10 Ideas for Activities
1. Want to make your school more ECO friendly but do not know where to start? Why not have an Eco Audit . This takes around an hour and a half (and could be carried out during or after school) and will provide you with a baseline for where your school is now and provide a wealth of information and further contacts for what to do next. The Eco Audit Co-ordinator, along with a group a few pupils, the site manager and a teacher would walk around the school on a fact finding tour. The co-ordinator would then produce a written report and present the school with a certificate of participation. Contact Emma Robson on 01244 603125 or see Eco Audit Pages for further information
2. If your school would like to improve the school grounds, why not ask the pupils in the Eco Club to carry out a mapping exercise of the school grounds and mark on existing features. A collage of ideas (either from the children’s own drawings or photos from magazines etc) for improvement could then be created to act as inspiration for the whole school. For further information on improving school grounds and a list of organisations that can help see School Grounds
3. There are a wealth of Eco games available that can either be played outside or others that bring the environment indoors. The games help the children think about environmental issues but in a fun way. For some suggestions see Eco Games
4. The Out of School Eco Club could have the responsibility for organising a recycling scheme. This could be for anything from waste paper to mobile phones. This could be a one off scheme eg Christmas Cards or Yellow pages or throughout the year eg cans and plastic bottles. Collecting some recyclables could create income for the school or the club or provide rewards to participants or it could help a local charity. For further information and ideas about what can be recycled in your local area contact Stefania Isbell on 01244 603191 or look at A to Z of Recycling
5. If the school has transport problems at drop off and collection times then the Eco Club could work on a Safer Routes to School project. There are even grants available to produce a School Travel Plans. Further advice can be found at the Travel Plan pages or contact the Safer Routes to School Team on 01244 603730
6. The Eco Club could discuss the issues surrounding food eg fair-trade; locally produced food; organic; food miles; waste packaging; GM crops and then perhaps hold an after school picnic, trying to take account of as many of the issues as possible. For further information see Sustainable Cheshire Food Information
7. Why not get the group to make toy cars that run on solar energy or wind and then hold a race. For information about Renewable Energy contact Julie Shalloe on 01606 594331
8. Why not create a Junk Orchestra. The pupils can make a band made up of instruments made from bits and bobs and general reclaimed materials.
9. There are a number of organisations and individuals that work with schools on Eco issues from storytelling to willow weaving.
10. For inspiration why not look at the wonderful Education for Sustainable Development Handbook that has been produced for Cheshire. It contains a wealth of information and examples of activities undertaken within schools around the County. Every school in Cheshire will receive one free copy. To order further copies or for further information contact Emma Robson on 01244 603125
Any comments / queries / suggestions and email Stefania Isbell or tel 01244 603191 or fax 01244 603033
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