6 Back-to-School Activities from Elements!
For youth, a new school year means a new classroom, a new teacher, new peers, and for some students, even a new school. While for teachers, September is more often about finding activities that will help new students feel oriented, safe, and comfortable in (and out of) the classroom. As you spend this month establishing your new ‘classroom routine’, it’s a great time to create planet-friendly habits that you want your students to carry on throughout the whole year.
1. Waste Education
Start the school year off with an easy lesson on the importance of waste sorting and how to properly use each bin. Talk about how waste should be sorted in your classroom and make a game out of knowing what kind of waste goes where! PS - check out our free Zero Waste Place program if you’re in Vancouver.
2. Assign Roles
Give students green classroom jobs! For example, one student can be in charge of turning the lights out when everyone leaves the room or checking waste bins to make sure everything is sorted correctly. Want to level it up? Collect soft plastics (granola bar wrappers, etc) and have someone bring them to a recycling depot each month.
3. “Sit Spot”
Take learning outside with a Sit Spot activity. Students pick a favourite place in nature that is visited regularly to cultivate awareness, expand senses and study patterns of local plants, birds, trees, and animals.
Resources:
https://wildsight.ca/education-resources/sit-spots/
https://creativeclassroomcore.com/sit-spots-quiet-nature-observation/
4. Supply Swap
A new school year means new back to school supplies! Instead of watching your students buy a whole new set of school supplies, organize a ‘supply swap’ with your class where students brings in their extra or used supplies and swap it for someone elses.
5. Zero Waste Lunches
Who doesn’t love talking about food? Take learning beyond the classroom with our Zero Package Pantry Activity.
Resources:
https://images.app.goo.gl/Bth4TKQgrxbcop7n8
https://images.app.goo.gl/tzv5RH4x7cbXPEwJ7
https://sfenvironment.org/sites/default/files/fliers/files/sfe_se_waste-less_lunch__k-12.pdf
6. Plant Care
Have a bit more time? Put students in charge of their own plant to foster leadership and facilitate place-based learning in the classroom. Even better if you can make it a long term activity. Plant some seeds in glass containers so students can watch them sprout and grow, while they track the growth, sketch the changes, and even predict what their plant will look like!
Resources:
https://www.plt.org/educator-tips/easy-plant-science-experiments-for-the-classroom/
https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/fast-growing-seeds-for-classroom/