80 Section 2.2
Hours of operation
TUESDAYS & THURSDAYS
10:30 am to 1:30 pm; 2:30
pm to 5:30 pm
———————————————
Ossington/Old Orchard
Public School, 380
Ossington Avenue
(Just south of College Street;
entrance at rear of parking lot
on north side of building. Walk
down truck ramp to double
doors.)
———————————————
Schools can also donate good
reusable items from locker
clean-outs, wood shops, etc.
Box and send through Board
mail to ArtsJunktion, SW.
———————————————
Questions?
Contact Eileen Orr at
eileen.orr@tdsb.on.ca or
416.393.0894.
———————————————
ARTSJUNKTION
Celebrating over 30 years of reuse
ARTSJUNKTION is a depot for receiving and distributing donated
materials and supplies to be used in educational and creative
programs within the Toronto District School Board—in the
classroom; artistic in-school creations; curriculum projects; daycare
and parenting centres; and concurrent, after school, and seniors'
programs.
ARTSJUNKTION solicits and collects materials from hundreds of
companies and individuals in Toronto and surrounding areas.
ARTSJUNKTION’s stock changes constantly but usually includes:
Binders—all sizes
Paper circles, strips, and
offcuts
Letter and legal hanging file
folders
Single wallpaper rolls, wallpa-
per books, wallpaper borders
Envelopes
Assorted fun fur pieces
Nylon flag material
Architectural and interior
design samples
Cardboard tubes (various
dimensions)
Film tubs and reels
Cardboard or plastic thread
cones
Upholstery samples, fabric
scraps
Matboard
Foamcore and gatorboard
offcuts
Empty boxes
Plastic bottles
Metal and plastic lids
Wood pieces
Foam circles and gaskets
Polystyrene packing blocks
Mediacom paper (3 1/2' x 4
1/2’)
National Geographic
magazines
Canadian Geographic
magazines
Sonotubes (18" and 24" in
diameter)
Plexiglass and plastic offcuts
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
81 Section 2.2
Ideas to consider
Save single-sided paper
for reuse as draft paper or
for a note pad.
Save supplies and make
available for students in
need or send to
ArtsJunktion. Include
pens, pencils, erasers,
binders, rulers, etc.
Take pictures of your
EcoTeam during your
locker clean-out and post
on the school website.
Weigh the reusable and
recyclable materials
you've collected to find
out how much you kept
out of landfill.
———————————————
If this way of organizing a
major locker clean-out is new,
it's a good idea to publicize it
well. And let people know why
it matters!
———————————————
Locker Clean-out
An organized locker clean-out is a great way to capture a lot of
useful things that might otherwise end up in landfill. Have members
of your EcoTeam or another group/class organize the whole school
so that students can sort their lockers' contents into reusables,
recyclables, organics, and real garbage.
Decide the following:
When will the clean-out take place (connect with the office/
caretaker/a staff advisor/student council)?
How (and how far in advance) will students and teachers be
informed (PA, notices, posters, e-mail, via home form)?
How many categories will you separate locker contents into:
paper; containers; other recyclables; reusable school supplies;
clothing; sports equipment... as well as real garbage?
What type of sorting or storage containers will you use
(recycling boxes and/or toters, cardboard boxes, clear garbage
bags, clean garbage cans)?
How many containers and sorting stations are needed for the
whole school, floor, hallway?
Who, if anyone, will monitor the sorting stations?
Where will your school’s collected reusable and recyclable
materials end up (recycling toters/bulk bins, special recycling
programs, ArtsJunktion, Goodwill or other charities, saved in
the school, or taken home)?
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
82 Section 2.2
The best hope for learning to live sustainably lies in
schooling that returns to the real basics: experiencing the
natural world; understanding how nature sustains life;
nurturing healthy communities; recognizing the
consequences of how we feed ourselves and provision our
institutions; knowing well the places where we live, work,
and learn.
Zenobia Barlow, Co-founder and Executive Director Center for Ecological Literacy
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
84 Section 3
Vibrant School Grounds: Overview
“Trees, rocks, and mulch” has been the mantra of the
EcoSchools school ground greening staff experts for more than
ten years. Planting trees to shade students and conserve energy
has been at the heart of the TDSB's school ground greening
efforts. Rocks are recommended as the sturdiest of outdoor
classroom seating. And knowing how much mulch, when to
mulch, and when to water is critical for the health of trees in
school grounds. This is the starting point for creating vibrant,
healthy school grounds.
School grounds contribute materially to more sustainable
communities. The health and location of well-watered trees and
gardens, the existence of wildlife habitats and food gardens, the
practice of water conservation, and limiting the fossil-fuelled
machinery needed to tend the grounds through turning some
land into Nature Study Areas taken together constitute a model
of wise use.
Vibrant school grounds can also be measured by how much they
contribute to human well-being. Planting trees and working on
other greening projects have many positive effects on students'
health and behaviour. Playing or simply gathering outdoors in
the changing landscape of school grounds that feature
biodiversity offers stimulation and variety that the turf and bare
asphalt of a traditional school ground simply cannot. Also,
increasing shade for shelter from the sun’s strong rays make
the school’s grounds a more enjoyable place for students to be.
Creating and caring for a greening project offers an opportunity
for building community through stewardship. Indeed, without
broad community support these projects cannot succeed over
time. It is of such elements that a sustainable society is built. A
school that offers opportunities for becoming involved indoors
and out belongs to everyone.
This section includes several tools. We also point to idea-rich
material from two Evergreen-TDSB resources, Landscape and
Child Development: A Design Guide for Early Years—
Kindergarten Play-Learning Environments and EcoSchools
School Ground Greening: Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation (both available on ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides) that are too extensive to reproduce here.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
85 Section 3
3. Care for and Create Vibrant School Grounds
EcoReview GUIDING QUESTION
Does your school follow practices that ensure care for the natural environment, increase
biodiversity, offer opportunities to garden, and encourage teaching and learning in the
outdoors?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (85%) 0 1 2 3 4
Stewardship of the school grounds
3.1 To what extent do students, staff, and parents care for growing things on the school ground
(e.g., mulching and watering trees; watering and weeding gardens; protecting gardens/
Nature Study Areas through using signage; removing litter and invasive species)?
Portfolio requirement: your best example of how your school is caring for and/or
planning to enhance your school grounds during the school year and in the summer months (e.g., Watering Schedule and Seasonal Stewardship Plan tool Certification
Toolkit pp.86-88). Photos are strongly encouraged for this submission.
3.2 To what extent are the leaves on your school ground mulched* and the use of road salt
minimized by using best practices for snow plowing, salt application, and salt storage?
Creating and expanding school ground greening projects
These projects are a major undertaking and require a Design Consultation with TDSB/
Evergreen staff (see pp.105-106 of the Certification Toolkit). They should only be attempted by schools with strong teams who have mastered the more basic parts of the EcoSchools
program, and can sustain care for the project over many years.
3.3 To what extent does your school plan and create vibrant school grounds by undertaking a
design consultation; planting trees for shade; providing outdoor seating; establishing and
using a Nature Study Area; creating a woodland garden using native shrubs; planting a food
garden; and/or deepening the educational potential of the outdoor space (e.g., adding tree/
garden signage, creating a tree tour, asphalt paintings, murals)?
3.4 The school's grounds appear to be well cared-for (e.g., the trees and gardens have been
mulched and litter and invasive species have been removed from gardens).
School Visit “look-for” (15%) — Scored by EcoSchools Auditor using rubric 0 1 2 3 4
* Caretakers and Grounds Teams have lawnmowers specially equipped for this task. If the school does not have this equipment, the caretaker
should contact the Family Team Leader.
Using the outdoor environment as a classroom for teaching and learning.
Enter scores in Section 4 EcoReview.
4.2 Understanding nature through thinking in systems terms. To what extent do students learn about how nature works as
interacting systems (focus on learning through the grades that contributes to understanding energy flows, life webs, and matter cycles [e.g., process of composting, food webs; soil formation]; apply the language of systems to develop critical thinking—parts,
wholes, relationships; sense of scale; feedback loops, cycles)?
4.6 On the school ground. Does the school make the most of its school ground for direct observation and experiential learning (e.g.,
through spending time in a Nature Study Area or garden [planting and tending a food garden, perennial garden]; mapping use
patterns; seizing opportunities for sketching, photography; using trees and other features of the landscape for activities such as
interpretive hikes, learning trails)?
4.7 Natural and built environments beyond the school ground. To what extent do teachers enrich student learning about their
environment by exploring places (both natural and built) beyond the school ground (e.g., through neighbourhood walks, trips to
parks and ravines, TDSB Outdoor Education Centres, Toronto Wind Turbine, TRCA sites, Humber Arboretum, Downsview Park)?
No
evid
en
ce
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
siv
e
Em
erg
ing
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
86 Section 3
Seasonal Stewardship Plan
Identify your tree and garden care priorities for each season and achieve your objectives by
assigning volunteers to seasonal stewardship tasks. Tip: A general map of the school ground with
the trees and gardens marked on it can be useful when assigning tasks in particular areas.*
Who, when, and where?
SPRING
Trees
Water new trees (see the bucket watering method on pp.
89-90 for number of gallons per tree weekly)
Water existing trees under 6” caliper in periods of drought
Water existing trees in asphalt in periods of drought
Mulch all trees
Fertilize trees with compost
Gardens
Prepare planting beds (dig and turn soil)
Dig compost into planting beds
Weed and water existing gardens
Edge existing garden beds as needed
Remove invasive species before they go to seed
SUMMER
Trees
Water new trees (see the bucket watering method on pp.
79-80 for number of gallons per tree weekly)
Water existing trees under 6” caliper in periods of drought
Water existing trees in asphalt in periods of drought
Gardens
Weed and water existing gardens
Harvest veggies as they are ready
Collect seeds as they appear
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
87 Section 3
Who, when, and where?
FALL
Trees
Water new trees (see the bucket watering method on pp.
89-90 for number of gallons per tree weekly)
Water existing trees under 6” caliper in periods of drought
Water existing trees in asphalt in periods of drought
Mulch all trees
Clean up garden for winter
Gardens
Weed and water existing gardens
Harvest veggies as they are ready
Collect seeds as they appear
Compost plant waste on site
WINTER
Trees
Organize stewardship plan for spring
Recruit volunteers
Notes: ________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________________________________
*To download your school’s tree map, go to the Facility Services home page, click on
Forms and Documents>Maps & FSIS>Maps>Tree Maps
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
88 Section 3
————————————————
Do you wonder...
how to figure out if you’ve
given each tree 30 gallons? See
pp.89-90 for the bucket
watering method that tell you
how to know!
————————————————
Watering Schedule Sign-up Sheet
Use your school site map to mark the location of plantings that
need to be watered. (Go to the Facility Services home page, and
click on Site/Floor Plans.)
Watering guidelines for newly planted trees (first 2-3 years):
From May to August, every tree needs 30 gallons of water every
week. From September to mid-October, each tree requires 30
gallons of water every 2 weeks.
Month Weeks Student or classes Task completed
MAY WEEK 1
MAY WEEK 2
MAY WEEK 3
MAY WEEK 4
JUNE WEEK 1
JUNE WEEK 2
JUNE WEEK 3
JUNE WEEK 4
Spring (students)
JULY WEEK 1
JULY WEEK 2
JULY WEEK 3
JULY WEEK 4
AUGUST WEEK 1
AUGUST WEEK 2
AUGUST WEEK 3
AUGUST WEEK 4
SEPT WEEK 1
Summer (families)
Start a new schedule for the fall if necessary.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
89 Section 3
———————————————
Watering guidelines for
newly planted trees
From May to August, for the
first 2 to 3 years, every tree
needs 30 gallons of water
every week. From September
to mid-October, each tree
requires 30 gallons of water
every 2 weeks.
———————————————
The Bucket Watering Method
for trees in a grove
Why the bucket method?
Efficient for trees that are within reach of a garden hose and
that are planted fairly close together—the way we like them
best!
Conserves water
Offers an easy way to know how much water the trees are
getting
Reuses your school's 5 gallon buckets (from floor cleaners,
polishes, etc.)
The pails are readily available, so there is no cost to the
school
The technology is simple
Students can adopt this practice as part of the tree
stewardship program
The system is simple, fun for students, and can be easily
taken on by clubs or classes
It offers a teachable moment/lesson in water conservation
and tree stewardship
Materials
Ask your caretaker to save 5-gallon empty containers from
cleaning products. Be sure to clean them thoroughly before you
use them. You will need one 5-gallon pail for each tree. Ask
your caretaker or a parent volunteer to drill two ¼” holes in the
bottom of the pails to allow slow flow.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
90 Section 3
———————————————
A note about tree watering
guidelines:
Ideally, the trees should be
watered through the summer;
however, if some weeks are
missed, make sure the weekly
watering is accomplished in
May and June and when the
students come back to school
in September. Continue this
weekly watering through to
mid-October instead of
dropping down to every 2
weeks. This will ensure that
the trees have enough water
going into the harsh winter
months.
———————————————
The Bucket Watering Method (cont’d)
Method
1. For a grove of 10 trees, start with 10 buckets.
2. Place 1 bucket at the drip line of each tree.
3. Fill up each bucket with water, using a regular garden hose.
(water leaks out the bottom as the pail is filling up)
4. It takes about 5 minutes for the bucket to empty, so over
the course of about 7 minutes, 10 to 11 gallons of water
percolates slowly into the soil.
5. Continue to fill all the buckets one at a time.
6. When you have finished filling the last bucket, return to the
first tree and move the first bucket one third of the way
around the same tree and fill it up again. Note: You will fill
each tree’s bucket 3 times in all so that the tree will receive
approximately 30 gallons of water.*
7. Repeat with the other buckets.
8. Repeat the process for a third time, moving the pails
another one third of the way around the tree and filling
them up for the third and last time. Note: If water starts to
run all over the ground rather than sinking in, you know the
soil is saturated and you are done.
9. Do this weekly from May through August and every 2 weeks
September to mid-October.
* An alternate method:
If possible, start with 20 buckets for 10 trees. Place 2 buckets
on opposite sides of each tree. Fill each bucket. When you have
finished filling the last bucket, return to the first tree and move
both buckets one quarter of the way around the tree and fill
with water again. As you move through the cycle you will fill
each of the buckets twice.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
91 Section 3
NOTE:
No mulch on trees
planted in asphalt.
It will blow away!
Mulch is Magic: Spread It!
Mulch offers trees, shrubs, plants, and gardens many benefits. It
keeps roots cool, retains moisture, protects roots from foot traffic,
protects tree trunks from lawn care equipment, reduces erosion
and soil compaction, prevents water runoff, improves the organic
content of the soil, keeps weeds down, absorbs excess moisture in
spring and fall, and extends the mud-free pavement zone, giving
students more room to play.
Through an arrangement with the City of Toronto, TDSB schools
have access to the high quality “tub-ground” mulch recommended
for school grounds. Use the chart below to determine the total
amount of mulch needed.
Mulch needed Volume of mulch Notes
Newly planted
trees
½ cubic yard Spread to the drip line to ensure you are protect-
ing the tree’s root system (see image on the next
page.)
Existing trees 1-4 cubic yards
(depending on size
of tree)
Spread approximately 1 m out from the base
(about 12 plastic milk crates.)
Trees in planter
boxes
½-1 cubic yard Amount depends on depth of box (mulch to the top
edge of box.)
Shrubs ¼ cubic yard each Approximately 6 plastic milk crates.
Pathways, outdoor
classrooms, and
muddy areas
1 cubic yard This will cover about 54 square feet of area
(3 ft. x 18 ft., or 2 ft. x 27 ft.)
Recommended depth for trees and shrubs: spread mulch no more than 6 inches,
or 15 cm, deep.
IMPORTANT: Are you ordering mulch for the first time?
Do not order more than one dump truck load. See how long it takes to spread it. You can
always order more! One dump truck load is about 12 cubic yards of mulch.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
92 Section 3
What shape is your mulch?
Mulch in a “doughnut” shape
at the base of the trunk keeps
moisture away from the trunk
and in the soil where the roots
get oxygen and water.
Mulch in a “volcano” shape
packed around the base of the
trunk holds moisture next to
it. You’ll see this snug pattern
of mulching a lot.
DON’T DO IT!
Avoid the volcano effect
Exposing the trunk to
moisture over prolonged
periods will rot the bark!
Mulch is Magic: Spread It! (cont’d)
To order mulch:
Ask your head caretaker to submit a notification for mulch to
your Grounds Team Leader. Mulch can be ordered during
periods when the ground is dry, even in winter! If the ground is
too soft for the trucks to deliver mulch, it can be dumped in the
parking lot. Note: Your schools might be charged a delivery fee.
Be sure to specify:
quantity (in cubic yards)
the location (approved by principal) for the mulch to be
unloaded at your school (as close as possible to the site
where it will be used)
the name of your staff contact person—ask that your staff
contact be notified when the mulch arrives to specify the
desired drop location
Doughnut Mulch—YES! Volcano mulch—NO!
If mulch is piled high against
the tree trunk, the moisture
retained by the mulch will
cause the tree base to rot.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
93 Section 3
———————————————
Invasive species may be
your garden favourites!
These popular garden plants
are invasive!
Goutweed (Aegopodium
podagraria)
English ivy (Hedera helix)
Periwinkle (Vinca minor)
———————————————
Did you know?
There are about 500 invasive
plants in Canada. Over 440 of
these are in Southern Ontario.
Source: OIPC (Ontario
Invasive Plant Council)
———————————————
Invasive Plant Species: Stop the Spread!
Help protect Toronto’s biodiversity
According to the United Nations Convention on Biological
Diversity, invasive species pose the second most dangerous
threat to biodiversity, trailing only habitat destruction in a list
that includes pollution, overconsumption, climate change, and
human population increase.
What are invasive plants?
Invasive plants are harmful non-native plants whose introduction
or spread threatens the environment, the economy, or society.
Why are invasive plants a concern?
Spread rapidly and are very competitive
Crowd out existing native plants
Hybridize with native species, changing their genetic make-up
Alter ecosystems
Reduce nesting and foraging opportunities for animals
What can schools do?
