Secondary Presenters

36 Bites... Small Steps to Swallowing Environmental Education as Practice

The New Environmental Education Policy Framework is exciting to us all. However for those that have not had experience in teaching about the environment or for those of us who work in areas or with students in which we feel such a concept may be difficult to work will wonder where to start. Such educators will benefit from this session with 36 simple yet impactful ideas and resources for you as a classroom teacher to introduce environmental education into the mainstream. Each of these 36 examples are not ideas, but have been done in the class with success. By the end of the workshop create a recipe for introducing your own savoury connections to the environment!

Elementary and Secondary

Rob Ridley is Coordinator for the Peel District School Board's 5 field centres who now focusses on Citizen Science to bring stewardship and a sense of purpose to students. Bird studies, frogs, forest succession, limnology and other avenues present themselves as wonderful "classrooms" for teachers and students alike.
Recently, Rob has introduced Classrooms Without Walls to teach classroom teachers how to bring the environment into every strand of the curriculum. A trip to the field centres can create those moments of epiphany about how wonderful the outdoors can be, however it is only through continuous immersion that true understanding can be achieved by students and thus the teacher's role is vital. CWW is about enhancing the trip to the field centre by creating community activities as lead up and follow up activities.

Garbage That Flies...

Through this hands-on activity, students become involved in the rethinking of paradigms concerning garbage, consumerism and creativity.
This exercise involves the reuse of two items that cannot be recycled, including old CD’s! The resulting toy is a small flying disc, like a Frisbee, that flies extremely well, and can then be used to play catch or for a bocce/golf-like game. The lesson is conceptually palatable for a wide range of grades, the fun factor is high, and the cognitive pay-off is excellent. This lesson provides positive student motivation, facilitates class focus and fulfills curricular outcomes.

Grades 5, 6, 11

John Etches is an environmental educator with 25 years experience managing environmental education programs, planning school visits, and developing/delivering environmental programs for client groups of all ages. He currently instructs at the Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre and sits on the Board of Directors. He also delivered the Interpretive Techniques course with the Ecotourism/Adventure Tourism program at Sir Sandford Fleming College in Haliburton. John recently completed two contracts with the United Nations Development Program to develop the educational products for a new World Heritage Site in Egypt.
With over 20 years of experience as geologist and educator, most notably at the former Leslie Frost Centre at Dorset, John brings a wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm to his programs.

Conflict And The Environment: Using Drama And Deliberation Techniques To Explore Environmental Issues In The Classroom

This interactive workshop shares ideas and strategies for exploring conflicts using environmental contexts. Participants will explore environmental issues using deliberation, negotiation, and drama strategies with a goal toward eliciting and exploring local and global perspectives and fostering student action. The workshop takes an integrative approach toward environmental education, allowing for various curriculum expectations to be met in Social Studies (gr. 4-6), Geography (gr. 7 & 8), Science and Technology (gr. 4-8), Fine Arts (Drama), and Language.

Junior/Intermediate

Antonino Giambrone usually teaches at City View Alternative School in Toronto, a school that focuses on social and environmental justice. Currently, he is teaching a course on Managing Conflict in Schools at OISE/UT while pursuing doctoral studies in drama pedagogy and environmental education. He has worked with the Elementary Teachers Federation of Ontario, the Canadian Teachers Federation, and UNICEF on various global and environmental education projects, and is a member of Sustainability Frontiers, an organization focused on sustainability education.

Identifying the Ecological Self

How would you define your relationship with the environment? What is your ecological identity and how does it influence your navigation through environmental education curriculum? Discovery of the ecological self is paramount in being able to teach environmental education. Using personal history, reflection, and asset/deficit mapping, teachers can begin to develop their own baseline data that provides a foundation on which to build environmental education in the classroom for others. This session focuses on how to begin identifying the ecological self, and also how to facilitate the development of student identities.

General

Carmen Schlamb is a professor of environmental studies and environmental science with Seneca College. She teaches in the Environmental Management Technologies professional program, and the Liberal Arts elective streams. Carmen has her Masters Degree in Education with a focus in environmental education. Her research interests include citizen science, nature deficit disorder, and the concept of the ecological identity.

Biodiversity Basics

The new Schad Gallery of Biodiversity allows students to explore the diversity of life on Earth and learn more about human impacts and species and their habitats. An important strand in the new curriculum focuses on the value of traditional knowledge in relation to the present-day environmental crisis. Part of this session will provide examples on how traditional knowledge is being used to address environmental issues.

