Start championing the environment. Become an Eco Champ - here's how:
This year's Primary Science Week (14-18 May), opens a new window is where the action is. Have a look to see how you can take part.
- Find something that is important to your school
- Record observations like the number of pieces of litter picked up on the beach, how many grams of soft plastic collected at school, the number of footprints on tunnel traps, chew marks on cards, observe number of birds at the local park or collect weed seeds off socks and count them.
- Collect and record data over time and analyse it.
- Discuss the changes you observed and suggest how you could find solutions.
- Look at what happened after you made changes, what happened before and after.
- Communicate what you did.
Take a look at our Science Fairs page and books for more information on getting scientrific!
Gardening
So why not pick a project you want to champion and get stuck in cleaning up the environment? Why not start a worm farm or compost heap at school for all those apple cores from your lunch boxes then use all that lovely compost to start a school vegetable garden? Be part of Sustainable Christchurch, opens a new window at home, in school or out in the community.
Become an environmentally friendly school with the help of Enviroschools and see what's growing near you by visiting a community garden.
Learn how to grow your own food in school and start a school garden. There are lots of resources to help take a look at:
- Edible Christchurch
- Create An Outdoor Learning Garden Guide [PDF, 2GB]
- Books for children about gardening and compost
- Learn how to compost your organic waste
Recyling
Clean up rubbish at your school beach or local park or start a recycling scheme at your school or find out more about soft plastics recycling Check out information on tackling litter and resources for school from Keep New Zealand beautiful. Check out how the Recycling plant (Material Recovery Facility) works and how to recycle right with these videos:
- Recycling plant (Materials Recovery Facility) (video)
- Adam and Eve sort recycling (video)
- Are you recycling right? (video)
Find out all about recycling and the 4R's Reduce Reuse Recycle and Rebuy in these resources:
- Many Answers: recycling entry
- EEK! Our Earth - What a Waste., opens a new window
- Recycling Children's Books
Eco-pests
Learn about what pests visit your school or park by making a tracking tunnel, opens a new window. Find out how you can remove them from your school and community from Predator Free New Zealand.
- Making a tracking tunnel activity notes from Science Learning Hub
- Are there rats in your garden? (pdf)
Become a weedbuster by cleaning up a local beach piece of bush or participate in the restoration of a local stream. Take a look at what to plant streamside in this handy booklet on what to plant produced by Christchurch City Council.
More information
- Science Learning Hub has great information and ideas on how to be an Eco-Champion and the importance of conservation and biodiversity.
- Many Answers Conservation (New Zealand)
- Environmental Books for Children
- Explore environmental topics with National Geographic KiDs
Does your school already do a lot? Then share what you have done by making a poster, infographic, display or video.
Tell us what you are doing for National Primary Science Week. We'd love to hear.
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