BEAN & Learning for a Sustainable Future invites applications to the Biodiversity Learning in Action Workshop May 4, 2012 at Belfountain Public School Caledon, Ontario
Key Features of this unique Professional Development event
- The focus is on using natural phenomena that occur outside every school to learn about biodiversity while addressing expectations in all subject areas through integration and inquiry.
- Takes place at Belfountain Public School where the school’s teaching staff will invite participants to visit their classes, facilitate debriefing, and outline their whole school approach to using local outdoor learning opportunities through integration and inquiry.
- Online interaction amongst participants before and after the event.
- Receive two key resource documents –Natural Curiosities and Connecting the Dots: Keys Strategies for Environmental Education, Citizenship and Sustainability.
- No fee to participate and release time support of up to $250 is available for each participant.
Who Should Apply to Attend
- K to 6 classroom and non-formal educators who value and want to advance their use of student experiences with biodiversity as a means of engaging students in all learning.
- Educators with some experience and/or leadership in addressing biodiversity concepts
- Note: there is no subsidy for travel to Belfountain Public School located northwest of Toronto. This is a full day event and lunch is provided.
How to Apply
Preparation -Visit Step Outside: Your Guide to Nature’s Events which three times a month provides teachers with insights as to what is happening in nature. It is learning linked to these kinds of events that the symposium will focus on and feature.
Email the following information to skozak@lsf-lst.ca by March 31 (Successful applicants will be notified by April 15):
- Name:
- Current Grade:
- School and Board of Education:
- Years of teaching experience:
- Email:
- Telephone:
- Previous Biodiversity Related Learning Experience/Leadership:
Prepare and Share a Learning Experience based on Ontario’s Biodiversity
Opportunities to engage learners with biodiversity exist outside the school doors every day of the year. Step Outside: Your Guide to Nature’s Events gives teachers insights into what natural phenomena are about to occur to assist them in planning for use of these to support learning. Strengths to using this approach include using real-world experiences to engage students, opportunities to learn through inquiry, and opportunities to address many subject expectations.
As part of this PD initiative participants are being asked to share a learning experience they have used with students based on a natural event, or create one that is suitable for their students. Please use the format provided and supplement with any samples of students work, photographs or reflections.
- Title:
- Grade:
- Biodiversity or Natural Phenomenon (common phenomena available to students at many schools are preferred):
- Brief Description:
- Outline how the learning experience unfolds:
- Additional learning extensions:
Professional Reflection (Identify strengths, weaknesses and questions or issues you have about your submitted experience learning that would help advance your practice and be of relevance to other educators):
Note: Participants selected to participate in the symposium will be asked to allow their learning experiences to be shared with other Ontario teachers.
Criteria for Selection of participants
- past interest in biodiversity learning
- submitted learning experience
- representation for grades from K to 6
- geographic distribution of participants
Please submit along with any supporting information (student samples, photographs, reflections) to Stan Kozak skozak@lsf-lst.ca by March 31, 2012
For further information please contact the project facilitator Stan Kozak, Learning for a Sustainable Future, T 519 826-0408, E skozak@lsf-lst.ca
BEAN gratefully acknowledges the leadership of Belfountain Public School staff, support of Natural Curiosities program, and the professional development program design and management provided by Learning for a Sustainable Future.