Elementary and Secondary

Barbara Filion has been teaching at the Royal Ontario Museum for the last eight years. Her Innu-Montagnais heritage has led her to pursue studies of traditional knowledge and science in many directions, from curriculum development to working with Aboriginal youth. She obtained a Bachelors degree in Archaeology and Anthropology at McGill University, with a special focus on First Peoples cultures of North America. Her Masters degree in Environmental Studies at York University concentrated on Aboriginal traditional knowledge and environment. At the moment, Barbara is also co-authoring a textbook for grade 11 on First Peoples.
Beverley Galandzy has been teaching at the ROM for over 12 years. She has also worked abroad in several countries as an ESL teacher. Over the years, Beverley has centered her teaching to cover a broad range of science topics focusing on environmental studies. She recently took part in a ‘Students on Ice’ conference which helps teens to nurture a deeper understanding and respect for the planet.

Hands-On With Aquatic Investigations

Join James and Myke for a hands-on, feet-wet program based around the new science curriculum. Nets will be provided including examples of homemade nets too to show a low cost alternative. Bring boots and/or running shoes, plan to get your feet wet and catch some aquatic organisms.

Junior/Intermediate

James Borland is a Phd Candidate in Educational Studies at the University of Windsor. With experience working at several outdoor centres across southern and central Ontario, James can usually be found conducting research on low cost, outdoor education activities that classroom teachers can implement to engage students in exploring the natural components of urban ecosystems that we as humans depend upon such as clean water.

Myke Zinn has recently completed his Masters of Education from Queen's University. Myke teachers in the Bruce-Grey Catholic District School Board. For the last few seasons, Myke has worked as a co-researcher with James, testing out new activities that classroom teachers can use to engage their students in exploring the natural ecosystems on and within walking distance of school grounds.

All in a Drop of Water: Introduction to Plankton Biology

There’s an amazing and complex world out there for us to explore, all in a single drop of water! Start outdoors by collecting plankton using a variety of sampling methods and then investigate your catch through the use of projection and digital microscopes. Take away suggestions for classroom activities, including ways to engage students in discussions of water quality.

Intermediate/Senior

Nicole Hamley is an outdoor and environmental education teacher with the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, working at Lake St. George Field Centre in Richmond Hill. Nicole studied Environmental Biology at Queen’s University and went on to earn her B.Ed. from OISE/UT. Nicole has been a member of OSEE for several years and helps to proof each issue of Interactions.

Tread Lightly: Tools for Collaborative Climate Education

Access climate change lesson plans and create your own Tread Lightly virtual classroom equipped with: blogs, maps, image galleries, live video chats, discussion boards, and online file storage — all within a private, secure, and advertising-free online environment! Each Tread Lightly virtual classroom has the capability to connect with other virtual classrooms around the world, providing open-ended possibilities for facilitating cross-cultural dialogues on climate change.
www.treadlightly.me

Secondary

Ping-Ya Lee, Tread Lightly’s Program Coordinator, holds a degree in Environmental Studies from York University. Prior to joining TakingITGlobal (TIG) as Tread Lightly Program Coordinator, she worked as Community Garden and Education Coordinator for a local environmental non-profit.
Tread Lightly is a free climate change education and youth engagement initiative developed by TakingITGlobal (TIG), with the generous support of the Staples Foundation for Learning®. Tread Lightly provides free, interactive, information and communications technology (ICT) tools and resources to educators seeking to engage high school students in collaborative, environmental education.

What Conservation Authorities Can Offer Teachers

Many teachers are familiar with the outdoor and environmental education programs Conservation Authorities can offer in classrooms and at their outdoor education centres. But CA’s have more to offer than just those resources! As leaders of environmental and watershed health they can also provide technical data, site access, real science applications, connections to local issues and professional expertise from their entire operation to enhance and expand upon the classroom lessons provided by teachers. Learn about ALL that CA’s can provide to create students that will become environmentally knowledgeable and responsible citizens!

General

Shane Kramer was part of the Conservation Ontario Environmental Education Working Group that spoke to the Ministry of Education on behalf of all Conservation Authorities. Shane is a staff member of the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority working at Scanlon Creek, near Bradford, and is also a former president of the Council of Outdoor Educators of Ontario (COEO) s.kramer(at)lsrca.on.ca

Introduction to Geology – Part 1

This workshop will be divided into 2 sessions.
This session is intended for those who have minimal or no background in the study of geology. Suggestions will be given on how to introduce the Grade 4 Geology unit and engage student participation in classroom situations. Through instruction and demonstrations, participants will learn about tools used by geologists in the field, main mineral properties, acid test, fluorescence, and types of rocks and fossils by observing hand held samples.
The session has been used successfully in classrooms in various elementary schools for the past 3 years. It can be modified for secondary levels.
A list of teacher resources will be provided to enable the teacher to become comfortable in the study of rocks and minerals.

