Environmental Programs for Schools
Council funds a range of engaging environmental workshops and activities for schools and childcare facilities in the City of Maribyrnong.
Students will learn about actions that we can all take to avoid waste, care for our waterways and reduce our impact on the climate.
A list of activities and workshops are provided below, including recommended year levels.
Tonyi the Worm
Between 5 - 16 May 2025, Early Childhood Groups within the Maribyrnong City Council area are eligible for a free worm farming incursion session,
for groups aged 3-7. Kindergartens will have the opportunity to establish their own worm farm. Tonyi the Worm is a one-of-a-kind composting character, teaching children how to confidently sort everyday waste for worms who help feed our gardens.
Register here
Programs and bookings
To make a booking you must select a minimum of two 45-minute workshops from the list below. These workshops can run as back-to-back sessions for different classes.
You will need to provide three dates to ensure your booking can be secured on an appropriate date.
Book here.
Farming for our Future
Program overview
Join our expert educators and explore how we can all (young and old!) contribute to growing a sustainable food system. Discover the world living under our feet and how growing our own food can connect us to a healthy self, community and planet.
Our educators will guide students through problem solving and action planning to create change within their school community and explore solutions to increase local food production at school or home.
Key questions for students to consider:
F-Y2 What role do worms and mini-beasts play in our soils? What would our planet look like without them? How does a seed turn into a plant?
Y3-6 What role does soil pay in sustainable farming practices? How can we improve soil health on our farms, and in our schools?
Through this interactive incursion your students will:
Years F-2
- Meet and greet a worm and discover the vital role they play in creating healthy, nutrient rich soil
- Learn about the life cycle of a plant through mindful seed yoga movements
- Get hands dirty whilst learning the skill of sowing and caring for seeds – perfect opportunity to bulk up an edible school garden
Years 3 – 6
- Discover the importance of healthy soil and why it’s the foundation of sustainable farming practices
- Explore the life within the soil including worms and decomposers and how they form the soil food web
- Get your hand dirty whilst learning the skill of sowing and caring for seeds – perfect opportunity to improve the soil quality in your school garden
You’ll receive a school teacher guide, including instructions for optional activities to do before and after the CERES incursion to get your students thinking, discussing and actively contributing to a world that is environmentally sustainable for all living creatures.
Learning outcomes
Years F – 2
- Understand how to grow food sustainably and the meaning of ‘organic’ in regards to farming
- Students discuss the relationship between farming and the environment, and how CERES Honey Lane Farm benefits nature
- Students investigate how living thins grow and change using plants as an example
Years 3 – 6
- Students understand different ways of farming and why different methods of farming can support or hinder natural cycles
- Students identify the role that soil plays in the growing of plants and why supporting healthy soil helps support local food systems
- Students will explore the steps needed to bring life to and care for seeds
Restoring Earth's Ecosystems
Program overview
Hosted by expert educators, students will develop their understanding of living and non-living things and the impacts of human activities on an ecosystem through hands-on activities.
Our educators will guide students through problem solving and action planning to create change within their school community and explore solutions to increase biodiversity at school or home.
Key questions for students to consider:
F-Y2: How are ecosystem, biodiversity and habitat connected? Why are non-living elements of an ecosystem important? What can we do to improve ecosystem health?
Y3-6: What do Ecosystems need to be healthy? How do humans impact habitat health? What is the role of the community in keeping local ecosystems healthy?
Through a variety of hands-on activities your students will:
Years F – 2
- explore what an animal needs in its environment to survive
- investigate the elements of a healthy ecosystem
- consider how humans can care for local ecosystems
Years 3 – 6
- learn about and identify elements of a healthy ecosystem for a variety of organisms
- consider how living things are connected within an ecosystem
- explore how human impacts on ecosystems are affecting individual animal species
- consider how humans can care for local ecosystems, habitats and organisms
You’ll receive a school teacher guide, including instructions for optional activities to do before and after the CERES incursion to get your students thinking, discussing and actively contributing to a world that is environmentally sustainable for all living creatures.
Learning outcomes
Years F – 2
- Students can identify living and non-living things in an ecosystem
- Students can identify what an animal needs in their habitat to survive
- Students consider how humans can impact local ecosystems
- Students develop an action plan to increase habitat and food resources within their school while assisting to increase biodiversity in the local area – completed after the incursion with the school teacher
Years 3 – 6
- Students can identify living and nonliving things in an ecosystem
- Students can identify the various connections between animals and plants including connections of food, shelter, pollination and fertilisation
- Students understand the threats facing the fauna in their local area to consider possible protective actions
- Students develop an action plan to increase habitat and food resources within their school while assisting to increase biodiversity in the local area – completed after the incursion with the school teacher
Tackling Climate Change
Program overview
Join our expert educators to understand the connection between energy production and climate change.