TDSB schools can play an important role in the fight to protect
the biodiversity in Toronto’s ravines and natural areas by
monitoring and removing invasive species on the school ground.
Learn to identify and manage invasive plant species on your
school grounds
Develop a maintenance strategy
Properly dispose of garden waste
Plant only native and non-invasive species sourced from
reputable nurseries
Integrate invasive plant identification and management into
the curriculum
CAUTION!!!
POISON IVY
Poison ivy is highly toxic.
Do not attempt to
remove it yourself.
Contact your TDSB
Grounds Team Leader
if you find poison ivy on
your school ground.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
94 Section 3
Dog-Strangling Vine
European Nightshade
———————————————
Additional information
Check out this fact sheet:
Controlling Invasive Plants
(City of Toronto)
www1.toronto.ca/
city_of_toronto/
parks_forestry__recreation/
urban_forestry/files/pdf/
Control-
ling_Invasive_Plants.pdf
———————————————
Invasive Plant Species: Stop the Spread! (cont’d)
Invasive species commonly found on TDSB school grounds
Dog-strangling vine (aka Swallowwort)—Cynanchumigrum
European nightshade—Solanum dulcamara
Garlic mustard—Alliaria petiolata
Poison ivy—Rhus toxicondron
European buckthorn—Rhamnus cathartica
Manitoba maple—Acer negundo
White mulberry—Morus alba
Norway maple—Acer platanoides
Siberian elm—Ulmus pumila
Tree of heaven—Ailanthus altissima
Teaching resources
Teaching students about the invasive species in a classroom
setting helps students learn important skills and concepts while
developing a sense of responsibility and stewardship for the
environment.
Pulling for biodiversity: Managing invasive species in Ontario
(BEAN)
http://biodiversityeducation.ca/files/2012/
03/Pulling_for_Biodiversity.pdf
Invasive species education resources
invadingspecies.com/resources/invasive-species-education
outreach-compendium/
Vital Signs—In classrooms
vitalsignsme.org/vs-classrooms
Go to Google images to search for pictures of
these invasive species or visit Evergreen’s Native
Plant Database at nativeplants.evergreen.ca/.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
95 Section 3
———————————————
Volunteers
Volunteers rarely like to work
alone. Establish a buddy
system so that people can
help each other out.
A calendar with names and
phone numbers facilitates
collaboration.
For an excellent guide on
working with volunteers see
www.evergreen.ca/
downloads/pdfs/Hands-For-
Nature.pdf
———————————————
School Ground Summer Maintenance Tips
Set up a simple system to keep your school ground greening
project healthy!
Here’s a list of things to keep in mind:
Maintenance teams will need access to an outdoor tap which
may require a special key. Arrange for the key to be kept in
a central location.
Organize student volunteers and their families to water and
maintain the area for one-week periods during the summer.
See if caretakers and office staff, daycare staff, and
neighbours would also be willing to help with summer
watering.
Provide a site map with all the areas/trees that need
watering. (A site plan of your school can be downloaded
from the TDSB Facility Services home page. Click on Site/
Floor Plans.)
Enlist the help of school teams or clubs to come out and
volunteer their time each year.
Establish a maintenance log to help keep track of what was
done. Provide suggestions for improvements!
Top four things you can do for your trees
1. Mulch your trees to protect them from physical damage caused by lawn
mowers and string trimmers.
2. Water new trees regularly until they are established, and all trees during dry periods.
(See pages 89-90 for the Bucket Watering Method).
3. Always have a tree protection strategy in place (see pp.79-82 of the EcoSchools
School Ground Greening: Designing for Shade and Energy Conservation [2007] guide for
options).
4. Leave your leaves; they are the best natural fertilizer.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
96 Section 3
Road Map: New School Ground Greening Projects
Creating and maintaining school ground greening projects over the long term is a major undertaking. They
should only be attempted by schools with strong teams who have mastered the more basic parts of the
EcoSchools program and, in the case of gardens, can sustain their care for many years.
1. Getting started
Form a committee
Explore the possibilities (e.g., trips to other
schools)
Brainstorm
Survey—students, staff, and neighbours
(see pp.99-101)
Choose common vision for the school grounds
from top 3 ideas
Student involvement
Field trips to other schools
Window of wishes (p.98)
Older students conduct surveys
(pp.99-101)
Students conduct shade EcoReview
(pp.107-108)
Students do the plan as a formative or
summative task (see the TDSB’s GRASP*
lesson-planning resource plus a series of
GRASP culminating tasks—see next page)
2. Planning
Start small and do it well
Analyze your site (do an inventory, e.g., shade,
seating needed, pp.107-108)
Draft a statement of purpose
Come up with a 'big picture' plan of changes
Request a Design Consultation site visit (p.106)
Develop an implementation plan for each stage
of work
Decide what you are planting at each stage;
include protective features (e.g., signs)
Develop stewardship and maintenance plan
(Example on pp.86-87)
Raise funds (complete funding applications as
soon as possible, pp.118-119)
Students do research on native plants
(consult Evergreen’s native plants database
as well as books)
Rummage sales, student art sales
Older students can help with funding
applications
3. Getting it done
Planting
Publicity
Celebrate success
See pp.112-113 for more information on
tree and shrub planting projects
Art work; thank you letters to funders,
donors, parent volunteers; celebrate
through drama, poetry, dance, and song
4. Stewardship and evaluation
Ongoing stewardship
Regular project “check-up”
Classes/clubs, high school students can
adopt trees and gardens for regular
stewardship (watering, weeding, mulching)
Student garden monitors
Document the project (photos, journal, etc.)
* See GRASP: A tool for developing ecological literacy through rich performance tasks which is available for download at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides. For a print copy use the order form on p.7.
For Evergreen’s Learning Grounds Guide for Schools: evergreen.ca/downloads/pdfs/Guide-for-Schools.pdf
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
97 Section 3
A D
ay w
ith T
rees:
GRASP
Less
on P
lannin
g A
cross
the G
rades
Go
al
Ro
le
Au
die
nce
S
cen
ario
P
ro
du
ct
To t
each s
tudents
in
gra
de 4
that
each
tree o
n t
he s
chool
gro
und is its
elf a
com
munity o
f
org
anis
ms.
Grad
es 6
-7
stu
dents
will be
in r
ole
as
ou
tdo
or
ed
ucato
rs.
Grad
e 2
stu
den
ts
Pla
nts
and a
nim
als
Gra
de 4
stu
dents
Habitat
and c
om
munity
An E
coSchool is
enhancin
g its
delivery
of
ecolo
gic
al lite
racy b
y c
onnecting q
uestions 1
.6 a
nd
4.6
of th
e E
coSchools
Pro
gra
m.
Stu
dents
stu
dyin
g
bio
div
ers
ity in g
rade 6
or
ecosyste
ms in g
rade 7
will develo
p a
tre
e t
our
geare
d t
o s
tudents
in
gra
des 2
to 4
. The s
tudent
will th
en d
eliver
the
tree t
ours
to t
heir y
ounger
stu
dents
.
Pro
duct:
Tre
e t
our
that
expla
ins t
he “
serv
ices”
that
each t
ree o
f th
e t
our
pro
vid
es t
o t
he
ecosyste
ms in w
hic
h it
is e
mbedded.
Whic
h
org
anis
ms u
se t
he t
ree f
or
habitat?
Whic
h
org
anis
ms u
se t
he t
ree f
or
food? W
hat
oth
er
serv
ices d
oes t
he t
ree p
rovid
e (
e.g
., s
torm
wate
r m
anagem
ent,
shade,
beauty
, w
ind-
bre
ak)?
To im
ple
ment
an
adopt-
a-t
ree
pro
gra
m f
or
a
mulc
hath
on.
Stu
dents
in
Grad
e 7
will be
in r
ole
as t
ree
hu
gg
ers.
Teach
ers a
t th
e s
ch
oo
l Stu
dents
will develo
p a
tre
e t
our
for
their
EcoSchools
EcoTeam
advis
or
who is (
“natu
rally!”
)
a t
ree h
ugger.
The E
coTeam
advis
or
will in
vite
oth
er
teachers
in t
he s
chool on t
he t
ree t
our,
and
then a
sk t
hem
to v
olu
nte
er
to a
dopt
a t
ree,
and
have t
heir
cla
sses p
art
icip
ate
in t
he s
chool’s
upcom
ing m
ulc
hath
on.
Pro
duct:
A G
oogle
Map t
ree t
our
that
hig
hlights
1-2
specia
l fe
atu
res o
f at
least
5
trees o
n t
he s
chool gro
und.
To p
ropose n
ew
soft
ware
featu
res t
o
that
would
support
the
develo
pm
ent
of
local tr
ee t
ours
.
Stu
dents
in
grad
e 1
0
Scie
nce w
ill be
in r
ole
as
pro
gram
mers.
Go
og
le I
nc.,
htt
p:/
/ww
w.g
oogle
.com
/
corp
ora
te/g
reen/
would
lik
e t
o b
e k
now
n a
s t
he g
reenest
soft
ware
com
pany e
ver.
Recogniz
ing t
he
import
ant
role
that
trees p
lay in o
ur
citie
s,
it is
pla
nnin
g t
o launch a
new
soft
ware
featu
re.
It is
challengin
g p
rogra
mm
ers
to identify
new
featu
res
that
would
enable
users
to d
evelo
p t
ree t
ours
for
their local com
munitie
s.
Pro
duct
1:
A G
oogle
Maps t
ree t
our
that
incorp
ora
tes a
t le
ast
one h
yperlin
ked w
ebsite,
one h
yperl
inked d
ocum
ent,
and four
em
bedded p
hoto
s.
Pro
duct
2:
A r
eport
on t
he featu
res t
hat
should
develo
p t
o e
nrich t
he G
oogle
Maps p
rogra
m a
nd m
ake it
move v
alu
able
to
educato
rs.
To identify
schools
needin
g t
rees t
o
pro
vid
e m
ore
shade
and b
iodiv
ers
ity o
n
their s
chool
gro
unds.
Grad
e 1
2
Geo
grap
hy
stu
dents
will be
in r
ole
as u
rb
an
foreste
rs.
TD
SB
Su
sta
inab
ilit
y
Off
ice,
City o
f Toro
nto
Urb
an F
ore
str
y S
erv
ices
The t
ree c
anopy in t
he C
ity o
f Toro
nto
curr
ently
covers
18%
of
the c
ity,
dow
n fro
m 2
2%
severa
l
years
ago.
The e
mera
ld a
sh b
ore
r w
ill kill th
e
majo
rity
of
ash t
rees.
Many larg
e t
rees a
re
reachin
g t
he e
nd o
f th
eir liv
es a
nd t
heir
dis
appeara
nce,
com
bin
ed w
ith t
he loss o
f
hundre
ds o
f th
ousands o
f ash t
rees,
is
contr
ibuting t
o t
he u
rban h
eat
isla
nd e
ffect.
The
TD
SB U
rban F
ore
str
y M
anagem
ent
Pla
n
recom
mends incre
asin
g t
he t
ree c
anopy a
t schools
--to
pro
vid
e s
hade a
nd c
ooling,
and t
o incre
ase
specie
s d
ivers
ity.
As p
art
of
this
managem
ent
pla
n,
the B
oard
will be p
lanting 4
20 t
rees a
t 42
schools
each y
ear.
Stu
dents
will re
vie
w t
ree m
aps
(TD
SBw
eb>
Facility S
erv
ices>
Form
s a
nd
Docum
ents
>M
aps>
Maps>
Tre
e M
aps)
for
the
ward
that
their s
chool is
in.
These t
ree m
aps
have b
een d
evelo
ped u
sin
g t
he U
niv
ers
ity o
f
Toro
nto
Fore
str
y d
epart
ment’s T
DSB t
ree
invento
ry.
Stu
dents
will dete
rmin
e w
hic
h
schools
need t
rees,
how
many t
rees f
or
each
school and,
based o
n a
revie
w o
f tr
ee s
pecie
s
curr
ently o
n t
he g
rounds,
suggest
new
specie
s.
(Ideally t
here
should
be o
nly
5%
of one t
ree
specie
s o
n e
ach s
chool gro
und.)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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98 Section 3
Window of School Ground Wishes
Imagine you are looking out a window onto the school ground. If you could have the best school ground
ever, what would be in it? Think of what you and your friends would be doing there. Draw a picture in
the window to show us what you wish for. Tell us in words also.
Name: ________________________
Grade: ________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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99 Section 3
Student Survey (elementary)
Tell us your thoughts about our school grounds
Why survey? Take students outside to do the survey if you can. They will give more complete
answers when they are physically in the place they are thinking about. Having students take adults
on a tour can be a good way to explore how they feel about the grounds as well as what they know.
Help them to “think seasonally”—how will the school grounds be used throughout the year? Use or
adapt the student questionnaire below for your own group as a way to get started!
Name: ______________________________________________ Grade: ___________________
School: ________________________________________________________________________
Part A — How do you use the school grounds?
1. What times of the day do you play in the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What do you do when you play in the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. What do you like to do best in the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What do you play with?
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Where do you play? Why?
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Where don't you play? Why?
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Are there places to get out of the wind, rain, and sun?
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Are there places where you can sit quietly to talk with a friend or read a book?
________________________________________________________________________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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100 Section 3
Part B — How do you feel about the school grounds?
1. What are the things you like the most about the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
2. What are the things you don't like at all about the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
3. Do you have a favourite place in the school yard? What makes it special?
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. Are there any places where you don't feel safe in the school grounds?
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What would you like to be able to do in the school grounds that you can't do now?
________________________________________________________________________________________
6. What would make your school grounds more interesting?
________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Are there places that you think could be made more colourful?
________________________________________________________________________________________
8. Make a wish list of things you'd like to include in the school grounds.
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
* Adapted from Evergreen’s All Hands in the Dirt: A Guide to Designing and Creating Natural School Grounds
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
101 Section 3
Name: __________________
Grade: _________________
School: _________________
Why survey?
Doing a student survey can
build interest in any school
project. It allows students to
voice their opinions and helps
them realize that they can
create change in their own
environment.
The Green Team at
Martingrove CI found that a
survey was a simple way to
outline possibilities and
discover what students
wanted to see happen. It also
brought greater meaning to
their planning. Our thanks to
the Martingrove team for
giving us permission to adapt
and share the survey that it
had adapted from Evergreen!
Student Survey (secondary)
Tell us your thoughts about our school grounds
The (club/team name) ____________________ wants to make the
school grounds more diverse and student-friendly. Plans might
include planting trees, adding seating and pathways and/or creating
habitat/naturalized gardens. We want to learn about your ideas for
improving the grounds. Please tell us your thoughts.
1. What features could be added to the school grounds? Circle
your answer(s).
a) trees b) gardens c) walkway d) benches/other seating
e) other(s): _________________________________________
2. Where do you spend time on the school grounds? Circle your
answer(s).
a) front lawn b) parking lot c) sports field d) track
e) other(s)__________________________________________
3. Are there things you like about the grounds?
___________________________________________________
Things you don't like? _________________________________
4. Is there anything you'd like to do on the school grounds that
you can't do now?
___________________________________________________
___________________________________________________
5. Is there anywhere you currently don't go? _________________
Why? ______________________________________________
___________________________________________________
6. Is there anywhere you don't feel safe? ___________________
Why? ______________________________________________
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
102 Section 3
———————————————
To download a pdf of the
award-winning EcoSchools
School Ground Greening:
Designing for Shade and
Energy Conservation guide,
visit ecoschools.ca>Resources
and Guides>Certification
Guides
———————————————
Helpful How-to Guides
The following resources are available to download at:
www.evergreen.ca
Getting started
The Learning Grounds Guide for Schools. This guide will help
you get started with your school ground greening project. You
will learn what you need to do in order to plan and implement
your project.
Getting Started Workshop-in-a-Box. This comprehensive
resource includes all the material you need to deliver an
inspirational workshop to kick-start a greening project at your
school.
Shade for Kids Workshop-in-a-Box. Kids are practically
melting in the sun and heat on asphalt school grounds all
across our city. They need shade! This resource shows you
how to create refuge from the sun with trees, sun shelters,
shade sails, and more.
Hands for Nature Volunteer Management Handbook. This
booklet provides practical tips and ideas for working
effectively with volunteers to create and sustain greening
projects.
Planning and design
School Ground Greening: Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation (revised 2007). This guide includes practical tips
for involving the school community in the design process,
conducting a shade assessment of the school ground, creating
a planting plan, and developing a fundraising strategy.
Landscape and Child Development: A Design Guide for Early
Years—Kindergarten Play–Learning Environments. This new
resource will help inspire ideas for a well-designed full day
kindergarten outdoor area that provides students with a broad
range of physical, cognitive, social and emotional development
opportunities.
Adapted from an Evergreen resource list.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
103 Section 3
———————————————
Contact us!
For information about getting
started, project planning
advice, and resources to
support your project, call the
School Ground Design
Consultant at 416.396.3485.
———————————————
Evergreen resources are also
available online at
evergreen.ca
———————————————
Board Support for School Ground Greening
The EcoSchools school ground greening team offers schools
guidance in planning and designing their school grounds for play
and learning.
Support is provided to schools through:
Advice to schools engaged in the school ground greening
planning process
On-site Design Consultations and review of all plans and
drawings (pp. 105-106)
Working with the Board
All landscaping that entails the building of structures, use of
power tools or heavy machinery, the removal of asphalt, or
planting of large caliper trees, must be done by unionized TDSB
Grounds or Design and Construction staff. These trees can be
ordered through a notification that the caretaker submits to the
area Grounds Team Leader. If trees (or other materials that
require heavy machinery to install) are purchased from private
suppliers, contact Green Projects Team Leader Justin Nadeau at
justin.nadeau@tdsb.on.ca.