Grade 4 (and possibly Secondary)

Don Lee is a retired Geography/Geology high school teacher whose passion is collecting rocks, minerals and fossils. He has designed this workshop (modified with input from elementary teachers) specifically for the elementary curriculum Grade 4 Geology.
As well as his hobby in lapidary work (making jewelry from rocks/minerals), Don travels to gain personal experience in geological formations within Europe, Iceland and Canada as well as the global Arctic.
He shares his information with elementary students and teachers by visiting schools as a guest geologist.

Karin Kell is a K - 6 teacher with the Simcoe County DSB. Her students in Grade 4 have participated in the Rocks & Minerals exercise. She will share her experience and expertise as an elementary teacher.

Geology Lab – Part 2

(Maximum of 28 people)

Note that Part 1 is a prerequisite for Part 2 which is a practical application of the previous session. This session is intended for those who have minimal or no background in the study of geology.
The participant will move through 7 stations that require hands on study of the properties discussed in Part 1. For example: colour/streak, lustre/transparency, hardness/tenacity, density, fractures/cleavage, crystal structure, and special properties. This lab is intended for Grade 4 Curriculum but may be modified for secondary levels.
Participant will be able to use basic geological tools, observe mineral properties, create cross-curricular opportunities and make modifications to the lab to adapt to classroom situations.

Grade 4 (and possibly Secondary)

Introduction to Aquatic Ecosystems

With the new grade 9 curriculum, many teachers are looking at investigating aquatic ecosystems, but how do you do it? Through hands-on activities, you will learn various methods from homemade to high tech – including resources and Daphnia.

Offered both Thursday and Friday

Grade 9

Brent Campbell has taught for 10 years in the Simcoe and Lambton County school boards. He is currently the Curriculum Leader of Science at Wallaceburg District Secondary School. His background is in Fisheries Science, from which he holds a Masters of Biology from the University of Ottawa. His expertise is in Freshwater Limnology and Benthos habitats.

Kris Lee is a newly retired science teacher with 35 years of experience in ecology and environmental science. Her favourite part of teaching science is taking students to do local biotic and abiotic stream studies. She also volunteers on committees for the St. Clair River Area of Concern which promotes the health of the Great Lakes watershed. Further information at leenvironmental.com.

Aquatic Ecosystems: Water Quality Tests

Practice testing of water quality parameters within a stream environment (weather permitting). Laboratory skills, evaluation, and safety will be highlighted. Outdoor dress for stream study will be required (this means you might get a little muddy). Science lab alternate if weather is prohibitive. It is not necessary to attend Session above.

Offered both Thursday and Friday.Max 30

Secondary (Gr. 9)

Ecological Footprint Calculators

What does an ecological footprint measure? How can I use an online ecological footprint calculator with my students? This simple and practical session will give teachers the hands on computer experience and handouts needed to successfully integrate this concept into a science or geography class. The science behind an ecological footprint will be explained. Students can examine the effects of lifestyle changes at the click of a button. Students will understand the big idea that their choices can improve the world. Supplementary activities that can be used when computers are not available will also be covered.

Secondary

Ellen Murray is a science teacher at Rosedale Heights School of the Arts in Toronto. She has taught biology, environmental science, and computer science. Ellen also worked in the information technology sector and did international development work in Latin America prior to her teaching career. Ellen’s heroes are Vandana Shiva, Wangari Maathi and Bill Rees.

Engaging Environmental Resources for You and Your Students

Are you a secondary science or geography teacher trying to engage kids in learning more about our environment? Do you struggle to find appropriate articles or interactive exercises that resonate with the students you teach? We can help! Come join us for a hands-on workshop in which you explore an on-line databank of thousands of free resources made by teachers for teachers in the provincially-funded school system. Get some ideas about how you can use our on-line units, lessons, and games in your day-to-day practice, and learn what resources exist for the other courses you may also be teaching. You’ll be glad you did!

Secondary Geography and Science Teachers

Rob Scott has been working for e-Learning Ontario for the past three years. Part of his role at eLO has been to work with science teachers from across the province to develop on-line courses to meet the new curriculum guidelines. Prior to working for the Ministry of Education, Rob taught computer science, science and math for many years in the Grand Erie District School Board, including four years online. Rob also developed one of the first on-line physics labs and is the author of a number of books on topics ranging from computer science to computer animation.

Green Homes & Climate Change

Children and adults can make the biggest contribution to reducing their carbon footprint by acting on C02 reduction opportunities around the home. Discover what you and your students can do through a virtual tour of Canada’s newest green home.

