Teacher Preparation

Overarching learning goals: Students understand that different kind of projects enhance different aspects of biodiversity and that planting indigenous species is crucially important for biodiversity. Finally students recognise that biodiversity projects on school grounds need to relate to land use and the local physical conditions.

Encourage students to think outside the box when planning their biodiversity actions. For example, are their opportunities to create vertical gardens at your school? Find out more: How to make a vertical garden

Teacher content information: For information about biodiversity - what it is, how it helps us and what we are doing to protect it, read this short article.

Student and classroom organisation

Preparation

Big question: What is biodiversity and why is it important?

Discuss with your students that biodiversity is the variety of all living things; the different plants, animals and micro-organisms. It is also the genetic information they contain and the ecosystems they form. All of these factors work together to create the complexity of life on Earth and they all depend on one another. This is why we need to conserve all the living things on Earth and we can do this in our school grounds.

Big ideas: Write on the board some of the class' ideas about a positive future vision for the school ground. What does our school look like with a high level of biodiversity? What types of species will be in our school? Are they indigenous or introduced species?

What (can be done): Things that can improve school ground biodiversity include:

Planting new habitats such as forests, native grasslands, wildlife corridors, shade tree planting, etc.
Providing protection for wildlife
Maintaining old biodiversity projects
Replacing dead plants in old biodiversity projects
Improving or extending old biodiversity projects
Removing weeds
Reducing litter and preventing animals from eating scraps
Providing water
Improving soil with mulch
Installing nest boxes
Reducing trampling in sensitive areas
Reducing stray cats
Reducing the area of introduced plants including lawn.

Where: The location needs to be matched to where it can be done. A school ground has a range of land uses. There will be buildings, paved areas, drainage, sports fields, play areas and lunch areas. Some places can’t be touched and must remain the same.

A place for having lunch and some play areas can still be used for lunch and play but can also be planted to increase biodiversity.
A car park still needs to have space for cars, but the edges can have trees that will shade the cars on hot days and provide habitat for many animals.
Does the school have sports fields? A sports field with a border of thick shrubs will reduce the wind and make it easier to play sport.
Garden beds with indigenous plants will attract animals that can be seen from the classroom during lesson time.

Divide the school into areas so students can plan a biodiversity project for the area. Use a map and divide the class so that each area has a group investigating it.

Planning task

1. Each group will investigates their designated area.

Explain how the area is currently being used.
Identify locations in the area that might be available for a biodiversity project.
Provide a convincing argument as to why a biodiversity project will not affect what is currently going on in the area. If possible, provide reasons why it can improve what is happening in the area.
Suggest the kind of biodiversity projects that will enhance the area.

2. Decide on what kind of biodiversity project is appropriate for their area.

3. Complete the background research for doing the project (these questions are found in the student worksheet):

What area in the school ground is involved?
Describe the project. How will the area change?
What do you already know about how the project would be completed?
What do you still need to find out? Where will you find help? Do you need to contact an expert?

4. Draw your plan:

Make a fresh map or drawing of what your area will look like after the project is completed.

5. Describe how the area is to be prepared:

Weeds removed
Old plants removed
Soil broken up
Adult sprays weeds

6. What is needed to do the project?

What kind of tools?
Is mulch needed?
Timber for building bird boxes
Plants

7. Other things to consider:

What tasks will students do?
How will students complete the tasks?
How will students remain safe?
Is money needed to buy supplies?
How can you engage your local council and businesses?
What is the launch date of the event?

Presentation

Each group presents and displays their plans. They should think about presenting to the School Council, Principal and local businesses to drum up support so that they can actually complete their planned project.

Call to action

Now your students have detailed plans of how to increase school yard biodiversity, put them into action! One way to do this is by taking part in Plant Ark's Schools Tree Day. So, get growing! It only takes a minute to register at treeday.planetark.org.

Schools Tree Day - Enhancing Biodiversity through Schools Tree Day

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