Students will discover how electricity is generated, understand the impacts it has on climate change and the important role renewable energy plays, and discuss political and social solutions (systems change) to increase agency and empowerment in students.
Key questions for students to consider:
How is electricity generated? What are the causes and effects of climate change? How can we contribute to a more sustainable and just world?
Through a variety of hands-on activities your students will:
Years 3-6
- Discover how the Project Drawdown transport solutions can help create ecological, livable cities supported by sustainable transport.
- Connect to Earth’s natural resources and nature’s cycles as they understand how transport is a major contributor to climate change and global warming.
- Learn new skills to guide their actions, including:
- Understand the difference between a combustion engine and an electric engine
- Analyse different types of transport and their effect on the environment
Years 7-10
- Discover the Project Drawdown solutions framework and how it is a template to mitigate and reverse the effects of climate change.
- Connect to Earth’s natural resources and nature’s cycles as they understand how human activities and behaviours have created a global environmental tipping point.
- Learn new skills to guide their actions that can help restore natural systems, including:
- Analyse climate change solutions
- Connect environmental issues to social and political issues
You’ll receive a school teacher guide, including instructions for optional activities to do before and after the CERES incursion to get your students thinking, discussing and actively contributing to a world that is environmentally sustainable for all living creatures.
Learning outcomes
Years 3-6
- Students understand that internal combustion engines are the leading cause of global transport emissions and that electric vehicles (EVs) are a sustainable alternative.
- Students explore sustainable transport solutions and how they can be applied to their local communities to help lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Years 7-10
- Students understand that we rely on ecosystems for everything; they are part of them and their activities can affect how it functions, and its ability to recover from damage.
- Students explore solutions to the climate crisis by investigating climate solutions in the Project Drawdown solutions framework.
Towards Zero Waste
Program overview
Hosted by our expert educators, students will understand landfill as a problem that contributes to pollution and waste: a take-make-dispose model. Through identifying different waste materials, their long lasting effects on our environment, and the bins they belong in, students will develop skills to apply the “6 R’s” in their school community to move towards zero waste and resource recovery.
Key questions for students to consider:
F-2: How does waste contribute to pollution? What does ‘Zero Waste’ mean? How do the 6R’s help us take care of the planet and people?
Y3-6: How does waste contribute to climate change? How can we turn waste into a valuable resource? How does moving toward zero waste benefit the well-being of the planet and people?
Learning outcomes
Years F-6
- Students understand waste as a problem that needs to be avoided to address pollution and natural resource use
- Students will learn ways to avoid waste and respect the earths’ natural resources through natures’ cycles & the 6 Rs
- RETHINK, REFUSE, REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE, ROT
Recycling with Mondo - Textile recycling and fundraising program
Recycle With Mondo is a free textile recycling and fundraising program for primary school students. Schools that collect old clothing, textiles and electronic items can receive a payment per kilogram, with items collected by Southern Cross Recycling.
Schools can select Designated Collection Days or opt to have Clothing Drop-Off Hubs installed at the school. Collection Days earn .25c per kilo of items collected and Drop-Off Hubs earn .10c per kilo of items collected.
In addition to collections, schools can also book educational talks, and students are provided with Sustainability Calculators so that they can track the real-time impact their efforts are achieving in waste, water, energy and greenhouse gas savings.
Find out more about the program.
School Sustainability Resources
Below you will find presentations and lesson plans which are free to download. Select your topic of interest to find out more about each of the environmental issues.
Waste
Presentation
This presentation is perfect for foundation to grade 6 students and covers a range of key student learning outcomes.
Key student learning outcomes
- Learning key terms related to water and the water cycle
- Understanding why it's important to save water
- Making a connection between reducing litter and healthy waterways
- Understanding where our water comes from and ends up
- Thinking of solutions to reduce water use at home.
Related Information
Biodiversity
Presentation
An ideal presentation for foundation to grade 6 students which covers a range of key student learning outcomes.
Key student learning outcomes
- Basic understanding of the variety of life on Earth
- Identifying that difference plants and animals have different needs for survival
- Identifying that plants and animals rely on each other and their environment for survival
- Understanding the impact of our behaviour on the environment and biodiversity.
- Understanding that plants and animals come from different places, and the difference between native, indigenous and exotic plants.
Related Information
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