General

Alex Waters has designed and implemented many of Canada’s most innovative renewable energy and energy efficiency projects, demonstrations and programs for children and adults as Manager of the Kortright Centre, Canada’s largest environmental and renewable energy education facilities. A Sustainable Technology Specialist for the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, he has also assisted in the design of educational materials for the Waterloo Green Home, the Toronto Healthy House, and Enerworks solar water systems.
Alex has also been the National Education Coordinator for Ducks Unlimited Canada and the Executive Director of EnviroMark, Markham’s green community initiative conducting green energy home audits.
Last year, Alex coordinated the development and construction of the Archetype Sustainable Houses at Kortright, two of the most sustainable demonstration homes in Canada, obtaining LEED Platinum.
Alex is a leader in making the Kortright Centre a world class demonstration and education centre in sustainable living as part of the Living City Campus.

Environmental Science Workplace (SVN3E) Community Project

Interested in an online SVN3E community initiative that provides opportunities to network, collaborate and share implementation challenges, professional learning and custom resource development? Be part of our community process in this workshop. Attendees will also receive the NEW custom Environmental Science Interactions WorkText for SVN3E!
To link to your SVN3E community: www.environmentalscienceinteractions.com

Grade 11 – Friday

Lionel Sandner is currently working on various science education projects ranging from grades 7 to 12 in Ontario. Drawing upon his classroom experience, and leadership roles like the lead-anglophone coordinator for the Pan Canadian Science project, he believes in making science an active, engaging and personal experience for all students. Currently Lionel is President of Edvantage Interactive and is working with Ontario educators to bring high quality, low cost resources with a strong technology focus to the classroom.

SVN3E – Issues, Challenges, Online Communities and Custom Resources

Look at a variety of issues and challenges when implementing SVN3E Workplace 11. This workshop will also discuss harnessing the power of online communities to collaborate and support teachers. All attendees will receive the new custom SVN3E WorkText from Edvantage Interactive. www.environmentalscienceinteractions.com

Grade 11 - Saturday

Stewart Grant (SVN3E Pilot Program and Toronto District School Board),

and Lionel Sandner (Edvantage Interactive)

First Nations Art

Through activities, handling objects, directed observation and discussion of work in the First Nations collection, participants will be able to:
Sharpen powers of observation
Analyze and describe works of art
Understand and appreciate First Nation art
Identify elements of design and describe how they are used by artists. (ie. colour, shape, line and texture).
Become familiar with the McMichael First Nation collection.
The session will highlight: North West Coast First Nations, the Four Realms, Importance of Totems/Masks, the four common symbols, Potlatch, handling objects, explaining the sketch activity.

Both Panels

Fred Empacher has been with the McMichael Canadian Art Collection for over 14 years. As an educator, he participates in the development of tours and workshops for school children pertaining to the art of the Group of Seven, Inuit and First Nations People. He has presented workshops at the District School Board level. Fred believes that the 100% Canadian content of the McMichael provides school children with important insights about their unique Canadian history and culture.

Changing Currents

Help your students discover the health of their local watershed!
At this hands-on outdoor session learn how you can engage your students in a stream or river study using proper bio-monitoring protocols. Participants will learn the basics of performing such a study and will be introduced to Changing Currents - a program that provides free resources, leadership, and fieldtrips to perform the studies. Changing Currents is a free program in the GTA, but non-GTA teachers can attend to learn the procedures and to learn how to access many CEW resources. This program is suited for Grades 8-12 and is most easily incorporated into the sciences and geography.

Grade 7+

David Gordon has been teaching Science, Biology, and Environmental Science at Dunbarton High School in Pickering since 1991. He has worked as a researcher on citizen conservation activities around the Great Lakes, a naturalist, a wilderness guide, a bicycle courier, and a book editor. He is on the Board of Directors of Citizens Environment Watch. Since 2002 he has been working to return Environmental Science to the curriculum and is the author of the locally developed course Urban Watershed Science (SBU 381). He is a great believer in simple, gentle and sustainable technologies and uses his bicycle to go just about everywhere.

Paul Tucker is the Environmental Education Manager at Citizens’ Environment Watch (CEW). He has been with CEW since early 2009 designing and implementing the organization’s two flagship environmental education programs: Changing Currents and Wattwize.

Wattwize

Engage Your Students in an Energy Conservation Project!
At this session learn how to engage your students in a school energy audit and conservation plan creation and implementation. Teachers will learn about Citizens’ Environment Watch’s free online resources (and full program including workshops in the GTA) to engage students in electricity conservation activities. Teachers will learn how to use the resources available to facilitate student-run energy audits and conservation planning. This program connects with the grade 5 and 6 science curriculum as well as high school geography and science courses. Many EcoTeams and Environment clubs also take part in the Wattwize program.