Trees
Trees purchased from the TDSB come with a one-year
guarantee and are planted with heavy equipment by Board
employees. Cost includes tree cages and mulch provided at the
time of planting. Mulch must be replenished annually by the
school. See pp.91-92 for mulch ordering details.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
104 Section 3
Board Support for School Ground Greening (cont’d)
Tree replacement
If trees that have been planted by Board staff die or are
damaged, and if they meet TDSB standards for replacement,
the Board will replace them. Please ask your school’s caretaker
to contact the Family Team Leader to inquire about your tree
replacement needs.
Tree prices
All costs are subject to change; please confirm costs by
contacting your school’s Grounds Team Leader before you order
your trees.
Planting in turf
Deciduous trees (with mulch and trunk protection) $750
Coniferous trees (with mulch) $750
Planting in asphalt
Deciduous trees (includes asphalt removal, turf stone, $1,750
and trunk protection)
Coniferous trees $1,750
Project materials
The Board can provide other materials necessary for school
ground greening projects. Through the Design Consultation you
will find out who to call to get a quote on: mulch, built
structures, benches, timber planters, rocks, chess rocks, soil
amendments, compost, sand, and Triple Mix soil.
Note: All prices are subject to change.
IMPORTANT
INFORMATION:
Tree sizes
TDSB standards for the
size of trees are 70-75 mm
caliper* for deciduous
trees, and 2.5-3 m in
height for evergreens.
* The caliper of the tree is the
measurement of the diameter
of the trunk at chest level.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
105 Section 3
———————————————
What is the Design
Consultation?
The one-hour consultation on
the school ground with Board
and Evergreen staff will
provide your team with
support and guidance in the
following areas:
Project scope—“Start small and do it well!”
Design and implementation
Project maintenance and sustainability
Renovation and rejuvenation
Horticulture and tree
stewardship
Board support Funding
———————————————
Questions about the school
ground greening process and
TDSB and Evergreen
resources?
Call the School Ground Design
Consultant at 416.396.3485
———————————————
To download a basic plan of
your school site, go to the
Facility Services home page,
tdsbweb/facilityservices/
home.asp, and click on Site/
Floor Plans.
———————————————
Design Consultation Process
School ground greening projects must receive Board approval
before the school can proceed with implementation.
Consultations are held on Tuesdays. Spaces are limited. Book
early to avoid disappointment. Once the spaces are filled we will
be booking for next year. The attendance of the principal is
required for the consultation.
If you are planting trees and/or applying for Evergreen funding,
consult the applicable tools in this guide (e.g., see pp.102-104
and 118-120).
What to have ready when we visit your school
A team with teacher, student, and if possible parent
representation
Goals of the project (e.g., increase shade, add outdoor
seating, establish a garden, establish a food garden)
Educational goals
A plan for involving students in the planning, design, and
stewardship of the project
A drawing of the proposed design plan (e.g., circles
representing trees on a site plan of your school grounds—
see side bar for instructions on downloading your school’s
site plan)
Approval from the principal
One spokesperson chosen to communicate on behalf of the
project committee during the consultation
When you have gathered this information, please complete and
submit the Request for Design Consultation form that appears
on the next page. Remember to include your design plan!
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
106 Section 3
School name: Date:
School address:
School family: Student enrollment: Grade/s taught:
School phone number: School fax number:
EcoSchools status: Is this the school’s first design consultation?
Do you have a master plan for your school ground (check with the principal and/or office assistant
as this may have been done in the last 10 years)?
Project contact person/spokesperson:
Role: E-mail:
Project name:
When was the project initiated?
Project goals or statement of purpose: (e.g., increase shade, establish a food garden, create
a Nature Study Area)
You can illustrate your ideas on the Window of School Ground Wishes (p.98) and/or on a site plan
of your school (a site plan of your school can be downloaded from the TDSB Facility Services
home page; click on Site/Floor Plans)
Project description:
Teaching in the ‘Outdoor Classroom’: Please provide the names of teachers interested in using
the school ground or features related to your project of value in their teaching practice (this may
include studying trees and habitat, stewardship efforts such as watering and mulching, inquiry-
based explorations, etc.)
Principal’s signature:
Request for Design Consultation You will be contacted with the date and time for your site visit
Online fillable form
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
107 Section 3
Target/goal: Provide natural shade on school grounds to protect students and staff from
exposure to solar UVR and to conserve energy.
Build upon data gathered from questionnaires, mapping, and canopy density results.
Date: _________________
Provide shade for UVR protection
Note: Determine whether the areas listed below are
shaded during the most critical times of the day for
your students, i.e., morning recess, physical education
periods, lunchtime, and/or afternoon recess.
Sufficiently
shaded or
sheltered
Increase
the amount
of shade
Critical time
of day
shade is
needed
Comments
1. Active play areas—near the school building
including asphalt play areas, adjacent to basketball
courts, hopscotch, ball hockey courts, etc.
2. Play structures
3. Sand play areas
4. Meet-and-greet areas—where parents/buses pick
up and drop off children
5. Spectator areas adjacent to baseball diamonds
6. Spectator areas adjacent to sports fields
7. Perimeter of school grounds
8. Connecting corridors and pathways into school
grounds
9. Front of the school/areas that are out of bounds
Provide natural shade on school grounds to improve comfort and conserve energy
10. Next to school building on the south and southwest
sides
Block winter winds to conserve energy
11. Trees and shrubs planted as a windbreak to reduce
wind speeds and provide a shelter effect for the
northern and western exposures of the school
building
To download a basic plan of your school site, go to the Facility Services home page,
tdsbweb/facilityservices/home.asp, and click on Site/Floor Plans.
EcoReview Site Assessment for
Shade and Energy Conservation (secondary)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
108 Section 3
EcoReview Site Assessment for
Shade and Energy Conservation (secondary)
Target/goal: Provide natural shade on school grounds to protect students and staff from
exposure to solar UVR and to conserve energy.
Build upon data gathered from questionnaires, mapping, and canopy density results.
To download a basic plan of your school site, go to the Facility Services home page,
tdsbweb/facilityservices/home.asp, and click on Site/Floor Plans.
Date: __________________
Provide shade for UVR protection
Note: Determine whether the areas listed below are
shaded for your students during the most critical times
of the day, i.e., physical education periods, lunchtime.
Sufficiently
shaded or
sheltered
Increase
the amount
of shade
Critical time
of day
shade is
needed
Comments
1. Popular gathering spots—near the school building,
e.g., area adjacent to basketball courts, etc.
2. Bleachers
3. Spectator areas adjacent to baseball diamonds
4. Spectator areas adjacent to other sports fields
5. Perimeter of school grounds
6. Connecting corridors and pathways into school
grounds
7. Front of the school
Provide natural shade on school grounds to improve comfort and conserve energy
8. Next to school building on the south and southwest
sides
Block winter winds to conserve energy
9. Trees and shrubs planted as a windbreak to reduce
wind speeds and provide a shelter effect for the
northern and western exposures of the school
building
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
109 Section 3
Shade and Energy Conservation
Questionnaire for Parents/Guardians*
We are looking at ways to shade our school grounds to protect students from harmful sun exposure
and to conserve energy. We're interested in knowing your views on these issues. Please complete
this questionnaire and have your child return it to the school by ____________________ (date).
1. Are there places to get out of the wind and sun on your school grounds?
Yes No If yes, where? ____________________________________________
Are students allowed to be there? Yes No
2. Do you think there is enough shade where students gather/play on the school grounds?
Yes No If no, which areas do you think need more shade? Please list.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
3. Is there existing shade in out-of-bounds areas (e.g., the front of the school or back of the
sports fields)?
Yes No If yes, please list.
____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
4. Is the school building uncomfortable during hot days? Are classrooms on the south and south-
west sides too warm?
Yes No Don’t know
5. Would you be willing to devote volunteer time to planning, designing, implementing, or
maintaining a greening project focused on shade and energy conservation at your school?
Yes No If yes, please contact the school for information about volunteer
opportunities.
6. Any other comments?
Yes No If yes, please write on the back of the page.
* See also the questionnaires developed for principal, teacher, student, and caretaker that appear on pp.38-43 of
EcoSchools School Ground Greening: Designing for Shade and Energy Conservation (2007). Each perspective can add valuable
information to help you create a school ground that meets many needs and that the community cherishes as its own.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
110 Section 3
Sample Letter to Announce Your Greening Project
Use this sample letter about a shade project at Greendale Public School as a template for your
greening and community projects.
[Date] October 8, 2015
Dear Neighbours, Parents, Teachers, Guardians, and Students, [Your school name and project] Greendale Public School is initiating a project to design our school grounds for shade and energy conservation.
[The focus of your project] We will focus on creating shade in areas where students play, eat, are dropped off or picked up, and gather to socialize. Providing shade is critical to protect students from the sun’s harmful rays.
[Summarize the issues you hope to address] Students spend up to 25 percent of their school day outside, usually during the
periods of highest UVR exposure—between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. Research shows that one in seven children born today will develop skin cancer in
their lifetime (Canadian Dermatology Association). Shading the school building is important for reducing heating and cooling costs, thus
saving energy and reducing climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions. [Describe some of the specific actions/ideas you are looking into] We will be looking at ideas for providing more shade: planting trees and shrubs, creative shade solutions, and providing seating in shaded areas. [Ask for input] We welcome your input and involvement in this project. We need the support and effort of the entire school community to be successful, and we want to hear from you! [Provide a meeting date, time, location or an alternate contact if they cannot attend. Also indicate if you can provide childcare.] Please join us at our upcoming meeting at 4:00 p.m. on October 22, 2015 in Mr. Smith’s classroom or send your comments to evan.smith@tdsb.on.ca. Sincerely,
[name and title, if there is one] Mr. Smith, EcoTeam leader and the Greendale EcoTeam
Note: You may want to ask the principal if your committee can use school stationery for this letter
and even ask if she or he will co-sign it.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
111 Section 3
Build Community: Volunteer Opportunities in
School Ground Greening
1. Name: _________________________ Phone number or email: _________________________
2. I am a: student parent/guardian teacher school board staff
caretaker community member neighbour administrator
3. Would you be willing to help with any parts of the project? What might you be interested in
doing? Please place a checkmark beside the areas where you could help.
PLANNING
drawing maps
collecting tools
designing the space
delivering questionnaires
compiling questionnaire results
surveying neighbours
involving the younger students
helping with a shade assessment
organizing a launch celebration
DOCUMENTATION AND RESEARCH
taking photographs/videotaping
researching native tree species for shade
contacting other schools for useful tips
keeping a journal of the project
researching safety issues
researching the history of the site
preparing a field guide for the site
clipping newspaper articles/filing
PLANTING AND IMPLEMENTATION
planting shrubs
organizing volunteers
creating pathways
PUBLICITY
creating newsletters
writing articles
painting signs
creating murals
putting up posters
delivering information to neighbours
preparing media releases
MAINTENANCE
watering during summer months
creating a year-round tree care schedule
mulching
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
112 Section 3
Guide for Tree and Shrub Planting Projects
Care for existing trees and shrubs!
Before planting more trees or shrubs, think
about how you might involve students in
learning about and caring for the trees
already on their school ground. Mulching
trees annually to protect them and watering
during drought conditions can help to build
the culture of stewardship that will be
needed to care for trees and shrubs. See
the Seasonal Stewardship Plan template on
pp.86-87 for seasonal tree care activities.
Large and small trees and shrubs
Both large and small trees and shrubs can
be planted on Board property, but who
plants them depends on their size and
location. Large trees (suitable for planting in
active play areas in the turf or in asphalt)
have a 70-75 mm trunk diameter and weigh
250-350 kg. These must be planted by
Board staff. Small trees typically come as
bare root stock, in a pot, or wrapped in
burlap and are more vulnerable to the
rigours of play. These can be planted by
students. They must be planted in protected
areas of the school ground (e.g., naturalized
areas where lawn care equipment is
prohibited and/or at the front of the school
with enough tub ground mulch to protect
the trees from mowers. Signs help to
identify, celebrate, and protect the project.)
Choose native species!
Native species of trees and shrubs are
hardier and more likely to survive the tough
growing conditions of school grounds.
Native species also increase our city’s
biodiversity, provide habitat for wildlife, and
give students a chance to study plants
that are part of our natural heritage.
Sometimes non-native species are
required to fulfill a particular goal (e.g.,
maintaining clear access routes).
Recommended species
Tree and shrub species recommended for
TDSB schools are listed on p.114. To help
you assess different species’ UVR protec-
tion, see the Canopy Density Guide, p.47
of Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation (2007).*
Recommended size and prices
Trees need to meet minimum size
requirements of 70-75mm diameter
trunk width for deciduous and 2.5-3m in
height for evergreens to improve their
chances of survival in areas of active
play. Trees purchased through the TDSB
will meet these size requirements. See
p.104 of this guide for details on pricing.
Tree locations: Designing your project
for shade and energy conservation
For help with placing your trees where
they will provide the greatest benefits,
see pp.49-60 of Designing for Shade and
Energy Conservation (2007).*
——————————————————————
Note: See also Shade and Energy Conservation
Questionnaires (p.109); the EcoReview Site
Assessment for Shade and Energy Conservation
(pp.107-108); and Sample Letter to Announce Your
Greening Project (p.110).
*To download a pdf of EcoSchools School Ground
Greening: Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation guide, visit ecoschools.ca>Resources
and Guides>Certification Guides.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
113 Section 3
FACT SHEETS
———————————————
Keeping Trees Healthy
evergreen.ca/downloads/pdfs/
Planting-Trees-4-Keeping-
Healthy.pdf
———————————————
Tree Planting Do’s and
Don’ts
evergreen.ca/downloads/pdfs/
Planting-Trees-5-Do-Dont.pdf
———————————————
———————————————
To download a pdf of
EcoSchools School Ground
Greening: Designing for
Shade and Energy
Conservation guide, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Certification Guides
———————————————
Tree planting specifications and standard practices
See pp.71-75 of Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation (2007) for detailed illustrated guidelines
for successful planting under different conditions
(e.g., in turf, in poorly drained soils, in asphalt, and
near salt runoff).
Plan for tree and shrub care!
Think ahead! The more you plan for tree care in the
beginning, the less work there will be later on, and
the healthier the trees! Especially in the first 2 to 3
years, your new trees and shrubs will need special
care. This is a wonderful opportunity for student
stewardship.
Watering: See pp.89-90 of this guide for a helpful
watering technique. From May to August for the first 2
to 3 years, every tree needs 30 gallons of water every
week. From September to mid-October, each tree
requires 30 gallons of water every 2 weeks. See p.88
for a Watering Schedule sign-Up sheet.
Mulching: See pp.91-92 of this guide. Top up the
mulch annually around trees as needed to a 6” (15
cm) depth.
Protection strategy: New trees need protection!
See pp.79-82 in Designing for Shade and Energy
Conservation (2007). Appoint a school “tree advocate”
to ensure that your tree care plan is carried out.
Guide for Tree and Shrub Planting Projects (cont’d)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
114 Section 3
———————————————-
Use deciduous species to
provide shade. Use coniferous
trees for windbreaks, shelter
for birds, and winter interest.
———————————————-
Recommended Trees and Shrubs Species
We recommend selecting a variety of native species that are not
already found on your site to increase the biodiversity of the school
ground. This also creates wonderful opportunities for students to
learn about several different native trees. The following species are
native to Toronto’s ecozone and are suitable for school grounds.
For best results trees are planted in the fall.
Deciduous species: Coniferous species:
Basswood (Tilia americana) Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis) Eastern Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis)
Hackberry (Celtis occidentalis) Eastern White Pine (Pinus strobus)
Honey Locust (Gleditsia triacanthos) Eastern White Cedar (Thuja occidentalis)
Black Locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) Tamarack (Larix laricina)
Kentucky Coffee Tree (Gymnocladus dioicus) White Spruce (Picea glauca)
Ironwood (Ostrya virginiana) Common Larch (Larix decidua)
Red Maple (Acer rubrum)
Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum)
Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum)
Red Maple Silver Maple cross (Acer jackmannii)
Black Maple (Acer nigrum)
Tulip Tree (Liriodendron tulipifera)
Alternate Dogwood (Cornus alternifolia)
Gray Dogwood (Cornus racemosa)
Downy Serviceberry (Amelanchier arborea)
Eastern Redbud (Cercis canadensis)
Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago)
Ninebark (Physocarpus opulifolius)
The native shrubs listed below provide food and habitat for birds and
are suitable for school grounds:
Flowering Nannyberry
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
115 Section 3
———————————————
Tending the Nature Study
Area
The long grass that is part of
most Nature Study Areas can
trap litter. Part of the school's
stewardship activities needs to
include regular litter clean-up.
Be sure to place garbage
containers near the area to
encourage good behaviour!
———————————————
Nature Study Areas
The TDSB has Nature Study Areas (NSAs) at 18 schools. These
areas are wonderful examples of the ecologically-rich environments
just “waiting to grow” on some school grounds. By the simple act of
not mowing, these areas gradually become outdoor labs for the
study of ecological succession, ecosystems and food webs, and
plant reproduction.
These projects have no start-up costs and require little
management. By reducing the amount of mowing required, the
school is also helping to reduce fuel use and greenhouse gas
emissions!
A Nature Study Area reflects its environment. Different site
characteristics such as soil type, drainage, and surrounding
vegetation mean that no two areas are alike. Some will change
dramatically over a short period of time; in others the changes will
be more subtle.
Not every school ground has the right site conditions for a Nature
Study Area. Any new Nature Study Areas will need to be
registered with the City through EcoSchools. A Design
Consultation with our staff is needed to assess where (and
whether!) a Nature Study Area might thrive on your
grounds.
Interested in creating a Nature Study Area on your school
grounds?
You will need:
A (grade/subject) range of teachers who will use the NSA as
part of their teaching and learning program
Discussion with the caretaker
Approval of the principal
A Design Consultation with TDSB/Evergreen staff to determine
if your site is suitable (see pp.105-106 of this guide)
Signage is important. It tells
the community about the
educational value of
intentionally letting a small
piece of nature develop as a
managed ecosystem.
Family Team Leaders and the
EcoSchools department can
help with signage.
