Ridgevalley
Cactus Crew
- 15 Challenges Completed
- 2 Challenges not completed
A Green-Powered Canada
Completed
Description
We broke into groups and researched different energy sources in Canada. We did not just stick to only green energy, but also looked into how oil, gas, or coal are working at making themselves more efficient and leave less of an impact on the environment. We shared our posters with one another as a short presentation to the class.
Buckle Up
Completed
Description
For this challenge, we researched current developments in transportation. Being rural, we focused on new, future versions of transportation that are not based off large city centers. Students came up with ideas like teleportation tabs, human tubes to shoot us around, kinetic energy scooters and bikes, and others. Then they made a brochure advertising their product.
Community Connections
Completed
Description
For this challenge the grade 5 class took it upon themselves to take over the bottle recycling for the school. Every second Friday we go around to every classroom and change out the bags of bottles, and collect them all up. The bottles are stored at our school and at the end of the year they get sent in and the money goes towards field trips and fun days. I could not post photos of the students doing the recycling due to FOIP.
Do You Really Need It?
Completed
Description
As a class, we looked at and listed all the electronic devices, or energy draws in our houses, on a daily basis. We all chose one device, or method to reduce energy waste, to get rid of for a full day. Most students chose a recreational device (video games, Ipads, televisions, etc...) and did not use any form of that device for the full day. After relinquishing the device for the day, we came together today and talked about what activities they did instead, or what other activities they could have done instead. Most kids decided that outside or family time board games would have been the best alternative activity.
Get Growing
Completed
Description
In this challenge, the students chose some plants to grow, some chose a cactus, others a cutting from another plant, some even brought in succulents. We studies and compared water intake, visible growth, measured the plants, and kept track of their health. Not all the plants made it, but most did.
How Big Are Your Carbon Feet?
Completed
Description
We went through some YouTube videos on carbon footprints and talked about what parts of our lives we could trim down some of the carbon output. We did the carbon footprint questions on one of the links and colored in our footprints based on our questions. We then discussed how we could reduce our footprint, and why it was so big to start with. We live in the country, so having multiple large vehicles was very common.
Limited Edition: Game Time!
Completed
One Hour No Power
Completed
Description
We tracked our hours by subject. Most were afternoon subjects, as in winter, the mornings were too dim in our room to do more.
Images & Downloads
Round and Round it Goes
Completed
Description
In this challenge, we set aside an entire afternoon so we could research, plan, and work on our recycle cycles. Each student found 2-3 ideas to research, then they came together with a partner with a matching idea, and they created their cycle poster together. We then presented our findings to the class on how some items can be infinitely recycled, and some cannot.
Story Time
Completed
Description
For this challenge, we brainstormed ways to save energy, and how we could educate younger grades in energy saving methods. The class decided that they wanted to do comic books on energy saving methods. I have posted two of the comic book examples that were created by the students. These were made for the grade 3 and 4 classrooms to read.
Take-Home
Completed
The Phantom of the Classroom
Completed
Description
In this challenge, the class went around and issued tickets to classrooms that were leaving things plugged in that did not need to be. We ticketed classrooms for microwaves, televisions, empty chargers, and other electrical devices being left plugged in. I have attached a version of the ticket we left for classes.
Tips and Tricks
Completed
Description
For this challenge, we brainstormed what energy waste sources in our school. We then went through and created labels and signs to remind students and staff to limit these areas. We specifically targeted empty classrooms....lights being left on, smartboards on, and chargers being plugged in when not charging a device.
Water Works
Completed
Description
For this challenge, we tracked our water use for an entire weekend. We came together on Monday and compared our lists of water waste and use in our households. We went over methods on how we could then save water in our households...we came up with over 500L of savings.
What’s Old is New Again
Completed
Description
For this challenge, which is still a work in progress, the class selected bottles from their home recycling bins and have glued them together to create the base of a fairy house for their moms gardens. This is their project for Mothers' Day. I have attached some progress pictures and the finished project goal.
Video Challenge
Incomplete
What’s For Lunch?
Incomplete
Energy savings by the numbers
118,468
Litres of water conserved
3,273
Hours of no power
25,944
Items Kept from Landfill