Grade 5 +

How to Lead a Nature Walk

Do you want to get your students out of the classroom but aren’t sure how to do it? During this hands on walk, Ian Hendry will share some of the tips and tricks he has learned during his 30 years of leading nature walks. Topic will include “classroom” management on the trail, low prep activities, safe handling of “creepy crawlies” and how to answer the dreaded question ’What is it?”

General

Ian Hendry has close to 30-years experience in outdoor education. He is Royal Botanical Gardens’ Nature Centre manager. He has also done outdoor, environmental education for school boards, conservation authorities, camps, and NGOs. For seven years he also ran his own business delivering outdoor ed programs from the back of a pickup.

The River RAP and More: St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan

Motivate and inspire students to learn about the environment and have fun at the same time. There will be demonstrations, videos, models, lesson outlines and other applications, especially but not limited to Grade 7 to 9 science units.

Intermediate/Senior

Kris Lee is the Canadian Chair of St. Clair River Remedial Action Plan (RAP) Binational Public Advisory Council (BPAC) as a charter member of the RAPs. She lives along the St. Clair River and is very active in the community dialogue process of environmental issues between the public, industries, governments and First Nations. A recently retired high school science teacher who believes students need to experience the outdoors for meaningful life long learning, she devotes her time among her grandchildren, the environment and health & safety.
Further information can be found at leenvironmental.com

Kim Gledhill, a teacher for the St. Clair Region Conservation Authority (SCRCA), lives in Corunna, on the St. Clair River where she is a volunteer for The Friends of the St. Clair River.
With the SCRCA, she provides 28 environmental programs to students and adults of all ages. Kim feels her role on earth is to open people’s eyes and minds by experiencing first-hand the beauty and intricate process of all life on Earth.

Star Gazing

Nothing is quite as relaxing, inspiring, and thought provoking as a dark sky full of stars. Join Ian Hendry for an informal evening of star gazing. Learn a few basic tricks for navigating the night sky. Share a few stories of the stars. Look for satellites like the ISS.

General and “Recreational”

Climate Change

Ice Core Analysis, Tree Cores, the Carbon Cycle Game, Sila Alangotok video, Natural Resources Canada posters, demos...These interactive activities will be featured along with demonstrations that we’ve been using at University of Toronto Schools for the past 2 years. They are fun, and instructive!
Students will be helping you.
Limited numbers for 5-6 stations (25 people)

Secondary

Meg O’Mahony teaches Biology at University of Toronto Schools, as well as running an active Envirothon Club/team, is staff advisor of Roots & Shoots Club (which put in a native species sustainable garden last year at the school) and Best Buddies and mentor for the school’s Biotech student teams. Students who studied climate change last year and some from this year will be joining Ms. O’Mahony.

An Approach to Teaching Grade 10 Climate Change

Climate change is always in the news. It is an exciting, challenging, interdisciplinary, and puzzling topic. For students, the study of climate change reaches from other worlds to the past and future of our planet, and the story of life itself. Many ideas for activities and student projects will be introduced. An information package will be available for participants.

Grade 10

Ian McGregor is head science teacher in the Education Department of the Royal Ontario Museum introducing students from kindergarten to post-secondary levels to the wonders of the world around them. He has a deep passion for all areas of science, observing the stars in dark country skies, and researching his family tree.

When Eco Art is Really Environmental Education

When can making hand-made items be considered environmentally sound learning opportunities versus simply adding a new item eventually to a landfill? This workshop will offer many ideas for ways to constructively criticize many art projects for their environmental hazards while also offering ways to adapt many school ground resources into useful projects that are environmentally friendly.

General

Zabe MacEachren is Coordinator, Outdoor & Experiential Education at the Faculty of Education, Queen’s University. Her research is on sustainability education for teachers in the public education system, and ecological literacy regarding made items. Zabe is also President of the Coucil of Outdoor Educators (COEO).

High School-Industry Partnerships for Environmental Education

The Environmental Careers Organization of Canada (ECO Canada) and the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is developing education/industry partnerships that foster student learning and their career futures. Two high schools are working with environmental employers in developing experiential learning opportunities. This presentation highlights the partnership between the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Laboratory Services Branch (MOE-LaSB) and Sir John A. Macdonald C.I., its successes and challenges, and the results of student assignments based on a tour of the MOE-LaSB laboratories, including marking rubrics and tips for getting involved.

