Part 1 - Introduction (ELA and Social Studies)
A. Read the book “Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World” – illustrates the idea of an individual's responsibility to the environment.
B. Watch "The Lorax"– illustrates the impact of our actions on the environment and on others.
C. Introduce what a “community garden" is defined as in regards to balance, sustainability and the land.
D. Divide students into their working groups for project. Begin planning their community garden with the knowledge that they have gathered so far.
E. Introduce concepts of plant growth and changes, begin growing plant and journaling. Discuss plant growth and how your actions have an impact the growth of a plant.
Part Two – Life Cycles (Science)
A. Introduction of nutrition – What do you need to grow? What do plants need to grow?
B. Plant life cycles – Investigation of local Alberta plants.
i. What local plants are used for what?
ii. What is sustainability?
C. Indigenous perspective – foster knowledge about communities around us.
i. What do other people value in terms of connection with the land?
D. Visit to Nosehill with an Indigenous Elder for smudge ceremony.
i. Reflection: what did you feel/think about the ceremony? What other activities do you do that make you think about your connection to the land?
ii. Sharing circle: students will pass around a stone and share their learning from the week and reflect upon the field trip. This indigenous tradition promotes community and reflection.
Part Three – Pollution and Waste in our World (Science)
A. What is pollution? Where does it come from? What can we do about it?
B. Discuss and brainstorm ways to reduce pollution.
i. Guest speaker from City of Calgary to discuss the city's recycling program: allows students to understand ways in which they can help reduce waste and contribute positively in their local community.
C. Plant life cycles and healthy living habits - what can we do to contribute? How do we create balance in our life systems?
D. How plants serve to help pollution (air cleanliness).
E. Class discussion: Which plants can be incorporated into the community garden that help to reduce air pollution? How does a community garden contribute to a building a better environment?
Part Four – Spreading/Growing Awareness
Letters to the Mayor
Part Five - Exhibition
Planting Community Garden
A. Read the book “Seeds of Change: Wangari’s Gift to the World” – illustrates the idea of an individual's responsibility to the environment.
B. Watch "The Lorax"– illustrates the impact of our actions on the environment and on others.
C. Introduce what a “community garden" is defined as in regards to balance, sustainability and the land.
D. Divide students into their working groups for project. Begin planning their community garden with the knowledge that they have gathered so far.
E. Introduce concepts of plant growth and changes, begin growing plant and journaling. Discuss plant growth and how your actions have an impact the growth of a plant.
Part Two – Life Cycles (Science)
A. Introduction of nutrition – What do you need to grow? What do plants need to grow?
B. Plant life cycles – Investigation of local Alberta plants.
i. What local plants are used for what?
ii. What is sustainability?
C. Indigenous perspective – foster knowledge about communities around us.
i. What do other people value in terms of connection with the land?
D. Visit to Nosehill with an Indigenous Elder for smudge ceremony.
i. Reflection: what did you feel/think about the ceremony? What other activities do you do that make you think about your connection to the land?
ii. Sharing circle: students will pass around a stone and share their learning from the week and reflect upon the field trip. This indigenous tradition promotes community and reflection.
Part Three – Pollution and Waste in our World (Science)
A. What is pollution? Where does it come from? What can we do about it?
B. Discuss and brainstorm ways to reduce pollution.
i. Guest speaker from City of Calgary to discuss the city's recycling program: allows students to understand ways in which they can help reduce waste and contribute positively in their local community.
C. Plant life cycles and healthy living habits - what can we do to contribute? How do we create balance in our life systems?
D. How plants serve to help pollution (air cleanliness).
E. Class discussion: Which plants can be incorporated into the community garden that help to reduce air pollution? How does a community garden contribute to a building a better environment?
Part Four – Spreading/Growing Awareness
Letters to the Mayor
- Through the activity of writing letters to Calgary’s mayor (ELA), students show what they have learned and offer suggestions on how to create a better community garden (social) that will contribute positively to the environment (science).
Part Five - Exhibition
Planting Community Garden
- Field trip activity - students spend day out of school to work on planting garden in a community space.
- Final reflection in their journal (ELA).
- Guiding journal questions will be based on what they learned over the unit:
- How has their knowledge on sustainability grown?
- In which ways can they contribute positively to the environment?
- What they would like to inquire about in the future.
- Which activities or lessons they enjoyed the most.