Contact EcoSchools staff at
416.396.3485.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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116 Section 3
School Food Gardens—getting started
School grounds are unique environments for planting a food garden. Growing food on school
grounds is lots of work—tremendously rewarding, but not for the faint of heart. Our school ground
greening staff would say at the outset start small and involve others—especially your students—
from the beginning.
School food gardens can provide rich, hands-on learning opportunities for students. For more
details, go to the EcoSchools School Food Gardens resource*. For inspiration, check out Green
Thumb’s Growing Kids’ Big Ideas chart which connects food gardens to the environment, society,
health, and food.
Where to begin – the basics
Plan and schedule a Design Consultation
Use the Road Map to help you plan, Certification Toolkit, p.96
Schedule a Design Consultation (if it is a new food garden). See pp.105-106
Location
Near a tap or water source
Avoid areas where water flows or pools (storm water can wash away seedlings and
winter salt can contaminate soil)
Avoid high traffic areas so plants don’t get trampled
Garden design—plant for accessibility and sustainability
Where will you plant? (e.g., in the ground, planting beds, raised beds, etc.)
Are paths and planting beds laid out to allow access to all the plants?
Will the garden be fenced? Where are the points of access?
Sun!
6 or more hours are required for fruiting plants, 3-6 hours for herbs and leafy greens
See the School Food Gardens resource online for tips on mapping your site’s sun/shade
Soil
Fertile, well drained, porous, and reasonably free of stones
Add compost to keep soil well supplied with organic matter
Concerned about soil quality? Send a sample for testing or order soil and plant in raised
beds (see the School Food Gardens resource for soil testing and ordering details)
Watering
Water thoroughly the day before planting
Establish a watering schedule to ensure plants are watered regularly, especially during
dry periods
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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117 Section 3
School Food Gardens—through the seasons
Food gardens are a year-long endeavour and should be thoughtfully planned so that they can be
successful from year to year. Below are a few things to think about as you plan for each season.
Since learning happens everywhere, see where you can uncover links between these tasks and
formal curriculum expectations!
Fall
If you’ve grown food over the summer, celebrate with a harvest festival
Don’t have a lunch or salad bar program? Offer your produce to interested students, staff
and parents, or contact a community agency (like your local food bank)
Plan for the year by taking stock of existing school and community resources
Research and apply for grants if necessary (see the Fundraising Tips on pp.118-119)
Winter
If you have summer volunteers, select crops that will be ready to harvest in the fall
(otherwise, choose plants that you can harvest in June), culturally relevant foods, self-
seeding annuals, and perennials
Create a stewardship plan (pp.86-87), including weeding and watering schedules (p.88)
Order soil, mulch, and compost (for ordering details, see the School Food Gardens
resource*)
Create signage to identify what is growing and where
Start your community outreach to help with planting, stewardship, and summer care (see
the Build Community: Volunteer Opportunities tool on p.111 for a sample list of tasks)
Spring
Schedule for solarizing and turning over the garden (see tips in the School Food Gardens
resource*)
Start vegetables indoors
Continue community outreach to help with stewardship and summer care
Plan a school and/or community planting day
Compost as needed
Summer
If you’re putting the garden to rest until the following school year, clear the site in
preparation for planting next spring
Watering, weeding, composting and stewardship according to established garden schedules
*Additional resources
A list of school food garden online resources is available in the EcoSchools School Food Gardens
resource (available online at ecoschools.ca>Certification Guides>Certification Toolkit>Section 3
or contact gail.bornstein@tdsb.on.ca, 416.396.3485).
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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118 Section 3
Fundraising Tips
For writing applications and proposals
Starting out
1. Have a clearly defined project to
fund
Think through your project carefully before
seeking funds. Good planning takes time.
Don’t let funding deadlines rush your
decision-making or override your
judgement!
2. Ask before you buy
Let parents and others know what
you need—it’s amazing what you can
find without having to purchase!
Contact local service clubs and
businesses, for cash donations and/
or in-kind goods.
3. Understand the grant criteria
(this step will save you unnecessary work)
Call the funding agency to discuss
your project.
Does your project meet its criteria?
What does it not fund (e.g., delivery
charges, salaries)?
When are the applications due?
What is the turnaround time? Does
this give you time to order supplies?
What is the deadline for using the
funds?
Are there reporting requirements
(e.g., before and after photos)?
Completing the grant application
1. Assume that you will receive
what you are asking for
Have a detailed plan; describe
how you will spend the grant.
Include details such as common
and Latin names of plants, how
many of each species, size of the
plant material, tools (what type,
how many).
Get actual prices from suppliers
and use these amounts on your
budget page.
Take time to anticipate all of your
costs (don't forget taxes and
delivery).
2. Share the task with others
It’s a big job. Get several
volunteers to take different parts
of the grant application and write
them up (e.g., teacher
representatives can write the
curriculum connections).
Have one person compile all the
parts and submit the final
proposal (this person should also
be the contact).
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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119 Section 3
Fundraising Tips (cont’d)
Completing the grant application
(cont’d)
3. Follow the grant application
questions precisely
Answer all the questions in the
order in which they appear on the
application.
Include all attachments and
documents requested.
Use the application form itself if
possible. At least use the application
form headings in your proposal.
4. Be clear, concise, and compelling
Point-form answers are often better
than paragraphs.
Clearly articulate the project goals
and objectives related to the funds
that you are requesting.
Make sure that your plant species
and design are consistent with your
goals.
Demonstrate that you are organized
and have a plan; include photos and
site diagrams.
Include in-kind donations of goods in
the budget; this shows community
support for your project.
Include a cover letter to express your
enthusiasm and dedication.
5. Provide recognition
List several ways in which the
funding organization will receive
recognition for its support and ways
in which the organization can be
involved.
6. Funding sources
Evergreen Learning Grounds funding
program evergreen.ca/en/funding/
grants/telg.sn
Schools may receive $500-$3500
per school on a first-come, first-
served basis for purchasing native
species of trees, shrubs, vines,
heritage vegetables and berries,
tools, materials, and professional
services.
TD Canada Trust Friends of the
Environment Foundation
fef.td.com/funding.jsp
Notes:
Always check for up-to-date information on
the websites provided as details on funding
available and deadlines may change.
The TDSB does not normally provide funding
for greening projects. Schools must
fundraise and/or secure funding from
external sources.
For more information on fundraising and budgeting see Chapter 8 of Evergreen's online resource All Hands in the Dirt:
A Guide to Designing and Creating Natural School Grounds. evergreen.ca/downloads/html/all-hands/0.html
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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120 Section 3
Sample Budget: Native Plants (Including all taxes)
Common
name
Latin name
(Genus and
Species)
Size of plant
material
Source
(nursery
name)
Total
number
of plants
Cost
per plant
Total cost
Tulip Tree Liriodendon
tulipifera
75 mm caliper
(trunk diameter)
Board
suppliers 3 $750 $2,250
Red Maple Acer
rubrum
75 mm caliper
(trunk diameter)
Board
suppliers 3 $750 $2,250
Serviceberry Amelanchier
laevis 3 gallon pots
Native
plant
nurseries
6 $30 $180
Ninebark Physocarpus
opulifolius 3 gallon pots
Humber
Nurseries
Ltd.
10 $30 $300
Total plants 22 Subtotal $4,980
Other Resources, Supplies
Description Quantity Cost per Item Total Cost per Item
shovels 5 $10 $50
trowels 5 $4 $20
pizza lunches on planting day 2 $50 $100
beverages on planting day $125 $125
Subtotal $295
Subtotal Native Plants $4,980
Subtotal Other Resources, Supplies $295
Total Project Costs $5,275
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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122 Section 4
Improve Student Achievement
through Ecological Literacy: Overview
Ecological literacy is the desired outcome of environmental
education. It is a phrase that recurs in our EcoSchools materials.
The next page describes the path to becoming more ecologically
literate. The Ministry of Education defines environmental education
in Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow (2009).
Connecting the Ministry’s definition to the EcoSchools
certification questions:
1. The questions in this section are divided into the three entry
points of environmental education named in the definition's
preamble: “about,” “for,” and “in” the environment.
EcoSchools' goal is to make this triad part of the everyday
language of lesson planning.
2. The tools that follow all support teaching and learning in terms
of one or more of these three entry points, including four
mapping tools (pp.128-146) to kick-start a systems approach
which is central to thinking ecologically.
What is environmental education:
Environmental education is education ABOUT the
environment, FOR the environment, and IN the
environment that promotes an understanding of, rich and
active experience in, an appreciation for the dynamic
interactions of:
The Earth's physical and biological systems
The dependency of our social and economic systems on these
natural systems
The scientific and human dimensions of environmental issues
The positive and negative consequences, both intended and
unintended, of the interactions between human–created and
natural systems
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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123 Section 4
The path to becoming more ecologically literate: making
connections
Becoming more ecologically literate requires us to connect
the dots as we teach and learn about humans interacting with
the environment. This is the path to discovering what it
means to live more sustainably on the planet.
Instead of seeing what we teach and learn in isolated “bits”
or “parts,” we develop our ecological literacy by looking at
how the parts are connected, and how they make up a whole
that is “greater than the sum of its parts.”
People and nature are parts of this planetary whole. Seeing
the interactions of the parts helps us understand some of the
causes and consequences of our human impact on the
environment, and the impact of the environment on us.
This approach to learning calls upon us to think in terms of
systems. In many subject areas, it is a better match for the
way our brains absorb ideas by constantly making
connections and putting things in larger contexts as we learn.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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124 Section 4
4. Improve Student Achievement
through Ecological Literacy EcoReview
GUIDING QUESTION
How does your school include ecological literacy in teaching and learning across the
grades?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (70%) 0 1 2 3 4
4.1 Planning collaboratively
To what extent is staff planning together to implement ecological literacy?
How to rate your school in 4.1: Determine your score based on the extent of staff
collaboration in addressing ecological literacy.
Level 1= 2 teachers planning together (e.g., learning buddies, team teaching, teacher-librarian
partnerships)
Level 2= 3 or more teachers planning together
Level 3= a division or department planning together (e.g., a literacy pathway, environmental
science fair, eco-themed arts festival)
Level 4= more than one division or department planning together (e.g., a PLC that represents a
broad range of teachers; implementation of explicit goal in School Improvement Plan
[SIP]; Specialist High Skills Major [SHSM])
EDUCATION ABOUT THE ENVIRONMENT At the core of education about the environment is the study of how land, air, and water ecosystems work, and the
knowledge that human well-being is dependent on ecosystem health.
4.2 Understanding nature through thinking in systems terms. To what extent do students
learn about how nature works as interacting systems (focus on learning through the grades that
contributes to understanding energy flows, life webs, and matter cycles [e.g., process of
composting, food webs; soil formation]; apply the language of systems to develop critical
thinking—parts, wholes, relationships, sense of scale, feedback loops, cycles)?
4.3 Uncovering our dependence on the environment. To what extent is students' learning
connected to our dependence on the environment (focus on curriculum areas where students
can examine people's interaction with and dependence on food, water, energy, land, and air.
Consider these relationships in both the past and the present. Ask “In any particular situation,
what living and non-living resources did we use?”)?
EDUCATION FOR THE ENVIRONMENT Education for the environment helps students develop skills to examine human impact on the environment; research
ways to reduce that impact through conservation, adaptation, and innovation; advocate for change and actions that will reduce individual and collective ecological footprints.
4.4 Understanding and reducing human impact through thinking in systems terms. To what
extent do teachers and students work to understand the many impacts of their choices, both
positive and negative (e.g., graphing and analyzing local school data; calculating their ecological or carbon footprints; exploring multiple causes of environmental issues; mapping consequences
of events, trends, and decisions; asking questions such as “Is there any way that I/we can use
less energy, and/or fewer living and non-living resources? What impacts might my/our choices
have in the future?”)?
4.5 Citizenship action—responding to environmental issues. Issues arise from the
consequences of human impact. To what extent do teachers tap the potential of environmental issues to build active citizenship skills as part of their students' learning (e.g., designing
innovative solutions; engaging in action-based projects and campaigns; sending letters to
national and community newspapers; writing, e-mailing, or calling elected officials; setting up
and submitting petitions to inform and gather opinions; participating in community planning
meetings; using programs such as Worm Watch, Frog Watch)?
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
siv
e
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
125 Section 4
4. Improve Student Achievement
through Ecological Literacy EcoReview (cont’d)
GUIDING QUESTION
How does your school include ecological literacy in teaching and learning across the
grades?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation cont’d (70%) 0 1 2 3 4
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
reh
en
siv
e
EDUCATION IN THE ENVIRONMENT Education in the environment means making use of the environment as a context and a setting. It denotes direct
observation and experiential learning.
4.6 On the school ground. Does the school make the most of its school ground for direct
observation, inquiry, and experiential learning (e.g., through spending time in a Nature Study
Area or garden [planting and tending a food garden, perennial garden]; mapping use patterns;
seizing opportunities for sketching, photography; using trees and other features of the landscape
for activities such as interpretive hikes, learning trails)?
4.7 Natural and built environments beyond the school ground. To what extent do teachers
enrich student learning about their environment by exploring places (both natural and built)
beyond the school ground (e.g., through neighbourhood walks, trips to parks and ravines, TDSB
Outdoor Education Centres, Toronto Wind Turbine, TRCA sites, Humber Arboretum, Downsview
Park)?
4.8 Collaboration
Is evidence of the collaboration described in 4.1 included in the portfolio?
Portfolio requirement: brief outline of the ways in which your school is planning
collaboratively with a reflection on how well it worked and next steps
4.9 Student work in portfolio
Does the portfolio include student work samples from several grades and subjects that
demonstrate an understanding (“about”), appreciation (“for”), and experience (“in”) of the environment. Is each sample accompanied by the EcoLiteracy Checklist form on p.167 of the
Certification Toolkit?
Portfolio requirement: 5-10 samples of student work accompanied by the EcoLiteracy
Checklist
School Visit “look-fors” (30%)—Scored by EcoSchools Auditor using rubric 0 1 2 3 4
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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126 Section 4
———————————————
Use this tool to help unpack
the Ecological Literacy
EcoReview questions on
pp.124-125.
———————————————
What is it?
Education about the environment is learning how nature works.
Instruction includes the earth's physical, chemical, and
biological systems as well as knowledge of how we are
connected to these same systems. Thinking in systems terms is
essential for analyzing the complex relationships within and
between natural systems and environmental issues.
4.2 Understanding nature through thinking in systems
terms
We provide multiple opportunities in different subject
areas to learn about nature's systems: matter cycles
(e.g., rock, water, carbon cycles); energy flows (heat
in the environment, climate change); and life webs
(biodiversity, the human body).
When studying natural or human systems, we ask
these three questions:
(1) What are the parts of the system?
(2) How do the parts function in relation to each
other (e.g., relationships, cycles, feedback
loops)?
(3) How is the system itself part of a larger
system (e.g., sense of scale)?
4.3 Uncovering our dependence on the environment
When we study the parts of nature's systems (water,
soil, air, energy, and food) we make connections to
their essential role in sustaining life.
When we study communities and societies, past and
present, we examine their dependence and impact on
natural systems (water, soil, landscapes, air, food,
and energy).
(i) Unpacking Ecological Literacy:
Education ABOUT the Environment
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127 Section 4
Fundamentals: “How Nature Works”
It's a big challenge to provide students with an understanding of
how nature works, and how we can live within its limits. Nature is
the last area of study that we would like to reduce to a formula, yet
unless we find simple ways to break down the basic concepts, we
will not be able to integrate and deepen our students' and our own
knowledge.
Art Sussman's Guide to Planet Earth* offers a distilled description
of how nature works. He focuses on three interconnected
interactions within nature: energy flows, life webs, and matter
cycles. We have put the three together to create a mnemonic that
can help us remember it all. Using the first letter of each of these
three interactions adds up to E.L.M.—Energy, Life, and Matter.
Ecological literacy is acquired in part through developing an
understanding of these interactions and how the impact of human
systems on these natural systems affects each of them.
Our mnemonic ELM is a native tree species whose decline to near
extinction and then gradual recovery through the work of the Elm
Recovery Project provides us with an important reminder of human
impact on the environment, and the role we can play in repairing
damage done.
* Dr. Art’s Guide to Planet Earth. San Francisco: West Ed, 2000.
(to access this guide, visit EPA’s website and search by title)
Avoid interfering with
Earth’s energy flows
Preserve the web of life
Maintain the current balance
in matter cycles
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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128 Section 4
Tools for thinking in
systems terms
All maps or webs allow us to
uncover or discover
connections that are hidden or
ignored. Once made visible by
mapping, this connection-
making is a main building
block for learning to think in
systems terms, or systems
thinking.
Four tools offer different
starting points for helping
students make connections:
Scenario Mapping
(pp.128-130)
Dependency Webs
(pp.131-134)
Consequence Mapping
(pp.135-140)
Concept Mapping
(pp.142-146)
Scenario Mapping
Scenario mapping is a visual tool to help students show how an
everyday activity depends on resources from the Earth and
energy from the Sun.
What is this learning strategy for?
Scenario mapping asks students to focus on and brainstorm
about the resources required to carry out a particular human
activity. It begins by looking at the people who are involved in
the activity and then proceeds to identify the resources that
these people depend on. Carefully chosen activities can highlight
how hidden or “embedded” the natural resources required can
be.
How to use the strategy
1. In groups of 3 or 4, ask students to brainstorm a given
scenario, answering these questions:
Who are the people in this scenario?
What technologies, machines, and/or natural resources do
these people use to do their jobs?
Where do the resources to make these technologies and
machines come from?
2. Choose an activity that is very familiar to students. Try, for
example, a scenario that has become ubiquitous in North
America: using the Internet. Within that simple scenario, ask
students to assume the role of friends using the Internet to
chat. It is easy to show how this activity is dependent on
matter and energy. Computers and modems require
electricity to work. This electricity depends on coal, uranium,
natural gas, silicon, moving water, and air. The hardware
itself is made of a variety of materials—plastic, glass, metals,
and semi-conductors. And so the virtual world depends
concretely on natural resources that come from the Earth or
the Sun.