Secondary

Ray Clement is Senior Research Scientist, Ontario Ministry of the Environment (MOE), and in his “educational role” is Chief Judge for the York Region Sci-Tech Fair and has contributed to many educational activities at the high school, college, and university levels. Ray serves on the boards of the Environmental Careers Organization of Canada and the Ontario Society for Environmental Education, and is a member of the University of Waterloo Science Dean’s Advisory Council. He has published in the area of toxic organics in the environment and taught undergraduate and graduate courses in environmental analysis at universities and colleges. Distinctions include the 2007 ACS Award for Distinguished Service in the Advancement of Analytical Chemistry, the 2005 Maxxam Award (For a Distinguished Contribution in the Field of Analytical Chemistry), and the 2005 Award for Leadership in Environmental Education (Ontario Society for Environmental Education).

Learning for a Sustainable Future

Lilly Briggs, Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) Project Coordinator, will provide an overview of LSF’s programs:

– Resources for Rethinking (www.r4r.ca)

– EcoLeague (www.ecoleague.ca)

– Project FLOW (www.r4r.ca/en/project-flow)

and explain how they can be accessed by educators to engage their students in action-oriented projects. She will provide hands-on training on how formal and non-formal educators can successfully integrate Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) into their classrooms.
LSF (www.lsf-lst.ca) is a Canadian non-profit organization, founded in 1991 to integrate Education for Sustainable Development into Canada’s education systems. LSF's mission is to promote, through education, the knowledge, skills, perspectives, and practices essential to a sustainable future. Across Canada, LSF's innovative programs and partnerships are reshaping education policy, helping teachers broaden their abilities, and bringing classrooms into the community.

Elementary and Secondary

Lilly Briggs became Project Coordinator for Learning for a Sustainable Future upon graduating from the Masters of Environmental Studies program at York University. She also has a degree in International Development Studies and Environmental Studies from Dalhousie University, and has worked for other environmental organizations including the Sierra Club of Canada and the Falls Brook Centre. The daughter of a former Canadian diplomat, Lilly was born in Bangkok, then lived outside of Ottawa, as well as Taipei, Beijing, and Seoul, before her family settled in North Vancouver. Lilly has been passionate about the environment, birds, traveling, and learning languages her whole life.

ExploreLearning.com Gotta Get Gizmo!

Unleash the power of inquiry-based learning using the award-winning library of Science Gizmos at ExploreLearning.com. Licensed by the Ontario Ministry for secondary grades, Gizmos help you take advantage of research-proven instructional strategies that let students of all ability levels develop conceptual understanding. With hundreds of Gizmos at your disposal, you can supplement and enhance your instruction with powerful interactive visualizations of science concepts. Students can manipulate key variables, generate and test hypotheses, and engage in extensive “what-if” experimentation.
Key features include:
·    Inquiry-based lessons that are ready to use or customizable
·    Correlations to new Ontario Science curriculum expectations
·    Formative assessment with immediate feedback for students and real-time reports for teachers
·    Teacher guides with answer keys including background information and links to more information
Learn how online simulations help teachers supplement and enhance instruction with powerful interactive visualizations of concepts.
Please plan to attend our workshop as
Stephen Lippa, OCT, ExploreLearning Ontario Project Manager, leads an interactive hands-on demonstration of these uniquely effective online simulations.

Secondary

Stephen Lippa is a physics teacher who recently left the classroom to join ExploreLearning as a full time Project Manager in Ontario. He is actively engaged in supporting teachers around the world in professional development activities and shares his experience with Gizmos as a tool to differentiate classroom instruction. Stephen’s passion for learning has lead him to teach intermediate and secondary school students in science classrooms in Alberta, Ontario, Kenya, and Brazil.

Lessons from the Jungle... Nature’s 9 Principles of Creative Self-Management

Lately, Nature’s management principles have become important themes in the social sciences and with business consultants. Since the 1940’s, management and social sciences have viewed human organization as something more than the sum of its parts. Looking at our various spheres of activity, studies found that an organization does not function as a separate, passive, discreet and rigid “whole entity”. It is a dynamic system, and as such its configuration and behaviors evolve during the normal course of operations. The precise way things evolve is largely determined by the organization, and by the individuals who make up its creative capital.
Observations in Nature reveal existence to be a living system of great complexity, created from other chemical systems, in a dynamic and constant exchange of information. Every form is composed of smaller bits (molecules, atoms, sub-atomic particles/waves of energy, causal forces, etc.) Forms are also a component part of a larger system (tissue, organ, mammal, biosphere, sun, galaxy and super-cluster of galaxies in a unified field of limitless oscillations of vibratory energy).
Self-management means self-creation in the sense that forms of life will emerge at specific levels of complexity. In other words, when conditions are right, or when complexity is organized for a specific form to emerge, it will spontaneously appear. Like magic. Learn the 9 principles the self-management and explore how they can be used to create an environment where implementing day-to-day changes in easy.

