May 10th, 2011

It’s been a while since our Web of Life 2.0 Earth Day program, and we have been remiss in not acknowledging the great things that took place that day.

48 students from 12 schools, with accompanying teachers and parent volunteers, joined us at the Huron Natural Area for our annual Earth Day Green Team Challenge.  Last year we celebrated the UN International Year of Biodiversity with a “Biothon”, observing, identifying and classifying HNA’s resident birds, trees, wildflowers and pond invertebrates.  In previous years we have planted trees, built bird boxes, painted yellow fish at storm drains in residential neighbourhoods, and “dramatized” environmental infomercials.

This year we wanted to highlight our growing use of technology in Outdoor and Environmental Education.  Digital field guides brought nature to life on the screens of our iPods and iPads.  Digital cameras recorded both the sights and sounds of the day. We learned to use GPS technology to navigate in the out-of-doors and to digitally record the location of significant natural features.  And then we told the whole world about our discoveries by tweeting and posting entries to the “outdooredguys” blog.

Scan the archives here and you’ll find 26 student-authored blog entries.  Tweets through @outdoor_ed sailed through cyberspace as well.  We encouraged students to continue to use our resources to communicate their enthusiasm for the environment, and to create their own as well.

We were especially appreciative of  the support and participation of  IT Resource Teacher Susan Watt, and Elementary IT Consultant Ron Millar in merging our two worlds.  I think we were mutually inspired…