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129 Section 4
———————————————
Life cycle analysis
Life cycle posters of a soccer
ball, CD/DVD, and cell phone
are available from epa.gov/
epawaste/education/mad.htm
Probing the “cradle to grave”
life cycle of an object is
another way for students to
practice thinking in system
terms.
———————————————
Ideas for introducing the strategy
1. For younger children, consider using books such as David
Suzuki and Kathy Vanderlinden's You Are the Earth, David
Suzuki Foundation and Greystone Books, 1999.
2. For older students, Annie Leonard’s short video The Story of
Stuff (storyofstuff.com) will provide you with a dynamic way
to take a deeper look at the life cycle of our consumer
economy. Life cycle posters downloadable from the US
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) are another way to
introduce this kind of systems thinking.
Supporting students
Start with a simple scenario that most students can relate to,
such as the “Operating a Bakery” example on the next page.
Provide students with an incomplete scenario map, and
provide time for them to complete the map using a given
word list.
Model the development of another scenario, perhaps
something like buying shoes, or borrowing a book from the
library.
Then ask students to map out a scenario of their own
choosing in small groups. This can be more difficult than it
seems. You may want to provide more examples, or start
with whole-class brainstorming.
Provide time for students to share their maps and ask
questions that lead them to look deeper as needed.
Assessment and evaluation
Students who can draw an accurate and in-depth scenario map
have demonstrated knowledge and understanding of content,
creative and critical thinking, expression of ideas and information
using a visual form, and making connections between science,
technology, society, and the environment.
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130 Section 4
Scenario Mapping: Operating a Bakery Depends on the Sun and the Earth
NAME
Use these words to
complete this map:
Sun, water, flour,
metals, oil, sunlight,
Earth, farmers.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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131 Section 4
——————————————
* For further reading
Roger Smith, Strands in the
Web: 201 Activities for
Teaching Environmental
Awareness. Markham, ON:
Pippin Publishing, 1994.
ISBN 0-88751-035-3
——————————————
Dependency Webs
A dependency web is a visual tool to help students uncover and
then trace what we depend on for our daily lives.
What is this learning strategy for?
A dependency webbing exercise provides focus for students to
map out how they depend on a system, product, or resource
(Smith, 1994).* The dependency web puts the student at the
centre of the map (in contrast to the scenario map which starts
with the activity as the focal point). For example, students
might be asked to make a web of their dependence on water.
Students’ initial map might look like the diagram to the left.
After further discussion and questioning, students may come to
realize that we depend on water in many other ways. Water is
used in almost every industrial process—and so there is
“embedded” water in everything we use. Also, in some
buildings, water is used to carry and distribute heat. In Toronto,
lake water is used to cool buildings as in Enwave’s Deep Lake
Water Cooling system, which is the world's largest. Needless to
say, every plant requires water to grow, and so water is needed
for the food we eat, and for the trees that shade us. A more
developed dependency web for water might look like this:
130
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———————————————
Dependency webs and
systems thinking
Ask students to imagine their
lives after a city-wide system
has failed. Questions to
provoke systems thinking:
“How would your life be
affected if the subway were
disabled for one day? one
week? one month?”
“How would your life be
affected if the electrical
network were disabled for one
day? one week? one month?”
———————————————
How to use the strategy
1. Provide students with the name of a product, resource, or
system related to the content you will be studying. Let's call
it “the topic.”
2. Ask students to brainstorm ways in which they are
dependent on what is being investigated as the topic.
3. Then ask students to write the topic at the centre of a blank
page and draw arrows that point away from the topic to
show how they believe themselves to be dependent on it.
4. Next, ask students to change their perspectives to generate
ideas. For example, provide students with one minute each
for thinking about the costs, the benefits, the short term,
and the long term. Or, ask students to put themselves in
different roles: as a baby, as a parent, as a sibling, or as a
spouse.
Ideas for introducing the strategy
1. A dependency web is especially useful in helping students
see their reliance on technology, something that is often
taken for granted. Ask students to brainstorm the many
ways a particular technology may contribute to their lives as
content for their dependency web.
2. The sample web that follows illustrates what a biotechnology
dependency web might look like. Adding “and me” to the
technology being considered helps to focus students'
thinking on personal connections.
Dependency Webs (cont’d)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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133 Section 4
Biotechnology Dependency Web
Assessment and evaluation
Students’ dependency webs reveal how well they are able to
account for the relationship between their own lives and the
topic under discussion. Students who can draw an accurate and
in-depth dependency web have demonstrated knowledge and
understanding of content, creative and critical thinking,
expression of ideas and information using a visual form, and
making connections between science, technology, society, and
the environment.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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134 Section 4
Supporting students
Students may need guidance in broadening their
understanding of systems and subsystems. For example,
students may not be able to trace their dependency on food
to fuel for trucks if they haven't given any thought to how
food arrives at their homes.
Some students may benefit from linear diagrams that
illustrate such dependencies. For example, to promote
thinking about how we depend on fuel, teachers can present
students with a simplified view of food production (see
sidebar) and ask them “how is fuel used at each stage of the
process?” Then, students can be prompted to think of how
we all depend on fuel in other areas, such as health care,
entertainment, and housing.
Literacy
Provide students with the opportunity to convert their
dependency webs into short paragraphs to address such
questions as “Why is this material relevant?” “To what degree
am I dependent on this?” “What would happen if it no longer
existed?”
Provide students with a list of words that convey dependency in
different ways, e.g., reliant, dependent, crucial, critical,
indispensable, vital, necessary, important, essential, key,
required. Near the end of a section of study, students can use
their dependency-web diagrams as a reference for a persuasive
writing piece.
Technology
To raise students' awareness of our dependency on “keystone”
technological devices in our society, try using a dependency
web for a light bulb, a transistor, an antibiotic, a needle, or a
transformer. In some cases, students may be required to do
research to complete a dependency web.
Simple dependency chain
Dependency Webs (cont’d)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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135 Section 4
Consequence Mapping
A consequence map is a visual tool for illustrating the many kinds
of future effects related to a real or imaginary event, issue,
problem, trend, or developing technology.
What is this learning strategy for?
Consequence mapping is a way to get students thinking about the
future, particularly possible changes in society, technology, and the
environment. In helping students practice making connections, it is
another tool for developing students' systems thinking skills,
projecting forward in time. Creating a consequence map can aid the
process of interpretation and analysis of alternatives that arise in
the course of making decisions. Grant, Johnson, and Sanders
(1990)* suggest providing students with a structured consequence
map to encourage them to explore a wide variety of primary,
secondary, and tertiary consequences. The structured map below
cues students to think of six different kinds of consequences.
Structured
Consequence Map
*Grant, P., Johnson, L., Sanders, Y., & Science Teachers. Association of Victoria. (1990)
Better Links: Teaching Strategies in the Science Classroom. Melbourne: Science Teachers Association of Victoria
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———————————————
Questions for consequence
mapping
See questions for six different
kinds of consequences on
p.140
———————————————
How to use the strategy
1. Select a single event, trend, or decision for discussion.
2. Choose a time frame, for example, 5, 10, 25, 50, or 100
years hence, depending on how far in the future you would
like your students to consider the consequences of the event
or issue.
3. Provide students with the consequence map graphic, and
give them time to brainstorm and jot down different kinds of
consequences. Alternatively, form groups of students and
assign different consequences to different groups. Provide
time for each group to present its discussion to the entire
class.
Ideas for introducing the strategy
1. To familiarize students with consequence mapping, find an
example of a decision or event that led to unforeseen
consequences many years later. The “Consequences of
Spraying DDT” map on the next page reveals how
environmental consequences can lead to social and
economic consequences.
2. According to UNESCO, there are five commonly held visions
of the future (see p.141). Provide time for students to
explore which vision of the future they hold. Discuss how the
consequence maps drawn by those who hold each of these
visions might differ, and how these visions may lead to
divergent decisions.
3. Provide time for students to explore the ramifications of
current issues (e.g., Lyme disease contracted from ticks,
H1N1 flu, SARS epidemic, West Nile virus) from the
perspective of someone who identifies with one of the
UNESCO visions. Review the consequence map to remind
the class of the many kinds of consequences to be
considered.
Consequence Mapping (cont’d)
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In one country some time ago,
in an effort to kill off
mosquitoes, technologists
sprayed woods and
swamplands with DDT. Result?
Cockroaches, which ate
poisoned mosquitoes, were so
slowed in their reactions that
they would be eaten by a
variety of tree-climbing lizards
which, sickened in turn, could
be eaten by cats, which
promptly died of insecticide
poisoning.
The cats having died, the rat
population began to increase;
as rats multiplied, so did fleas:
hence the rapid spread of
bubonic plague in the country.
But this is not all. The
tree-climbing lizards, having
died, could no longer eat a
particular insect that consumed
the straw thatching of people's
huts. So as the people died of
plague, their roofs literally
caved in above their heads.
Ask:
Who is liable?
How much should families
be compensated?
Will the ecosystem restore
itself to its former condition?
What kind of knowledge is
required to predict the
outcome of such events?
Adapted from Gunter (1977).
Consequences of Spraying DDT
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Consequence Mapping (cont’d)
Assessment and evaluation
Students’ consequence maps reveal how well they comprehend
the cause-effect relationships under discussion. Students who
can draw an accurate and in-depth consequence map have
demonstrated knowledge and understanding of content,
creative and critical thinking, expression of ideas and
information using a visual form, and making connections
between science, technology, society, and the environment.
Supporting students
As a warm-up activity, provide students with cause/effect
graphic organizers that illustrate how a cause has multiple
effects.
Focus on one or two of the six types of consequences
(scientific, social, environmental, ethical/legal, personal,
economic) at a time to reduce the complexity of the
consequence map.
Begin with a trend or problem to which students can easily
relate, such as the increased incidence of smoking among
young women. Consider limiting the map to primary and
secondary consequences.
Provide students with focus questions for each of the six
consequences displayed in the structured consequence map.
Literacy
Translating texts into a consequence map provides students
with a means to identify cause/effect vocabulary and highlight
important relationships. Students can also practice summarizing
key parts of a reading selection by drawing these maps. In
other subjects, including English, students are required to use
their knowledge of textual elements and organizational patterns
(cause/effect, process, comparison/contrast) to understand and
analyze text.
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Consequence Mapping (cont’d)
Technology
Have students use research skills to seek out data from such
sources as Statistics Canada. Teach them how to download data
in text-delimited formats for the purpose of importing the data
into a spreadsheet program such as Graphical Analysis 3.0,
Quattro Pro, or Excel. After graphing time series data, ask
students to analyze the trends and extrapolate into the future.
Their extrapolation can then be interpreted, and a consequence
map can be constructed within Inspiration software to predict
the impact of the trends they observe.
For further reading
UNESCO’s Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future: A
Multimedia Teacher Education Programme may be found at
unesco.org/education/tlsf/.
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140 Section 4
Questions for
Consequence
Mapping
1. Social consequences
a. Who are the stakeholders? Who will benefit?
b. What cultures could be affected? What ethnic groups could
be affected?
c. How are different groups of people affected?
d. What parts of society does it bring together, and what parts
does it divide?
e. What effects will it have on lifestyle and living conditions?
2. Environmental consequences
a. How does it affect our environment in the short term?
b. How does it affect our environment in the long term?
c. Is it sustainable?
3. Ethical/legal consequences
a. What individual rights might be violated?
b. How does it produce the maximum good?
c. How does it promote the common good?
d. What are the related ethical issues?
e. Does the technology promote illegal activity?
4. Economic consequences
a. Is it desirable or undesirable on any of these scales: global,
country, region, company, immediate neighbours, people in
general?
b. What is the impact on employment or economic stability?
c. How will it affect the cultural, ethnic, and/or economic
divides?
5. Scientific consequences
a. Will the decision promote basic scientific research?
b. What is the fundamental science upon which this technology
depends?
c. What scientific information, if any, might change your view on
this issue?
6. Personal consequences
a. How does it affect you in the short term?
b. How does it affect you in the long term?
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141 Section 4
UNESCO: Five Community Held Visions of the Future
I. Business as usual
Those who argue that the future will be very much like today hold this vision. In other words,
there will be the usual alarms and excursions, but nothing that cannot be effectively dealt with.
The main problems in the future will be similar to those of today and solvable in similar ways; in
short, the world will go on much as it has done before.
II. Edge of disaster
This vision is held by those who believe that we are on the verge of one or more major
catastrophes, the signs of which are already clearly evident. They range from accidental nuclear
war, major famine and poverty, breakdown of law and order, to environmental pollution and
global warming. Life as we know it is on the verge of breakdown and when various elements
collapse it will never be the same again.
III. Authoritarian control
Those who feel that the risk of disaster is so great that the best solution is the imposition of
some form of strict external authority hold this vision. Only this will be able to prevent major
disorder by controlling, for example, population growth or the use of increasingly scarce
resources. In this way chaos and confrontation, whether national or international, can be
avoided.
IV. Technological miracles
Those who believe that the answer to most problems lies in the accelerated growth of science
and technology hold this vision. Thus, nuclear energy, computerization, genetic engineering,
lunar colonisation, are all seen as offering dramatic rewards, especially for business.
V. Sustainable society
This vision is held by those who believe that the future must involve a major change in
direction, away from a mechanistic and fragmented view of the world to a more holistic and
ecological one. It requires a major shift away from the technical and economic goals towards a
more humane and sustainable society.
Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future © UNESCO, 2002. All Rights Reserved.
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142 Section 4
Concept mapping and
systems thinking
Concept maps are especially
good at helping students see
things in relation to one
another, or even in a multitude
of relationships. Uncovering
these relationship connections
is a way that systems thinking
builds knowledge.
Students may be familiar with
using concept maps as visual
organizers of ideas for writing
tasks.
Concept Mapping
A concept map is a visual representation of ideas where
relationships are made explicit through arrows and linking
words. A concept map usually begins with a central or main
idea, under which related, subordinate ideas are placed.
What is this learning strategy for?
Concept mapping is a visual tool that can help reveal students'
prior experience. Importantly, concept mapping also enables
students to create new knowledge through discovering
connections among seemingly unconnected ideas and realities.
The webbing of concepts, which students construct and
deconstruct, also mirrors the complex relationships among
people, nature’s “goods and services,” and technologies as they
exist in the real world.
Concept mapping is effective for several reasons
1. Environmental concepts are highly interrelated.
2. Information is organized in many ways, and students learn
in many different ways, including visually.
3. Concepts can be understood more fully in relation to other
concepts.
4. Visualizing connections helps students engage in more
meaningful learning than does memorizing definitions.
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Concept Mapping (cont’d)
How to use the strategy
1. Identify a key concept or an issue related to the content
under study.
2. Provide time for pairs or groups of students to brainstorm
sub-concepts that are related to the main concept or issue.
Further elaborate on the sub-concepts by finding concepts
that stem from them.
3. Ask students to link the concepts with arrows. Over each
arrow, there must be a linking word or phrase that describes
or defines the relationship between the concepts.
4. Provide time for students to revisit their concept map after
further learning from videos, textbooks, or classroom notes.
Ideas for introducing the strategy
1. On an overhead or a handout, engage students by showing
them a sample concept map. Many concept maps such as the
one on the next page can be found in teacher resource books
or on the Internet.
2. Introduce the idea of a concept map to students by
explaining it as a visual organizer of ideas. Especially in the
secondary grades, many students may already be familiar
with visual organizers, since they are widely used. A
compare/contrast discussion of concept mapping with other
visual organizers may be useful.
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Concept map checklist
1. Organization
main concept is clear
sub-concepts are clear
linking words are used
between concepts
no linking lines crossed
some cross-linkages
between concepts
2. Content
logical relationships
between concepts and
sub-concepts are shown
appropriate linking words
used
logical cross-linking occurs
Concept Mapping (cont’d)
3. Ask students to study the sample concept map, and give them
time to discuss questions and explore their ideas of a concept
map. For example:
How do you construct a concept map?
How can the concept map help you organize what you
know about the relationships or connections about the
different components or parts?
How else can concept maps help you in your studies?
4. Construct a large concept map on the board, demonstrating its
use with a concept that the students have chosen from a list
provided that opens up the topic being pursued (e.g., fairness,
animal rights, environmental degradation, sustainable
development, participatory democracy).
Sample assignment: acid precipitation concept map
Construct your own concept map illustrating how acid
precipitation is an environmental issue that has interrelationships
with science, technology, and society.
Source: Composite concept map adapted from students’ work from C.W. Jeffreys C.I.
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———————————————
Visual organizers as
assessment aids for
second-language learners
A visual organizer is also
useful in assessment, allowing
second-language learners to
display their knowledge and
understanding, even though
they may not yet know
enough English to do so
verbally. If students can
complete an organizer with
key words, perhaps selected
from a list provided by the
teacher, they have understood
the key concepts and are able
to provide examples.
———————————————
Concept Mapping (cont’d)
Assessment and evaluation
Concept maps can be used as diagnostic assessment for
examining what students already know about a given topic.
Students may compare their initial concept map with one that
they complete at the end of a unit of study. This allows both the
students and the teacher to see what cognitive changes in
learning have taken place. They can also be used in formative
assessment or as an evaluation of what students have learned.
Supporting students
Provide support to students for whom this work is a new
way of learning. For example, explain the social and
academic benefits of group work, and use co-operative
learning techniques to keep students focused on the task
and to help them learn the necessary social skills.
Post concept maps around the classroom.
Conduct small-group instruction for teaching concept
mapping. Encourage peer coaching by organizing students
to work in mixed-ability groups.
Provide opportunities for English as a Second Language/
English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) students to
rehearse or explore ideas in their first language. For
example, students may sometimes work with bilingual peers
or tutors to confirm their understanding in their first
language before transferring to English. Some students may
wish to make notes, complete graphic organizers, or write a
first draft in their first language in preparation for doing so
in English.
Have students write out concepts on small pieces of paper
so that they can readily move concepts about before a final
concept map is made.
Work with the Special Education and ESL/ELD teachers on
incorporating concept mapping into other learning areas for
more practice. Provide dictionaries and vocabulary lists.