Elementary and Secondary

Lawrence Poole — Founder-president of Gestion Consult- IIDC Management Inc., a Montreal training company, and of Instituto Internacional de Desarrollo Creativo, a Costarican educational initiative, Lawrence Poole specializes in developing the creative capital of leaders. He has taught more than 20,000 people Nature’s adaptive strategies. Lawrence created a series of heuristic training programs called Lessons from the jungle. From the Greek for self-discovery, heurism is activity-based training designed to shorten the learning curve. A long-time activist on disability issues and a veteran traveler, some of his adventures were published in the book Able To Travel (Prentice-Hall) while others were the subject of radio and television shows.

Suzy Ethier is a Gestion Consult-IIDC Management partner and trainer since 1988. An author and training consultant, with Lawrence Poole she leads workshops and training events that develop the creative capital of leaders by using Nature as a model for applied creativity.
An expert and highly appreciated facilitator, she has developed a great many tools that help individuals and teams define their objectives and jump-start their creativity. Be it in the jungles of Costa Rica, the backwoods in Quebec or an office classroom, Suzy guides participants in training adventures that mobilize their intelligence and stimulates them to act.
She co-wrote Investissez dans votre capital créatif (I.Q. Éditeur) with Lawrence and has published numerous articles of the creative work environment.

GIS: A Tool to Engage Your Students and Explore the Environment

This presentation is aimed at educators who are interested in using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) in the classroom to explore the environment. We will look at the benefits of using this technology in the classroom, provide examples of possible applications and activities, and introduce resources that highlight how GIS is a tool for learning.

Intermediate/Senior

Angela Alexander has been working as the Education Program Specialist at ESRI Canada for the last 3 years. She is responsible for developing GIS related resources, conducting and creating custom GIS workshops for educators and managing the Education Spotlight resource, a free e-newsletter aimed at educators and administrators in the K-12 and college/university markets distributed six times a year. Angela has a Bachelors degree in Geography and Sociology from the University of Western Ontario and completed the Applied Digital Geography and GIS certificate program at Ryerson University.
Lynda Valenzuela is the Bilingual Education Coordinator at ESRI Canada. She has over 6 years experienced as a teacher and is currently responsible for helping teachers integrate GIS in their classrooms. She graduated from La Salle University in Mexico with a double major in International Business and Education. She will share her experience as an elementary teacher and will help teachers bring GIS into every strand of the curriculum.

Bottled Water: History, Backlash and Teaching Techniques

Re-Fresh! – a Polaris Institute project and part of the national Inside the Bottle program – is geared towards fostering youth awareness and action on bottled water issues in their schools and communities. This presentation will highlight ways teachers can incorporate bottled water issues into the classroom. The Re-Fresh! Curriculum guide is used to outline curriculum links along with basic lesson plans and materials.

Elementary and Secondary

Joe Cressy is the Campaigns Coordinator for the Polaris Institute, a Canadian public interest research and advocacy organization designed to stimulate democratic social change. As the Campaigns Coordinator, Joe is actively involved in municipal, provincial and federal advocacy on energy, environment and corporate issues.
His prior experience includes advocacy and activism at national and international levels. He has worked as a Federal Organizer for the New Democratic Party (NDP), a Mobilization Officer for the Global Call to Action against Poverty (GCAP) – the world’s largest anti-poverty alliance based in South Africa – and served as the youth representative on the national Steering Committee of the Canadian Peace Alliance. He holds a B.PAPM from Carleton University.
Daniel Cayley-Daoust is the Public Education and Outreach Officer at the Polaris Institute, a Canadian public interest research and advocacy organization designed to stimulate democratic social change.Since the fall of 2009, Daniel has been working to get education on bottled water and water justice issues into schools and the curriculum, and encouraging school boards to take action against bottled water. As well, he continues to organize community-based tar sands and energy campaigns in the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
Prior to joining the Polaris Institute, Daniel was involved with many environmental and social justice organizations such as OPIRG-Ottawa, where he is still on the board of directors, and with the CREDDO based in Gatineau where he currently resides. Daniel has recently completed a B.Sc. in environmental science at the University of Ottawa.

Around the World in 80 Days.

Workshop Focus:
How to get your students out of the classroom on an overnight trip
How you can travel in a low impact manner
The process of getting approved at the school and board level
Orchestrating your very own “dream” environmental or curriculum focused overnight trip
The benefits of traveling abroad
The evolve challenge weekend event
The benefits of traveling locally
Tying in curriculum to the travel program
Benefits for a teacher (travel free)
Studentkind.com and Evolve Tours

Elementary and Secondary

Daniel Rinzler and Jeff Richmond have been traveling the world since the minute they were born. For the past five years they have been operating an educational and adventure tour company, which takes students and teachers on educational tours around the world and globally. Another great program which was started 2 years ago is the Evolve Challenge, which takes students to Bancroft, Ontario. The Evolve Challenge focuses on team building, environmental education and team work. Daniel and Jeff’s focus is primarily on eco-tourism and environmental education. Their love for the planet and humanitarian work is evident through various projects they have started around the world and locally as well.

