Topic #1 : Cold water, like that off the Coast of BC, is rich with marine life
Students often think of marine life in the tropics, but not about the biodiversity in the cold Canadian waters. However, there are so many amazing varieties marine life that are unique to the cold waters. Booking a virtual Aquaclass with Ocean Wise such as Whales: Poop, Drones and Hydrophones or Ecology in the Emerald Sea About BC’s Kelp forests are great ways to explore what is happening off our coast and to makes students aware of what lies bellow our coastal waters.
Topic # 2 : Watersheds are an integral part of our ecosystems.
How does the water around us sustain the economy, wildlife and human life? Using the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), students can critically think about how waterways in are integral to the community.
Canada has 19 Unesco Designated Biosphere Reserves. Exploring one close to your school is a great way to see how important the role of water, blue economy, sustainability and conservation come together in their areas. If there isn’t a designated reserve close to you, have your students explore one of Canada’s 19 reserves and the SDGs then decide which area they would propose to Unesco to be the 20th reserve and why. This will allow students to think critically about what is occurring around them and to become advocates for their local environment.
Topic #3 : Most of the oxygen in our atmosphere is produced by marine plants.
There is lots of discussion about deforestation’s affect on climate change. However, we don’t hear as much about how important the role of the ocean is. Protecting oceans is as important as protecting the land.
Dr. Sylvia Earle is an amazing scientist and oceanographer and such an inspiration to me. Seeing her dive in her many documentaries, reading her books and seeing her TED talks are some of the reasons I started to scuba dive. Mission Blue, led by Dr. Earle, is doing great work at protecting the ocean through Hope Spots. The Ocean Stories section of their website has stories that are great to share with students about conservation and to bring more awareness to the importance of marine ecosystems. You can also check out the movie on Netflix.
Topic #4 : Over 80% of the ocean has been unobserved and unexplored. (NOAA, 2021)
My favorite quote is from Maya Angelou “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”. As we discover more about the ocean and how humans are having a lasting impact on it, we need to change our behaviours and create sustainable systems. We need to do better.
Student led initiatives are a powerful way to have an impact in our communities. Many organizations like WWF Canada provide grants to students and schools to undertake initiatives that will have a positive impact on our planet. And nothing is more empowering to students than to be recognized for their ideas and to have funding to put them into action.
Topic #5 : Oceans are an important part of our planet’s health. What can we do to protect them?
Climate anxiety is real and I see it affecting my students. I find it important not only to talk about the problems our oceans are facing, but also to give space for students to explore possible solutions. Through the design thinking process, students learn how to develop prototypes to help solve real world problems. Sometimes, I have groups of students who have ideas that come to them and they are ready to start designing as soon as I mention ocean conservation. Others need more guidance. Little Inventors has a great ressources that I have used with students in grades 3, 4 and 5, but that can be adapted for all grades. Although the actual contest is over, the resources (available in French and English) are well made and help guide students from learning about the ocean to protecting it. This is one of the ressources that I use over and over and am alway so impressed with what students designs. They also have a Mission Protect our Ocean : mini-challenge project going on right now. It gives me hope for the futur knowing that these young minds will be soon in the workforce, hopefully putting some of their great ideas into action.
For example, place-based education is so important. Learning about your local watershed and how it impacts your own community is a great way to make learning meaningful for students. Getting outside and having students observe what is happening in their own communities is a great way for them to start developing inquiry questions. Reach out to your local watershed organisation, aquarium, or water keeper foundation to see how you and your students can get involved. Here, on the traditional land of the Squamish people, we are part of the Howe Sound biosphere and our school community has been fortunate to learn from First Nation members on how we can continue to be responsible and respectful to their land.
Living in BC, salmon and sustainable fishing are topics that are often in the media. Using real-world, real-time information and situations allows students to explore important environmental issues. Using newspaper articles or clips from the news can be great discussion starters and lead students to ask questions. Choosing questions that are important to them, they can then use design thinking skills to work on solutions. Ocean Wise worked with Cove to hold professional development workshops last year. Participants received this Water Garden kit and resources to encourage wonder and problem solving in the classroom around sustainable practices. Check out Ocean Wise and sign up for their newsletter to be informed in upcoming workshops!
The most important skill I want to cultivate for students is curiosity and wonder! By sharing videos or photos without text, you can encourage students to develop observation and reasoning skills. I especially like using the Question Formulations technique (QTF) to have students develop and analyse their own questions. Once I have taught the QTF, it is a quick low-prep lesson that leads to collaboration and great questions that lead to inquiry. Let’s give the first step a try - and remember all questions and wonders have merit! If you are looking to develop this technique with your students, National Geographic Education offers a free online professional development cours on the QFT. The book « Make just one change : Teach students to ask their own questions » by Dan Rothstein &Luz Santana is another fantastic ressource I have used to better understand and use the QFT in my classroom.
I hope that this blog post has inspired you to get out and explore your local waterways and to teach about the ocean no matter where you are. It is such an important part of our environement and has an impact on us no matter how far from the coast you live.
If you have any questions about this post or about the ressources I will be sharing on Twitter or Instagram through the Ocean Wise Education take over for International Day of Education on Monday January 24th, please reach out!
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