Atlantic Chapter

Coastal Curriculum

The Sierra Club of Canada – Atlantic Canada Chapter’s Coastal Education Program will bring the seashore to you! It will give students a deeper understanding of the unique ecosystems of the Atlantic shoreline. Through participation in our hands-on, interactive presentations students will increase their ecological knowledge, acquire new stewardship skills and learn all about their role as Coastal Caretakers. Have your class join us as we use games, hands-on activities, slide shows, crafts and discussion to bring the Atlantic Coast right in your own classroom.

Check out more detailed sections below for the following grade level programs:

Grades Primary - 2: Coastal Treasure Chest

Grades 3 - 4: High Tide Habitat

Grades 5 - 6: Seaweed in our Icecream!?!

Grades Primary - 2

Coastal Treasure Chest

In Coastal Treasure Chest students will use their senses to explore the many treasures of our seashores – and will discover all about the plants and animals that live in our oceans and on the Atlantic Coast. Mi’kmaq stories related to the species of the coastal regions will be included. The students will realize the importance of their day-to-day decisions and the impacts they have on the environment. Students will find out what they can do to keep the planet clean and healthy as Coastal Caretakers.

Grades	P-2
Subject	Science/Social Studies
Curriculum Connections/ Expectations Met	• Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch • Exploring the world of living things • Investigating, characteristics, life cycles and needs of living things outdoors and in the classroom • People, Place and the Environment: Students will be expected to demonstrate an understanding of the interactions among people, place and environment. • Describe some of the natural and constructed characteristics of their community. • Recognize that environments and communities have features. • Describe how people depend upon and interact with different natural environments and communities. • Take age-appropriate action to practice responsible behaviour in caring for the environment and communities.
Project Duration	70 minutes per visit; two visits
Special Needs	n/a

Grades 3 - 4

High Tide Habitat

In High Tide Habitat the focus is on the diversity of sea-life that live in the ocean and in the various tidal zones. Concepts including habitat, species lifecycles, and species-species and species-spaces relationships are all examined. We will examine how pollution affects the environment and how everyday decisions have an impact. Water conservation activities and other stewardship activities will be explored. Mi’kmaq mythology and history regarding the coastal regions will also be included. Second visit takes students outside to do a Salmon Obstacle Course. Furthermore, students will discover what the Atlantic Coast and Ocean are really about and what they can do to keep it clean and healthy as Coastal Caretakers.

Grades	3-4
Subject	Science/Social Studies
Curriculum Connections/ Expectations Met	• The life cycle of plants • Uses for plants • Interactions of living things and soil • Habitats and populations • Behavioral and structural features of animals that enables them to survive in their habitat • Structural features of plants that enable them to survive in their habitat • Food chains • The impact of technology in natural habitats • Demonstrate an understanding of how people of all ages can play a role as active citizens
Project Duration	70 minutes per visit; two visits
Special Needs	n/a

Grades 5 - 6

Seaweed in our Ice Cream!?!

In Seaweed in our Ice Cream!?! students learn in greater depth all about the various abiotic and biotic components of the Atlantic tidal zones and marine ecosystems. Various vertebrate and invertebrate species and their adaptations to the seascape will be explored. Mi’kmaq history of the land and current issues regarding fisheries will also be introduced. During the second visit students will have an opportunity to physically experience the journey of salmon through an obstacle course. Furthermore, students will be discovering the needs and results of human relationships with the coastal regions and the ideas and options available to them by becoming stewards of our shorelines as Coastal Caretakers.

Grades	5-6
Subject	Science/Social Studies
Curriculum Connections/ Expectations Met	• Movement of Air and Water • Environmental Issues • Effect of technologies on the environment • Role of common classification scheme for living things • The Animal Kingdom: Vertebrates and Invertebrates • Microorganisms • Adaptations and natural selections • Demonstrate an understanding of the influence of climate and vegetation on selected regions of the world • For selected cultural regions, assess the relationship between the culture and the environment
Project Duration	70 minutes per visit; two visits
Special Needs	n/a

Donate to our Environmental Education Programs!

“I think this surprised people on how their footprint was hurting the Earth so much”

“It’s fun”

“The Sierra Club showed us how to care for and help the environment”

“This program was really cool! Good Job!”

“I liked the games we played”

“Keep up the good work, I had lots of fun”... Read more »

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Atlantic Chapter

Resources for Environmental Education

The following is a list of resources developed by Sierra Club Atlantic's Advisory Committee on Education of articles, books, and organizations working on Environmental Education

Articles:
David Sobel - “Beyond Ecophobia” http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/education-for-life/803
David Orr- “What is Education For?” http://www.context.org/ICLIB/IC27/Orr.htm
Orion magazine - http://www.orionmagazine.org/
Canadian Journal of Environmental Education - http://cjee.lakeheadu.ca

Books:
Richard Louv- Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
“Last Child in the Woods is the first book to bring together a new and growing body of research... Read more »

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Atlantic Chapter

Under 25? Join our Youth Advisory Committee!

The Sierra Club Canada Atlantic Canada Chapter was established in 2000, and since 2003 our environmental education programs have been our strongest component. Looking forward we want help with funding, expanding, developing, and evaluating our programing.

We've received funding to develop a youth advisory committee (YAC) that would help our environmental education staff to continue to deliver the highest level of relevant environmental education programs. Now all we need is you!... Read more »

Posting closes:

Fri, 2010-12-31 (All day)

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Atlantic Chapter

Get Involved-Become Part of Our Advisory Committee on Education (ACE)!

The Sierra Club Canada Atlantic Canada Chapter was established in 2000, and since 2003 our environmental education programs have been our strongest component. Looking forward we want help with funding, expanding, developing, and evaluating our programing.

We've received funding to develop an advisory committee that would help our environmental education staff to continue to deliver the highest level of relevant environmental education programs. Now all we need is you!
... Read more »

Posting closes:

Fri, 2010-12-31 (All day)

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Atlantic Chapter

NATURE DEFICIT? NOT THESE CHILDREN

Wild Child Nature Immersion Gets Children Outside

Wednesday, October 20, 2010- Halifax, NS:The children stop what they are doing and scramble to another child that has shouted that they have found a salamander. She is holding it gently in their hand and while the others push their way into the crowd to take a look at the small amphibian before it is carefully put back in its home.

This fall, children at two schools that host the Halifax Regional School Board’s EXEL Child Care Programs are participating in an innovative program, called Wild Child Nature Immersion. These “Wild Children” explore and play outside in a forested area, while learning about local living ecosystems.

... Read more »

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