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146 Section 4
Literacy
Many students have difficulty expressing the relationship between
concepts because of scarcity of connective words in their
vocabulary. Help students acquire this vocabulary by discussing
and naming different kinds of relationships, and linking words that
describe these relationships. See chart below.
Technology
Smart Ideas software is an electronic concept mapping program
that supports the use of brainstorming, planning, organizing, and
concept mapping.
Concept mapping: Revealing relationships
Relationship Example Possible linking words
Whole to part
Bike Wheel
Cake Flour
Microscope Lens
Needs, uses, requires,
contains, consists of
Part to whole
Leaves Tree
Pages Book
Mitochondrion Cell
Is part of,
belongs to
Cause-effect Cold weather Put on sweater
Climate Change Increased
storm intensity
High acidity Eutrophication
Causes, results in,
contributes to, is involved
in, is a factor of
Concept Mapping (cont’d)
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147 Section 4
———————————————
Use this tool to help unpack the
Ecological Literacy EcoReview
questions on p.124-125.
———————————————
What is it?
In this approach we become advocates for the environment. Where
can we conserve our resources; where can we adapt to change our
behaviours; where can we innovate and create new solutions? With
your students, start by examining our day-to-day behaviours to
assess our impacts (e.g., use and waste of paper, energy; driving
cars). Then trace the connections between individual behaviour and
local/global impacts (e.g., resource extraction, transportation, energy
generation, consumerism). Create opportunities to address impacts
through organizing, communicating, campaigning, and taking action
on environmental issues. Moving from awareness to action is a critical
step in developing responsible, ecologically literate citizens. The three
categories of action named by the U.N. are conservation, adaptation,
and innovation.
4.4 Understanding and reducing human impact through
thinking in systems terms
We explore the multiple dimensions of events, trends, and
decisions by using tools that reveal interconnections (e.g.,
tools found in the Toolkit—Scenario, Dependency,
Consequence and Concept Mapping, pp.128-146).
We “walk the talk” by reducing the use of energy and
other resources in our teaching and learning activities.
We assess and evaluate the impact of our daily activities
and plan, communicate about, and act on choices that
reduce our footprint.
4.5 Citizenship action—responding to environmental issues
We see learning about the environment as a way to build
active citizenship skills.
We include diverse perspectives when exploring
environmental issues.
We provide opportunities for students' expression of their
appreciation for, concern about, and response to
environmental problems (e.g., through drama, dance,
music, visual arts, media, language arts).
We explore the range of actions for responding to an
issue:
Where do we conserve?
Where do we adapt?
Where do we innovate?
Where do we campaign for change?
(ii) Unpacking Ecological Literacy:
Education FOR the Environment
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148 Section 4
RAFT Assignment (Acronym: Role, Audience, Format, Topic)
From: daretodifferentiate.wikispaces.com/file/view/RAFT_
w-intro.pdf
RAFTs are literary strategies that encourage creative thinking
by viewing topics from different—and often quite unusual—
perspectives. This strategy also compels students to think
about and interpret information rather than just write answers
to questions. In the RAFT strategy, the students play a role. In
that role, they have to respond to a specific audience using the
format assigned as they write about the topic.
How to use RAFT:
1. Establish the writing topic by considering whether
particular ecological relationships, connections, and/or
larger contexts would become clearer through this kind of
exploration. The topic can be expressed as a creative title,
e.g., “I’m all choked up” or simply stated, e.g., “The water
cycle.”
2. Think of possible roles that students could assume in their
writing. For example, a student in learning about the water
cycle might imagine being a water molecule experiencing
its trip through a leaf's stomata.
3. Next, decide the audience for this communication. With
the audience in mind, determine the writing format. For
example, the water molecule could be writing in the format
of a travel guide to be read by water molecules that are still
trapped in the soil.
4. Explain RAFT as a means to stimulate students’ writer's
imagination in communicating what they've learned about
the topic. Provide several choices, listing the role, audience,
format, and topic for the writing assignment. Alternatively,
you may want to give them a choice of different roles but
have them all write about the same reading or concept.
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————————————————
Download a pdf of the GRASP
resource at
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides.
————————————————
RAFT Assignment (cont’d)
5. RAFT assignments can also be the basis for expression
through drama, dance, music, and multimedia
presentations.
Next steps
After experimenting with perspectives-taking through roles in
RAFT, check out GRASP for specific strategies for brainstorming
real world, rich performance tasks as well as lists of roles/
careers, products or performances, and audiences. GRASP
performance tasks offer the evidence needed to assess
students' understanding of content, development of skills, and
their application to real world contexts.
ROLE AUDIENCE FORMAT TOPIC
Rain drop Other rain
drops
Travel guide Water cycle
Trout Other wetland
animals
Blog “Effects of acid
rain on the
lake and my
family”
Carbon dioxide
molecule
Self Diary Greenhouse
gases
Planet Earth Citizens of the
Earth
Song “I'm all choked
up”
Rachael Carson The public Full page
newspaper ad
“If I could talk
to you now”
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Moving from RAFT to GRASP
(Purpose)
Goal
RAFT is a literary performance task that can be used to develop ecological
literacy. The goal of GRASP is to further ecological literacy by
engaging in real world scenarios and culminating in a
persuasive presentation or product.
In RAFT, role usually focuses on taking an imaginary perspective. In GRASP, the
role expands to actively respond to a real-life scenario through critical
thinking and problem solving.
In RAFT the students describe the topic to the audience using different formats,
whereas in GRASP students work with real world scenarios, actively
engaging the audience in the issue through education,
a solution, or a challenge.
G
Role
R
Audience
A
Scenario
S
Product
P Topic
T
Format
F
Audience
A
Role
R
Format starts as a
writing genre...
…whereas in GRASP it moves
to a performance task or product
which flows from the scenario (context).
The topic p
rovides
the settin
g where
perspectiv
es are explored...
...whereas in
GRASP the sc
enario invite
s
students
to explore human activity
in
the context o
f our c
onnection to
,
dependence on, or im
pact on
natural syste
ms.
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———————————————
Check out the GRASP resource
for specific strategies for
brainstorming rich
performance tasks, as well as
listing roles/careers, products
or performances, and
audiences.
———————————————
To download a pdf of the
GRASP resource, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides
———————————————
To order a print copy, see the
order form on p.7 of this
guide.
———————————————
GRASP: Developing Ecological Literacy
through Rich Performance Tasks
What is this strategy for?
GRASP: A tool for developing ecological literacy through rich
performance tasks (TDSB, 2007) has been written to help
teachers introduce an ecological literacy dimension to their
program. Planning rich performance tasks takes time, but
teachers who have done this work say that they are a powerful
and meaningful way to frame expectations for students and
plan lessons. A rich performance task can gracefully integrate
clusters of expectations from several disciplines so that teaching
and learning have a purpose that students can readily
understand.
This resource contains tools to help teachers frame their
educational goals so that they develop students’ ecological
literacy through teasing out the human-nature interconnections.
They cast the performance task in a realistic scenario that
involves role play and awareness of audience, and culminates
in a persuasive presentation or product. The scenario sets
the stage for critical thinking and problem solving in tackling the
performance tasks.
Once you have settled on an idea for the performance task, use
the chosen task as a compass to guide you in selecting and
developing lesson plans, resources, field trips, visits to the
school ground, and other learning opportunities that will enable
your students to successfully achieve what you have set for
them. (For several examples, see A Day with Trees, p.97.)
And finally (the most difficult step to make time for!) reflect on
the experience to recall how well this process worked.
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GRASP Across the Grades
Energy Conservation
(Mathematics, Language,
Science and Technology)
Waste Minimization
(Mathematics, Arts, Language, Science
and Technology, Geography)
Goal
To reduce energy use by identifying,
educating, and recommending solutions
regarding the use of phantom power in
the school.
To teach others how to audit school waste
(e.g., the lunchroom), and recommend ways
to communicate results engagingly.
Role
Grades 1-5 students will be in role as
Phantom Power Surveyors.
Grade 9 Geography students will be in role
as a Waste Audit Development Team
(create story board, editor, director,
organize props, get waste, research topic,
auditor, presenters) and Facilitators of a
mini-waste audit.
Audience
EcoTeam; alternatively, school
administration team including the
caretaker.
Peers at the school; alternatively,
elementary students at a feeder school.
Scenario
A school is looking for additional ways to
reduce its electricity use. Phantom power
is the electricity that is used by devices
and appliances even when they're turned
off or in standby mode (e.g., cell phone
chargers, smart boards, microwaves).
Students will locate all devices and
appliances and use a wattmeter to
measure electricity used when they are
“off” or in standby mode.
A school is looking for ways to reduce the
amount of waste it creates and address
improper sorting of recycling and garbage. It
is also looking for ways to get everyone
participating. The school sees a waste audit
as a first step to address these issues and
needs a resource to help them learn how to
do their own audit. Students will do a mini-
audit as part of their preparation for creating
the resource to give to others.
Product or
performance
Students will map the location of
appliances and electrical devices in the
school that use power when turned off or
in standby mode. The results will be
presented to the EcoTeam, or to the staff,
with recommendations. Younger students
may create an inventory list, map,
spreadsheet, graph, or chart. Older
students will calculate the electricity and
cost savings if each appliance and device
were unplugged when not in use.
Students will create and present a waste
audit multimedia presentation for others at
their own school; alternatively, present to a
local elementary EcoTeam or classroom and
mentor the students in doing a mini-waste
audit. Recommend ways to communicate the
results in an engaging way.
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GRASP Across the Grades (cont’d)
Greening School Grounds
(Science and Technology, Language, Social
Studies)
Sustainable Transportation
(Geography, Language, Science
and Technology)
Goal
To create a Tree Tour (pp.161-162) to teach
students in grades 1-4 that each tree is a
“Giving Tree” that provides many benefits
(“ecosystem services”) to the community.
To understand the costs and benefits of
urban transportation choices in Toronto.
Role
Grades 6-7 students will be in role as
Nature Interpreters (paying attention to
curriculum expectations for each audience).
Grade 10 students will be in role as
environmental activist, rural farmer in T.O.
greenbelt, downtown urban resident,
transport company employee, public
transportation provider (i.e., TTC), suburban
resident and commuter, student living in
Toronto.
Audience
Students Grades 1-5
(consider curriculum connections)
Gr1 Local Community
Gr2 Animals, Air, and Water
Gr3 Plants
Gr4 Habitat and Community
Class members, when not presenting,
assume the role of city councillors in a city
council meeting; alternatively, present to one
or more actual city councillors who receive a
summary of findings and recommendations.
Scenario
With the pending loss of many ash trees from
the emerald ash borer infestation, schools are
looking for ways to help students recognize
that each and every tree is a local treasure.
Students will draw on their knowledge of
studying biodiversity in Grade 6 or
ecosystems in Grade 7 as they help students
learn about trees and their many benefits.
Toronto’s greenhouse gases are increasing as
more and more vehicles appear on our roads
every year. Heavy traffic congestion
increases time on the road. The City is
concerned about both environmental and
economic costs as well as the growing
frustration of its citizens. What changes to its
transportation system can Toronto make to
reduce gridlock and climate change
emissions? The City is inviting presentations
to hear what its citizens think can be done.
Product or
performance
Students will create a Tree Tour that identifies
the species on the grounds and point to the
many services and gifts that trees provide.
(For example, which organisms use the
different trees for food and shelter? How do
the trees provide storm water management,
shade, air filtration, soil retention, wind
breaks, beauty, or climate control?) In
addition to creating a tool for a self-guided
tour, students will conduct actual tours for
each grade.
Students will research the costs and benefits
of transportation in the City of Toronto from
different perspectives (see list above).
Students will then prepare a 3-5 minute
presentation for the (mock) City Council
meeting to summarize findings and present
recommendations (to improve the
transportation system). To increase the
quality of debate, students may present their
results for study in advance. Students may
use maps, drawings, photos, budgets, or
multimedia presentations.
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154 Section 4
Writing Letters and E-mails
Writing letters and/or e-mails to express one's priorities or to
suggest a course of action is an important part of encouraging
students to be active citizens. Writing to a newspaper is different
from writing to a federal MP. Students will benefit from direct
instruction in the different forms of writing involved in addressing
the different audiences suggested here.
Newspapers
National Post nationalpost.com/
Globe and Mail theglobeandmail.com/
The Toronto Star thestar.com/
City of Toronto Links
newspaperscanada.ca/category/canadian-community-
newspapers-association
The Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA)
ccna.ca/database/results.asp
Worldweb.com: travel search engine and directory
toronto.worldweb.com/BusinessIndex/Newspapers/
Metroland: community newspaper publisher
metroland.com/Companies/100009/
Toronto_Community_News
Government
Municipal: Members of Toronto City Council
app.toronto.ca/im/council/councillors.jsp
Provincial: Members of Provincial Parliament (MPPs) addresses
and contact information—constituency offices
ontla.on.ca/web/members/member_addresses.do?
AddType=CONT&locale=en
Federal: Members of Parliament (MPs)
webinfo.parl.gc.ca/MembersOfParliament/
MainMPsAddressList.aspx?TimePeriod=Current&Language=E
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
155 Section 4
Education for the Environment:
Are you an Environmental Citizen?
We all rely on the environment for food, air, water, and much
more. This means that we share the responsibility for what happens
to it. Rate your own lifestyle to see how you score as an
environmental citizen.
SCORING: Beside each item below, indicate whether you do these
things: Always - 5 points Sometimes - 2 points
Never - 0 points
My score
1. I take water to school in my own water bottle instead of buying bottled water.
2. I use both sides of paper before recycling it.
3. I learn about nature by reading or by visiting parks and natural sites.
4. I take short showers and use a low-flow showerhead.
5. I walk, ride, rollerblade, carpool, or use public transit as much as possible.
6. I turn off lights and computers when I am not in the room.
7. I talk to my parents about energy conservation.
8. I take my used clothing and books to second-hand stores.
9. I pick up garbage on the street when I see it.
10. I stay informed about environmental issues because I care.
Total
RATING: 45-50 You are a fine example of an environmental citizen! Continue
your efforts by helping others do the same.
20-44 You're well on your way! Try expanding your actions to new
areas.
0-19 Just taking this quiz shows that you're interested in doing
your part. With some simple lifestyle changes, you could help
share this responsibility with other Canadians.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
156 Section 4
———————————————
Use this tool to help unpack the
Ecological Literacy EcoReview
questions on p.124-125.
———————————————
(iii) Unpacking Ecological Literacy:
Education IN the Environment
What is it?
Education in the environment is teaching and learning in settings
that give students direct experience of natural and human (built)
systems. These environments may include the school yard, local
communities, the urban environment, wetlands, fields, forests, or
other natural ecosystems. Immediate surroundings are often ideal
for instruction as these locations allow learners to return and build
on their experiences. Settings farther away can offer unique
learning experiences not available locally.
4.6 Maximizing learning potential on the school ground
We encourage teachers of all grades and subjects to use
the school ground as a setting for learning.
We use our school ground to inspire students and to
build observation and inquiry skills.
We provide opportunities on our school ground for all
students to have direct experiences in exploring the
environment.
We plan our instruction so that our school ground is a
place where students themselves make connections to
concepts and big ideas across the curriculum.
We teach on our school ground through the seasons and
at different times of day.
4.7 Learning in natural and built environments beyond the
school ground
We provide opportunities for all students to visit places
in the natural and built environments beyond the school
ground.
We see environmental field trips as a way to enrich
classroom learning. Before the field trip our students
develop a clear understanding of why they are going
(may include an assignment, discussion, a template to
guide their on-site exploration).
After the trip, we provide opportunities for students to
connect what they have discovered with existing
knowledge or new things they are learning about.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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157 Section 4
Education in the
environment denotes direct
observation and experiential
learning. It allows students to
make connections to local
environments, and learn
directly and indirectly about
plants, animals, landforms,
and different human and
natural structures and events.
Learning Trails
Understanding the seasons as a fundamental cycle that governs life
is part of ecological literacy. In Canada the changes in the seasons
make it easy for students to realize that nature greatly affects our
lives. The seasons offer many different learning opportunities that
require little more than a resolution to get outside. These
opportunities for education in the environment can be called
“learning trails.” Below is a list of learning trails to choose from;
many lend themselves to repeat visits in different seasons.
You might decide to open up the decision-making process to your
students, and invite them to vote on a learning trail to heighten
their interest in going outside for some learning. Some will be
suitable for your school ground; others require going further afield
in the city or to a natural area.
Types of Learning Trails
Science
Microscopic trails—investigating/creating a mini-tour of a square metre of the local park
Tree trails—connecting significant trees in the schoolyard/local community
Scent trails—letting the noses set the pace as students explore the community
Animal trails—searching for evidence of local wildlife
Structure trails—comparing human-made structures to those made by local animals
Habitat trails—identifying and describing different habitats in the local community
Nature trails— focusing on the value of the natural world via a tour of local natural spaces
Human impact trails—gathering evidence of positive/negative impacts on ecosystems
Visual Arts
Colour trails—creating a colour wheel with found objects on a walking tour
Shape trails—comparing human-made and natural shapes in the local community
Pattern trails—searching for patterns in human-made and natural sites
Drawing/painting trails—recording impressions of local places through art-making
Natural materials trails—finding local biodegradable materials for art-making
Art history trails—linking stories about art and artists in the local community
Mural/public art trails—locating and studying art in the local community
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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158 Section 4
Learning Trails (cont’d)
Language Arts
Word trails—coming up with words that are inspired by the surrounding environment at
several spots along the trail, students then find ways to link the words together; the walk
can inspire the words or the words can help create the walk
Story trails—the teacher facilitates the students in creating stories that lead to a trail
through different parts of the community
Poetry trails—students are assigned different spots along the school ground trail and they
write poetry inspired by what they hear, see, smell, feel at that spot; the poetry trail is
experienced when the class walks the trail and the poems for each spot are read
Media literacy trails—examining messages on billboards/advertising/graffiti in the
community
Music
Sound trails—creating sound maps to lead others on a tour of natural and cultural sounds
PE/Health
Fitness trails—explore physical fitness activities suitable to or inspired by different locations
on the school ground
Social Studies/History/Geography
Local celebrity trails—finding and re-telling a local celebrity's stories of the community
Treasure trails—looking for historical or geographical treasures in the neighbourhood
Native trails—researching and sharing the history of native peoples in the community
Remember…
Trails can be created by teachers or students
Trails, once developed, can be shared through student-led tours, art-making (drawing,
painting, photography, video), text (poems, stories, guides, books), map-making, or sound
(audio files for MP-3 players)—be creative!