Distance Learning & Videoconference, La Biosphère, Environnement Canada

René Brunet is Distance Learning & Videoconference Coordinator / Facilitator  La Biosphère, Environnement Canada météorologue/meteorologist  Coordonnateur d’Éducation à distance et des vidéoconférences / Animateur

Elementary and Secondary

Distance Learning & Videoconference, La Biosphère, Environnement Canada

Elementary and Secondary

A New Approach to Sound

Explaining the concepts of Sound (or Acoustic) Ecology — On a fundamental level all music is organized sound. Varèse preferred the term Organized Sound rather than music when referring to his compositions. Varèse was one of the founding fathers of a very rich electroacoustic tradition that has developed over the last 60 years and which opened the field of music to all possible sound.
However, without listening there is no music, perhaps even no sound. Sound also propagates through space, and is coloured and shaped by context and environment. R. Murray Schafer — musican, composer and one of the founders of the World Soundscape Project at Simon Fraser University, and creator of the term Sound Ecology — suggested we try to hear all sound in the environment as a musical composition and that we take responsibility for its composition. Some may call the soundscape music just as easily as others might call a symphony sound. As Sound (or Acoustic) Ecology is the study of the relationship between living organisms and their sonic environment (or soundscape), it is important to draw attention to unhealthy imbalances in this relationship, to improve the acoustic quality of a place wherever possible, and to protect and maintain acoustically balanced soundscapes where they still exist.
This workshop is intended for high school teachers and is as much for the Media Arts and Music teacher as the Geography, Science and English teacher. It will demonstrate how to focus one’s listening attention through various listening exercises, how to engage the student's imagination into the social-political dimensions of sound ecology and the examination of the responsibility that we have on the quality of our sonic environment. It will teach the importance of sharpening one’s listening skills and the interplay between environment, listener, and soundmaker in today's society and will provide practical teaching tools for the classroom related to current curriculum requirements.
The music of the everyday world will only improve if we listen with the same focus and devotion that we reserve for music.

Secondary

Nadene Thériault-Copeland & Kristie Taylor with New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA), a non-profit organization, based in Toronto, that produces performances and installations spanning the entire spectrum of electroacoustic and experimental sound art. Included in its productions are: Deep Wireless, Sound Travels, Arts Birthday and SOUNDplay. The objectives of NAISA are to foster awareness and understanding locally, as well as nationally and internationally, in the cultural vitality of experimental sound art in its myriad forms of expression. This objective will be achieved through the exploration of new sound technologies in conjunction with the creation of cultural events and artifacts.

Nadene Thériault-Copeland is Managing Director of New Adventures in Sound Art (NAISA) and the current chair of the Canadian Association for Sound Ecology. She spear-headed the NAISA Youth initiative, a 3-year program partially funded by the Trillium and Laidlaw Foundations. She promotes the dissemination of sound art through her work with New Adventures in Sound Art, and recently edited four educational booklets published by NAISA: Radio Art Companion (2002), Sign Waves Companion (2002) Sound in Space (2003) and Sound Art Basics (2009). Nadene received her B.F.A. in Music from York University in 1991 where she studied composition with James Tenney.
Kristie Taylor is the Outreach Co-ordinator at New Adventures in Sound Art and is a recent graduate of the University of Toronot’s Masters of Museum Studies program. At NAISA Kristie assists with educational and community outreach and also helped to organize the 2010 celebration of Art’s Birthday at the Artscape Wychwood Barns. Kristie holds a B.A. in Art and Culture and a Diploma in Sonic Design from Carleton University.

PlantWatch: Engaging Student Scientists (Videoconference)

PlantWatch, one of our national NatureWatch series of volunteer monitoring programs, enables teachers to get outside with their students to observe and record flowering times of particular plants, while helping researchers discover how and why our natural environment is changing. Karin will be doing the presentation via videoconference from RBG, demonstrating this innovative, interactive technology while discussing what PlantWatch is and how you and your class can participate and how it can be integrated into several subject areas via curriculum-linked activities.

Elementary and Secondary

Karin Davidson-Taylor joined RBG in 2006, coming with 17 years experience with the Upper Grand DSB in Ontario in elementary, secondary and adult education. She has been responsible for establishing RBG as one of the Canada’s leaders in the world of videoconference-based virtual field trips. Karin develops and delivers our distance education programming to schools throughout North America and the UK, working in coordination with other staff and partners.