Learning outdoors allows students to relate to natural environments and promote environmental stewardship even at a young age.
This week, the children of Early Learning engaged in exploring the needs of living things for survival during the winter. With the aim to support our VIS bird’s population in winter, our youngest students engaged in a hands-on Green STEAM Challenge and made bird feeders at the Eco Lab. They will hang the birdfeeders in the Early Years outdoor learning areas.
Grade 11 Environmental Systems and Societies (ESS) students also visited the school’s Eco Lab with Ms. Marti to deepen their understanding of biodiversity and the importance of blue infrastructure within semi-natural environments. As the 22nd District continues to experience rapid urbanisation, natural habitats are becoming increasingly scarce. Many bird species now depend on the school pond and its surrounding ecosystem for food and shelter, particularly during the migration season. During their visit, students collected and analyzed water samples from the pond to identify the range of aquatic species living within it. This practical investigation allowed them to observe firsthand how biodiversity supports ecological balance and contributes to the resilience of urban environments. Through experiences like this, our ESS students are gaining the knowledge and awareness needed to become thoughtful stewards of the environment.
At VIS, engaging in Green STEAM Challenges facilitates our students to solve problems and answer questions regarding our natural world while developing connections with their curricular work and the goals we aim to achieve as a society.