For more ideas
Experiments with creating walking maps, spacingtoronto.ca/2009/02/04/experiments-with-
creating-walking-maps/
Into Nature: A Guide to Teaching Nearby in Nature, back2nature.ca/resources-research/
education
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
159 Section 4
These short hikes focus
students’ attention on nature
in different ways.
To read 18 more ideas for
interpretive hikes, see
pp.47-53 of Celebrating
EcoSchools, TDSB, 2004.
———————————————
To download a pdf of
Celebrating EcoSchools, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Curriculum Resources
———————————————
To order a print copy of
Celebrating EcoSchools, see
the order form on p.7 of this
guide.
———————————————
Interpretive Hikes
1. Literacy connection: “ANT” TRAIL
Materials: One length of string or yarn per student (about 50
cm each should do)
Instructions: Tell students that they have been hired as park
naturalists and must build a new nature trail. However, the park
and trail are for ants! Give each student a string and indicate
that they should choose a habitat and lay the string out so that
it includes several “scenic features” for ants. When they have
completed their trail, have them take one of their classmates
along it. Follow up with a language arts/journal writing activity
in the classroom.
2. Inquiry connection: Questions
Materials: Nil
Instructions: During a hike, tell students that they will be
playing a short question game as follows: the teacher asks a
question about something on the hike. Then, one at a time,
students answer the question with another question. At first this
will be tough, but with practice, students will be able to
formulate a string of questions. In an age-appropriate way,
explain how this game models the work of scientists all over the
world.
3. Visual Arts connection: Colours
Materials: Nil
Instructions: Form a circle with students and ask them to face
outwards. Going around the circle, students list as many colours
as they can spot from where they are standing. Also try picking
a colour and have students find as many objects of the colour
as possible.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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160 Section 4
Interpretive Hikes (cont’d)
4. Sense of Place: Misplaced objects
Materials: A collection of objects (try 10!) that don't belong in
the area where you will be walking (they could be natural
objects from a different habitat but try it first with 10 human-
made objects, e.g., a pencil, key, bottle cap, old mitten); a
piece of paper and pencil for each individual or group.
Instructions: Prior to the students' arrival and without being
observed, place the 10 objects along a trail of your design so
that they vary from easily spotted to well camouflaged (not
buried, however!). Balance the objects on both sides of the
trail, and vary the height at which you hide objects (consider
safety first though!). When ready, tell your students that there
are 10 objects on a trail that don't belong there, and that their
task is to find them and write them down on their paper.
Indicate that they should not reveal objects they spot to others.
Give a time limit for their walk. When completed, discuss the
idea of belonging to a place. In an age-appropriate way,
connect this activity to the fact that we live in a world where the
economy is largely organized globally, not locally. Human
artifacts are made and found all over the world. What does it
really mean to be misplaced?
5. Numeracy connection: Count Me In
Materials: Paper and pencils (per student or group)
Instructions: Individually, or in partners or groups, students
find something in nature that regularly occurs in similar
numbers (or patterns). For example grass blades occur singly
(in 1s); tree branches fork (in 2s); clover leaves (in 3s); white
pine needles (in 5s) etc. Remind students that they do not need
to collect the items—just record them. Ask students what earlier
learning they can connect their findings to.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
161 Section 4
Create a Tree Tour
University of Toronto Forestry students have inventoried trees at
TDSB schools since 2004. Tree maps for almost every school in
the TDSB have been created and are available for staff and
students to use (to see if your school has a tree map, visit the
Facility Services home page and click on Tree Maps). These maps
can be a useful tool to help familiarize the school community with
the trees on their school grounds. They can also be used to
survey shade and for classroom and outdoor lessons (see A Day
with Trees: GRASP Lesson Planning Across the Grades on p.97).
The creation of a tree tour in Google Maps is a great multi-media
exercise. For students it provides an opportunity to view the
school’s trees from the ground and air. For teachers, studying a
Google map of the school's trees is professional development that
may lead to greater comfort in using the school ground as an
extension of the classroom.
Instructions for creating your own tree and/or garden tour
in Google Maps
1. Sign-in to your Gmail account, or create a new account if
you don't have one already.
2. Select Maps from Google.
3. Select My Maps.
4. Create new map.
5. Enter the name of your school and append EcoSchools Tree
Tour. This way, a search in Google maps for EcoSchools
Tree Tour will find your tour and others.
6. Click on Edit.
7. Three tools now appear on your map.
8. Using Google programs such as Google Docs and Picassa
you can integrate the following into your EcoSchools Tree
Tour:
hyperlinks
photos
documents
lesson plans
PowerPoint slides
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
162 Section 4
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© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
163 Section 4
Tips for Teaching Outdoors
There are many benefits to taking students outdoors:
Inspires a sense of wonder and inquiry
Contributes to ecological literacy and encourages a sense of
stewardship
Enhances curriculum delivery and expands vocabulary
Can offer vivid opportunities to explore and understand
important concepts in real world settings
Adds diversity to students’ learning experiences
Heightens students' senses and observation skills
Before you go:
1. Get to know your area’s outdoor spaces for teaching
opportunities and to remove potential hazards.
2. Review the purpose of the outdoor lesson. When in new
environments, let the students explore, but also give them
something to do to stay focused on the lesson.
3. Establish clear safety, behaviour, and stewardship
expectations. For secondary students, discuss safety and
stewardship, rather than dictate rules. For elementary
students, consider extending your classroom rules to include
rules for learning outdoors.
4. Prepare seating (optional). Cardboard pieces or small
mats work well outside if no outdoor seating is available
where you are going.
5. Dress for the weather and the activity. Have extra
outdoor clothing available. For primary students, let the
parents know that the students may get dirty.
6. Carry a small backpack. Items that might be useful: extra
pencils, rulers, first aid pack, clipboard, magnifying lens,
water bottle, field guides, binoculars, etc.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
164 Section 4
This tool draws extensively on
Dennis Wendland's Tips for
Teaching in the Outdoor
Classroom, published in
Evergreen's newsletter The
Outdoor Classroom, Spring
2005, #15, and Ten Top Tips
for Teaching Outside, by
Project Learning Tree plt.org/
top-ten-tips-for-teaching-
outside
Tips for Teaching Outdoors (cont’d)
When you go out
1. Start with short stints to establish routines and comfort,
then build up to longer excursions. For primary students,
establish a consistent schedule for going outside, e.g.,
Walking Wednesdays.
2. Be sensitive to wind and sun. If possible, stand with your
back to the wind so your voice will carry, and with the sun in
your eyes, not the students’.
3. Teach them how to observe. Notice both specific details
and the big picture. Use tools to focus observations, e.g.,
quadrats, hula hoops.
4. Take advantage of teachable moments. Don’t be so
regimented in your planning that you miss out on unique
learning opportunities. Use these surprise discoveries to
encourage questions, and weave these new experiences into
your lesson.
5. Establish a central meeting place and review
boundaries. Decide on clear boundaries. Confine outdoor
activities to the smallest area possible. Use a unique or
shared signal like a loud crow call to bring students into a
sharing circle.
6. Consider the use of a nature journal. Elementary and
secondary students can record notes, do a sketch, or make
other observations outside. Early primary students can
collect items, take pictures, or complete a journal entry
after the excursion.
After you go out
1. Provide time to reflect on the experience. Encourage
questions that could lead to further inquiry. Have the group
provide feedback on their learning and the excursion in
general.
2. Evaluate what works and what doesn't, so that over time
you develop your own strategy for exploring the school
grounds or other outdoor spaces.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
165 Section 4
Local Education Programs Beyond
the TDSB to Broaden Ecological Literacy
The urban environment and local parks and ravines in the City of
Toronto are valuable green teaching resources. Many organizations
have programs that support environmental education in the City of
Toronto. For programming close to your school, or aligned with
your educational goals, consult the short list of organizations below.
The EcoSchools program does not have sufficient staff to evaluate
all these programs. Please tell your colleagues about your
experience with these programs.
1. Toronto Renewable Energy Cooperative
(TREC)
Education: treceducation.ca/our-programs
Energy education (offered in class or as part of an
excursion), turbine visits, solar tour Gr. 5/6/7/9.
Cost: $175 per class (excursion: $150)
Contact: treceducation.ca/about-us/
contact-us Education Coordinator 416.583.2233
2. Toronto and Region Conservation Authority
(TRCA), trca.on.ca/
Programs: Sci/Tech, Geography, Ecology
WOW, Kortright Centre, Lake St. George, Albion
Hills and Claremont Field Centres
Gr. K-8 Cost: Varies
Contact: trca.on.ca/school-programs/contact-us.dot
416.661.6600
Register: trca.on.ca/school-programs/
trca.on.ca/school-programs/online-booking/
index.dot
3. The City of Toronto
Programs: Sci/Tech, Geography, History/Social
Studies, Math, English, Art, Music, and Drama
Gr. K-12 and ESL Cost: Varies
Contact: wx.toronto.ca/inter/culture/
mus_ed_guide.nsf/PgmSearch?OpenForm
4. Toronto Botanical Gardens
torontobotanicalgarden.ca/category/learn/
school/
Program: Sci/Tech; Growing Under Glass,
Living Winter Program and self-guided tours
Gr. K-4 Cost: Varies
Contact: Diana Wilson, Children's Education
Coordinator, at 416.397.5209 or
tbgkids@torontobotanicalgardens.ca
5. Toronto Botanical Gardens—Winter
Outreach for High Priority Schools
torontobotanicalgarden.ca/learn/school/winter-
outreach-for-high-priority-schools/
Program: Growing Under Glass & Living Winter
Gr. 3 and 4 Cost: No charge
Contact: Diana Wilson, Children's Education
Coordinator, at 416.397.5209 or
tbgkids@torontobotanicalgardens.ca
6. ACER @Humber Arboretum—
Measure and Mulch
acer-acre.ca/programs/lets-plant-measure-and-
mulch
Program: Sci/Tech, Geography, Ecology
Gr. 7–12
Contact: alice.casselman@acer-acre.ca
905.275.7685
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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166 Section 4
7. Humber Arboretum—
Centre for Urban Ecology
humberarboretum.on.ca/programs/school
Program: Sci/Tech; Ecology
Preschool-Gr. 12 Cost: Varies
Full day minimum: 15 students
Contact: arboretum@humber.ca 416.675.5009
** Please note that your school may be eligible for
funding through local sources. To find out more
contact the Centre for Urban Ecology.
8. UofT Centre for the Environment
cobweb-ca.github.io/
Complexity and Organized Behavior Within
Environmental Bounds (COBWEB)
Program: Sci/Tech, Geography, Biology
Gr. 5–12, manual available for Gr. 10-12
Cost: Free
Contact: Professor Brad Bass
cobweb.ca@gmail.com 647.920.1785
9. Harbourfront
harbourfrontcentre.com/schoolvisits/
Program: Toronto's Waterfront
Gr. K-12 Cost: $12 per student ½ day;
$15 per student full day
Contact: registrar@harbourfrontcentre.com
416.973.4091
10.EcoSpark
ecospark.ca/
Program: Changing Currents
Gr. 8-12 Cost: Free
Contact: holly@ecospark.ca
Phone: 647.258.3280, ext. 2011
11. Parc Downsview Park
downsviewpark.ca/content/learning-programs
Program: Sci/Tech, Geography
Gr. K-12 Cost: $5-10
Contact: learn@downsviewpark.ca
416.952.2222
12. The Royal Ontario Museum
rom.on.ca/en/learn
The ROM offers three different program
formats: conducted lessons, special exhibition
lessons, and self-guided visits. All programs
are curriculum linked.
Grades: K-12 Cost: Varies
Contact: 416.586.5801 x1 or
schoolv@rom.on.ca
13. The Toronto Zoo
torontozoo.com/EducationAndCamps/
SchoolPrograms.asp
Program: Sci/Tech
Grades: K-12. Cost: K-8, $8; 9-12, $9
Contact: For group bookings 416.392.5944
torontozoo.com/EducationAndCamps/
SchoolPrograms.asp?pg=109
14. Ontario Science Centre
ontariosciencecentre.ca/school/curriculum/
default.asp
Program: Sci/Tech
Grade: K-12 Cost: Varies.
Contact: 416.696.3140 or
school_bookings@osc.on.ca
15. Evergreen Brick Works
ebw.evergreen.ca/visit/school-program/
Program: Sci/Tech, Social Studies
Gr. 1-6 Cost: $15 per student/full day
(subsidies available for schools that qualify)
Contact: at 416.596.1495 x 290
school@evergreen.ca
Local Education Programs (cont’d)
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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167 Section 4
Ecoliteracy Checklist
Teacher(s): __________________________________________________________________________________________
Grade(s): ______________________ Project/Assignment Title _______________________________________________
Attach this form to each sample of student work
Samples should show how students are developing ecoliteracy *
*By the end of grade 12, students will acquire knowledge, skills, and perspectives that foster understanding of their
fundamental connections to each other, to the world around them and to all living things
(Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow, 2009)
1. Describe this learning activity:
_______________________________________________________________________________________________
_______________________________________________________
2. Which curriculum area(s) does the project or assignment address?
3. Building ecoliteracy*: (Check one or more) During this teaching and learning experience, students had
opportunities to…
New • Portfolio Requirement—online fillable form
Curriculum Areas
The Arts
Business Studies
Canadian and World Studies
Classical and International Languages
Computer Studies
English
English As a Second Language
English Literacy Development
French As a Second Language
Guidance and Career Education
Health and Physical Education
Interdisciplinary Studies
The Kindergarten Program
Language
Mathematics
Native Languages
Native Studies
Science (Secondary)
Science and Technology
Social Studies (Elementary)
Social Sciences and Humanities
Technological Education
Other:
Education ABOUT the environment (learning to know)
Education FOR the environment (learning to act)
Education IN the environment (learning to connect)
Understand the relationship
between living things and their environment– how nature works.
Assess the impacts of human
technologies and actions
Learn on the school grounds
Learn in the community
Explore traditional ecological
knowledge of FNMI peoples and other diverse communities
Reduce uses of energy and
resources
Increase/maintain biodiversity
Explore, observe and investigate local
communities to promote understanding of place, cycles and patterns
Explore how we are dependent on
nature
Act on environmental issues that are
personally relevant.
Show concern, empathy, and respect
for other people and living things
Explore varied points of view
when learning about the environment
Tell, teach, and inspire others
about environmental issues
Understand the significance about a
particular area through multiple visits
Consider the positive and negative
consequences of decisions—both
Plan events to engage others to
actively participate in environmental
Participate in community events and
actions that promote sustainability
Approach issues and situations from
a systems perspective—explore interactions within the community and the wider society
Work on environmental solutions
that contribute to equity, justice, inclusivity, and respect for all people
Further citizen science by contributing
local data
Other(s):
*Core competencies for ecoliteracy adapted from http://www.ecoliteracy.org/discover/competencies and Acting Today, Shaping Tomorrow
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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168 Section 4
Ecoliteracy Summary: Education ABOUT, FOR, and IN the Environment
Education ABOUT the environment
Learn about nature's systems: matter cycles (e.g., rock, water, carbon); energy flows
(e.g., heat in the environment, climate change); and life webs (e.g., biodiversity, the human
body)
The interactions between people and nature
Explore relationships and connections. Think of parts of a system and how they interact.
The dependence of our social and economic systems on natural systems
Explore/learn about nature’s systems and their essential role in sustaining human life
Uncover the dependence of communities and societies, past and present, on natural
systems
Education FOR the environment
Building active citizenship skills as a part of students’ learning
Uncover the multiple impacts of our choices, now and in the future. Explore ways to
take action to reduce those impacts
Explore diverse perspectives on environmental issues (e.g., corporate, immigrant,
aboriginal, government) to develop more inclusive thinking
Express concerns about and respond to environmental problems across different
subject areas
Develop active citizenship skills through responding to environmental issues (e.g.,
action-based projects, campaigns, using social media, letter writing to elected officials,
participating in community planning meetings)
Education IN the environment
Using the school grounds and/or natural and built environments beyond the school
ground as content and/or a context for learning.
Use the school grounds as a setting to build students’ observation and inquiry skills and
make connections to classroom learning through outdoor exploration
Teach on the school ground through the seasons and at different times of day
Visit places beyond the school ground (e.g., neighbourhood walks, field trips to TDSB
Outdoor Education Centres, TRCA sites)
Prepare before, and follow up after, each experience to continue making connections as
a way to deepen learning
New • Portfolio Requirement
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
5
Contribute to Healthy, Active,
Safe, and Sustainable
School Communities
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
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170 Section 5
———————————————
“Think locally, act locally”
David Suzuki adopts this
adage to sum up his thinking
in David Suzuki's Green Guide
(2008). The beauty of the
EcoSchools program is in the
abundant opportunities it
gives school communities to
do just that—by thinking
locally and acting locally right
in their own schools to make
the world a better place.
———————————————
Contribute to Healthy, Active, Safe, and
Sustainable School Communities: Overview
EcoSchools expands the definition of what a healthy, active,
safe, and sustainable school is. “Healthy” includes paying
attention to air quality indoors by promoting the EcoLogo non-
toxic cleaners available from our Purchasing and Distribution
Service, and outdoors by urging school no-idling policies and
walk-to-school programs. These are additional physical
determinants of health at school often not included in standard
checklists.
As important to a healthy, safe, and caring school is the building
of character and community that can occur through
environmental stewardship. Students build character through
their commitment to being environmentally responsible. A
special project or event that engages parents and the local
community as well as students and staff creates schools that
become an often visited neighbourhood resource.
The tools in this section reflect the broad range of what, from
an EcoSchools perspective, can contribute to making the school
a healthy, active and safe place to be. Beyond the school, the
program recognizes other local and global environmental events
and campaigns to honour the work of many schools that are
engaged in these endeavours, and to encourage others to join
in.
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171 Section 5
5. Contribute to Healthy, Active, Safe and
Sustainable School Communities EcoReview
GUIDING QUESTION
Does your school take environment-friendly action within and beyond the school to
contribute to students' well-being and character development and also to build
community?
Hold this question in mind as you rate your performance.
Team Self-Assessment and Documentation (100%) 0 1 2 3 4
Portfolio requirement: Examples of up to three community engagement projects (e.g.,
walk/cycle to school campaign, Earth Week, school mentoring, community eco-fairs)
Contributing to a healthy, active & safe environment within and beyond the
school
5.1 To what extent is your school purchasing Board mandated EcoLogo-certified cleaning products (e.g., floor cleaner, toilet bowl cleaner, glass cleaners, carpet cleaner, multi-purpose cleaner,
dish soap, dishwashing liquid) and choosing available EcoLogo options (e.g., carpet cleaners)
to improve indoor air quality?
5.2 To what extent does your school support active, and sustainable transportation (e.g.,
encourage walk to school days/walking school bus; provide incentives for using active travel
modes; make sufficient bike racks available; host a bike rodeo; have a bike club; have a no-
idling policy; support staff and parents in developing solutions to reduce transportation
impacts)?
5.3 To what extent does your school promote sun-safe behaviour in students (e.g., announcements about using sunblock; sun protection at outdoor events; communication to
parents; make use of existing shade)?
Building community: Sharing ideas, taking action*
5.4 To what extent do EcoTeam members share their EcoSchools' best practices with other
schools (e.g., caretakers share ideas and practices for sustainable schools; principals share
practices with their peers; the EcoTeam mentors other schools, invites schools to visit, staff
and /or students attend environmentally focused workshops [e.g., kick-offs, Pollinating
Partnerships, FOS environmental event], TYEC)?
5.5 To what extent do staff, students, and parents work together to create community through
events that enhance environmental awareness and knowledge (e.g., invite and welcome
parents'/parent councils' support of environmental initiatives; set up eco-displays at Parents'
Night; show videos on environmental issues; organize a waste-free fun fair, garage sale, or
Ecoactivity day; hold a community walkabout to identify sustainable transportation issues)?
Building character: Looking outward
Note: - For both EcoReview questions 5.6 and 5.7, determine your score based on the
number of organizations your EcoTeam has connected with
- Consider connections made to organizations documented in Section 4
Level 1 = one organization Level 2 = two organizations
Level 3 = three organizations Level 4 = more than three organizations
5.6 Local: Does your school community connect to and support local environmental groups and
initiatives (e.g., Evergreen, EcoSpark, Toronto Renewable Energy Co-op, Green Thumbs
Growing Kids, FoodShare's Great Big Crunch, PACT, TEA, Clean Toronto Together, TRCA,
ACER, Cycle Toronto, CultureLink Settlement Services, Planet in Focus, Friends of the Rouge;
students engage in community service through local environmental action)?
5.7 Global: Is your school outward-focused to help students make connections with national and
global environmental initiatives and environmental groups (e.g., participate in Earth Hour,
Earth Day, Great Canadian Shoreline Clean-up, GuluWalk, 30-Hour Famine, International
Walk to School Day, Seeds of Diversity, Otesha, WWF, Me to We, Jane’s Walk, Waste
Reduction Week, David Suzuki Foundation, Great Backyard Bird Count)?
* Of course community-building also flourishes on the school ground! See Section 3, Question 3.1.
1 This focus is clearly articulated in Finding Common Ground: Character Development in Ontario Schools K-12, Toronto: Ministry of Education, October 2006: “Civic
engagement implies active participation, a strong student voice in decision making, and moving from talking and learning to engaging in activities that reinforce the
need to care about others and our world” (p.5).
No
evid
en
ce
Em
erg
ing
Cred
ible
Acco
mp
lish
ed
Co
mp
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en
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1
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
172 Section 5
———————————————
Did you know?
Our caretakers use over
72,512 litres of general
purpose and neutral cleaners,
9,000 litres of glass cleaner,
and almost 8,000 litres of
toilet bowl cleaner each year
in cleaning our 550 schools
and administrative sites.
Choosing environmentally
sound cleaners lessens our
schools' impact on the water
quality of our city.
———————————————
Cleaners (ordered by caretaking staff)
Thanks to the ongoing diligence of our Purchasing and Distribution
staff, schools have access to more green products every year!
Why are these choices important? Traditional cleaners typically
contain toxic and non-biodegradable substances that drain down
sinks and, after a short sojourn in Toronto's sewage system, end
up in Toronto’s rivers and Lake Ontario, adding to the chemical mix
of water pollutants.
Order green cleaning products from the TDSB Purchasing cleaning
supplies and/or caretaking supplies catalogues (TDSB
Web>Services>Facility Services>Catalogues). When ordering, be
sure to look for the EcoLogo symbol, indicating that a product or
service has met the guidelines of Canada’s Environmental Choice
program. EcoLogo products or services improve energy efficiency,
reduce hazardous by-products, use recycled materials, or signal
that the product itself can be reused.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
173 Section 5
——————————————
Looking for ideas?
Visit ecoschools.ca>
EnrichYourProgram>
Bike Racks and select “Active,
Safe, and Sustainable
Transportation Initiative
Ideas.”
———————————————
Active, Safe, and Sustainable Transportation
Transportation has an impact on the environment, our health, the
economy, and society. Cars use mostly non-renewable fuels and
emit greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Public transit vehicles
and school buses are better alternatives as they use less fossil fuel
to get more people around.
The most sustainable form of transportation occurs when we use
our own “fuel,” the kinetic energy of moving our bodies, to travel.
It’s healthier for the Earth and us.
To make active, safe and sustainable transportation a
school goal, consider raising awareness in your school and
community by holding active transportation-themed events.
Hosting a walk/roll to school day, or Anything But Car
(ABC) Day are a couple examples of ways you might
address this.
Mark your calendar! Participating in community events is
a great way to raise awareness in your school. Below are
just a few annual events.
International Walk to School Month
saferoutestoschool.ca/iwalk-month-
activity-ideas
September October
February April
Car Free Day
ontario.sierraclub.ca/en/car-free-day
Winter Walk
saferoutestoschool.ca/winter-walk-day
Spring Into Spring
saferoutestoschool.ca/spring-spring
May June
Bike to School Week
biketoschool.ca
UN Global Road Safety Week
who.int/roadsafety
Bike Month, bikemonth.ca/
Clean Air Day, greenactioncentre.ca/content/clean-air-day/
Commuter Challenge, commuterchallenge.ca
Clean Air Commute, cleanaircommute.ca
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
174 Section 5
Where can you get “No
idling” signs?
“No idling” signs are available
for your school for mounting
on a brick wall, fence, or post.
Pp.8-9 of the TDSB
purchasing website catalogue
give you up-to-date
information on where to order
your No Idling signs.
(tdsbweb/webdocuments/
purchasing/docs/Signage%
20and%20Engraving%
20Catalogue.pdf)
Speak to the head caretaker
to arrange for installation.
Cost of installing is covered
by the school.
———————————————
Other resources:
CAN BIKE
(canbikecanada.ca/) offers
cycle safety courses for
students
Get a free City of Toronto
cycling map (toronto.ca/
cycling/map/index.htm)
Idle Free Campaign Kit
(bit.ly/IdleFreeKit) includes
resources for schools to run
Idle Free Campaigns
Cycle Toronto (cycleto.ca),
the city-wide advocacy
group, works with
CultureLink Settlement
Services (bit.ly/CultureLink)
to promote cycling in
schools
Metrolinx (bit.ly/Metrolinx)
champions active and
sustainable school travel in
the GTHA
Active, Safe, and Sustainable Transportation (cont’d)
Resources to help promote sustainable transportation
Toronto Public Health can support schools with pedestrian and
wheel safety programs. To assist in educating and spreading
awareness amongst parents about active transportation, a
Public Health Nurse can provide support to schools through
presentations and newsletter content. Contact the Public Health
Nurse assigned to your school, or 416.338.7600.
Clean Air Champions (cleanairchampions.ca/) can arrange for
Olympic athletes (active and retired) to attend and speak at
your events to promote better air quality and healthy lifestyles.
Contact info@cleanairchampions.ca or 613.730.7353.
Resources to help staff, teachers, and parents reduce the
environmental impact of their commute (e.g., carpooling)
Smart Commute (smartcommute.ca) helps employers and
commuters explore carpooling, cycling, and public
transportation options
Bike Share Toronto (bikesharetoronto.com/) is a short-term
bicycle rental service
AutoShare (autoshare.com/), car2go (car2go.com/) and Zipcar
(zipcar.ca/) are carshare services that allow members to enjoy
the use of a car without the hassle and expense of owning one.
Resources to help promote safety within the school
community
Student volunteers can be trained through the Toronto Police
Services’ School Safety Patrol Program to assist their peers in
safely crossing the street while travelling to and from school.
For details on Toronto’s School Safety Patrol Program, contact
the Program Coordinator at 416.808.1915.
To request a School Crossing Guard, members of the school
community (parents/school staff/members of the public etc.)
must submit a written request, identifying the desired location,
to officeofthechief@torontopolice.on.ca.
NOTE: Once a request has been received, Toronto Police Services’
Traffic Services must conduct a survey of the desired location to
determine whether a School Crossing Guard is warranted. This process
may take several months.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
175 Section 5
———————————————
Read about how schools
across Canada have
implemented their School
Travel Action Plans
School Travel Planning in
Action in Ontario (a
Metrolinx report) pp.4-21
bit.ly/STPinOntario
Action Plan Inspiration
Guide pp.15-58
bit.ly/ActionPlanInspiration
Wheeling to School
it.ly/ONWheelingtoSchool
———————————————
Active, Safe, and Sustainable Transportation (cont’d)
Bicycle Rodeos
Bicycle rodeos are a fun way for students to learn and practice
cycling skills in a controlled environment. During a rodeo, students
rotate through stations to learn a variety of cycling skills including
proper helmet sizing, road safety, and bike maintenance. Refer to
Peel Region’s Bicycle Rodeo Community Kit
(peelsafetyvillage.on.ca/bikerodeokit.html) for suggestions on how
to organize a bicycle rodeo at your school.
School Travel Planning
School Travel Planning is a holistic approach to addressing safety
and transportation issues within a school community. Drawing in
students, staff, teachers, parents, and community members to
create a School Travel Action Plan can help to encourage staff and
students to travel to and from school in a safe and active way. (See
the sidebar for examples/case studies of schools that have created
and implemented School Travel Action Plans.)
Below are a few actions you can take to get started:
Complete daily surveys over one week asking students and
teachers how they get to and from school.
Conduct a community walkabout in your school
neighbourhood and discuss ways to improve active, safe and
sustainable transportation to and from school
Create a school travel action plan for your school with short,
medium, and long-term actions.
Implement your plan and track activities with help from
your school and community. Re-survey staff and students each
season to find out what has changed at your school and make
any needed changes to your plan.
For the complete step-by-step guide by Green Communities
Canada (saferoutestoschool.ca), go to bit.ly/CANSTPGuide.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
176 Section 5
———————————————
Selecting an appropriate
site for bike racks
Before your site visit, think
about:
1. Location (Are bikes visible
from inside the school or
hidden from view? Are they
located near the front or
main school entrance?)
2. Traffic flow (Is there a safe
route from the bike rack to
school?)
3. Is the area covered for
protection from the
weather (if possible)?
———————————————
Questions?
Contact
Kristen.evers@tdsb.on.ca
———————————————
Active, Safe, and Sustainable Transportation (cont’d)
Applying for Bike Racks
The TDSB’s Bike Rack program aims to help schools promote and
support cycling through the installation of bike racks. The purchase
and installation of bike racks acquired through this application will
come at no cost to schools.
By encouraging TDSB staff and students to ride their bikes, we can
promote a healthier environment, increase the health of individuals,
and reduce traffic congestion. If your school has a proven
commitment to active transportation and is in need of bike backs,
we encourage you to apply! To access the bike rack application
form visit ecoschools.ca>EnrichYourProgram>BikeRacks
All schools are eligible to apply. The following criteria will be used to
rank applications:
Need:
Percentage of school population that bikes to and from
school in good weather
Number of functioning racks currently available at the school
School Commitment:
Past projects/efforts that target active transportation
School’s plans to promote active transportation
NOTE: Preference will be given to schools who are not receiving
EcoSchools water bottle refill stations or large trees in the same
application year.
February 28th, 2016 Deadline to submit an application for
consideration for Fall 2016 installation.
March 2016 Applications are reviewed by EcoSchools staff.
April 2016 Successful applicants are notified.
May 2016 An EcoSchools staff member will conduct site
visits at the selected schools to determine bike
rack placement.
Fall 2016 Bike racks will be installed at selected schools.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
177 Section 5
UV Index 101*
* Visit Health Canada’s Sun
Protection page for more detailed
information at hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/
sun-sol/index-eng.php
———————————————
Want to learn more?
Check out Toronto Public
Health’s website for more
information:
toronto.ca/health/
cancerprevention/skin-
health.htm
toronto.ca/health/playground/
pdf/playground_sun
_safety.pdf
———————————————
Sun Safe Behaviour
Getting students outside and active is good for their health and
first-hand environmental education! Too much sun can have
serious side-effects—burns, eye damage, and as students get
older, premature aging of the skin and skin cancer.
Schools need to educate people to practice “sun safety.”
What exactly does sun safe behaviour look like?
Cover up is key: Even on days with a moderate UV index
(3-5) students should be encouraged to wear a hat and
sunglasses, especially if they'll be outside for over 30
minutes
Stay cool: Encourage students to stay in shady areas,
particularly at midday when the sun is strongest
Use sunscreen: Choose sunscreens with SPF 15 or higher
that include protection from both UVA and UVB rays
Ways to promote sun safety in your school include:
Use the shade surveys on pp.107-109 of the Certification
Toolkit to assess your school’s shade
Check the daily UV forecast and announce when the UV is
high: weather.gc.ca/city/pages/on-143_metric_e.html
Incorporate sun safety recommendations into all school
excursion forms
Have students write an article on sun safety for the school
newsletter
Hold a ‘Sunglasses and Hat’ Spirit Day to raise awareness
Create posters and place them in key areas of the school
Celebrate Sun Safe Awareness Week (beginning of June)
UV Description
0-2 Low: minimal protection
if out under 1 hour
3-5 Moderate: Cover up if
you’re out for over 30
minutes
6-7 High: Protection
required, reduce
exposure
8-10 Very high: Unprotected
skin is damaged and
burns quickly. Cover up
and reduce exposure.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
178 Section 5
Community Clean-up
The City of Toronto holds a community clean up each year in
April. Schools are encouraged to organize and register their own
spring clean-up events online (toronto.ca/litter/clean-up/
index.htm).
Clean-ups can help students develop a sense of pride in their
community and a sense of responsibility for making their
environment healthy and safe. A clean-up event can also
introduce participants to the bigger social, ecological, and safety
issues related to garbage and littering.
Ask parents, neighbors, and even local community organizations
and groups to help out. Your school caretakers can provide bags
and gloves for your event.
Best practices
For a wealth of best practice tips and tools for organizing and
communicating about your clean-up, download a copy of the
EcoSchools Community Clean-up Guide from
ecoschools.ca>Resources and Guides>Certification Guides.
© 2015 Toronto District School Board
EcoSchools Toolkit • 2015/16
179 Section 5
———————————————
Selected and adapted from
p.6 of Celebrating EcoSchools
———————————————
To download a pdf of
Celebrating EcoSchools, visit
ecoschools.ca>Resources and
Guides>Curriculum Resources
———————————————
To order a print copy see the
order form on p.7 of this
guide.
———————————————
Build Community
through an environmental educational event
Making Connections: Elementary Learning Activities In, About and
For the Environment, was designed to support a school-wide
environmental event. The guide includes activities for primary,
junior, and intermediate grades.
Strengthen your environmental community by inviting people who
have helped your school become a more environmentally-friendly
place!
Organization checklist
Set aside a half day, or if possible, an entire day.
Set up one activity station for each class that is participating.
Organize rotations by division (grades 1, 2, and 3 classes rotate
through the same activities, etc.).
Repeat a single activity several times in the same room, as
students rotate, moving from classroom to classroom.
Have students from the Environment Club, other student
leaders, and parent volunteers conduct students to various
activities inside and outside of the school.
Primary and Junior activities are 40 minutes long. Intermediate
activities are 60 minutes long.
Possible 3-Rotation Schedule for Primary
and Junior Classes
(40-minute rotations, without recess)
Possible 2-Rotation Schedule for
Intermediate Classes
(60-minute rotations, without recess)
1:00 - 1:10 pm Classroom introduction
1:10 - 1:50 pm Activity one (in home room)
1:50 - 1:55 pm Rotate
1:55 - 2:35 pm Activity two
2:35 - 2:40 pm Rotate
2:40 - 3:20 pm Activity three
3:20 - 3:30 pm Students return to class
Next day: Debrief with teacher and journal-
writing
1:00 - 1:10 pm Classroom introduction
1:10 - 2:10 pm Activity one (in home room)
2:10 - 2:15 pm Rotate and stretch
2:15 - 3:15 pm Activity two
3:15 - 3:30 pm Journal reflection and debrief
PLA
NN
ING
TO
OLS
Available for download at:
EcoSchools DIY Guide
Details the 5-Step Process for
building your program, the
certification process, and
suggestions on how to prepare
for your audit.
Certification Guide and
Planner
Outlines all of the program basics
including an overview, steps to
becoming certified, and how to
assess your EcoReviews.
Best Practices
Looking for new ideas? Explore
exciting examples from schools
across the Board.
Portfolio Requirements
This is a how-to guide for the
portfolio requirements that
outlines what each submission
should include.
top related