Environmental Programs for Schools

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
  • TAKE – MAKE – DISPOSE
• 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 

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. 

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 

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 

Program overview

 The Student Environment Leadership Program allows students’ inner leadership qualities to shine and help students develop and deliver sustainability projects.

The Student Environment Leadership Program (SELP) is designed to let students’ inner leadership qualities shine and help them develop and deliver sustainability projects. When paired with a staff professional learning workshop, teachers can help to empower students to become sustainability leaders by tapping into their interests, talents and skills.

The Student Environment Leadership Program can be delivered online or in face-to-face mode.

Session Types

There are three SELP options you can book:

• A four-hour incursion
• A four-hour incursion and staff professional learning workshop, and / or
• A one-day student summit.

Program inclusions

This SELP program is suitable for students in years 3–10.

A CERES educator will guide students through:

• Leadership training
• Problem solving
• Research, and
• Completion of an energy, water, biodiversity or waste audit.

Your incursion will include four one-hour sessions (in-person) or three one-hour sessions (online), structured as follows:

• Learn about current social and environmental issues and solutions (eg climate change, habitat loss and or pollution).
• Explore personal and social capabilities
• Participate in group discussions and hands-on activities
• Complete an audit to find out what’s happening at your school
• Explore student voice, agency and leadership by creating an action plan to create change at school
• Design and build a project to improve sustainability at school (eg an insect hotel).

Curriculum links:

• Science
• Geography
• Design and Technologies
• Critical and Creative Thinking, and
• Personal and Social Capabilities.

Location: At your school or via Zoom

Cost: If your school is located in the following Hume, Manningham, Merri-bek or Whitehorse council regions, or if you are from a regional area in Victoria (outside of metro-Melbourne) you may be eligible for one FREE incursion program. Contact us to find out more.

Note: If you are a ResourceSmart school, these sessions will also help you work towards completing your modules and stars.

Incursion and Staff Professional Learning Workshop

This program option is made up an Incursion for Year 3 – 10 students, with an additional 1-hour Staff Professional Learning Workshop Component.

Incursions

Suitable for Years 3 – 10, a CERES Student Programs educator will guide students through leadership training, problem solving, research and completion of an energy, water, biodiversity or waste audit.

Your incursion will include 4 x 1-hour sessions (in-person) or X3 1-hour sessions (online), structured as follows:

• Learn about current social and environmental issues and solutions (e.g. climate change, habitat loss and or pollution).
• Explore personal and social capabilities
• Participate in group discussions and hands-on activities
• Complete an audit to find out what’s happening at your school.
• Explore student voice, agency and leadership by creating an action plan to create change at school.
• Design and build a project to improve sustainability at school (e.g. an insect hotel).

Curriculum links: Science, Geography, Design and Technologies, Critical and Creative Thinking and Personal and Social Capabilities.

Staff Professional Learning Workshop

The face to face or online teacher PL will focus on student leadership, voice and agency and improved students learning outcomes linked to sustainability activities in the classroom and school grounds. The professional development workshop is led by a CERES Teacher Programs Educator. Staff are engaged in a planning session directly linked to the results of student audits and staff questionnaires.

Your PL will include a 1-hour workshop, structured as follows:

1. Exploring student voice, agency and leadership
2. Examining student wellbeing and sustainability
3. Action planning for further embedding of voice, agency and leadership through a sustainability lens
4. Exploring student recommendations and analysing audit results
5. Brainstorming curriculum and creating whole school improvements in sustainability

Program Details

• Location: At your school or via Zoom
• Cost: If your school is located in the following Council areas Hume, Manningham, Merri-bek and Whitehorse or if you are from a regional area in Victoria (outside of metro-Melbourne) you may be eligible for one FREE incursion program. Contact us to find out more.
• ***If you are a ResourceSmart school, these sessions will also help you work towards completing your modules and stars

One-day Student Summit

Suitable for Years 3 – 10

The Summit is a full day of interactive activities, discussions and planning. With multiple schools in attendance it is a great opportunity for young leaders to connect and be inspired by their peers from a diverse range of backgrounds.

At these Summits students will investigate key sustainability themes, build on or create a new action plan for their school, present a sustainability project and celebrate their work completed through the optional SELP incursions.

Your students will:

• Explore what a leader means to them.
• Develop personal and social capability skills.
• Learn about human impacts on natural environments.
• Prepare an action plan for an environmental project.
• Conduct student led audits to measure energy, waste, water or biodiversity.
• Workshop ideas for taking action in the community.
• Learn how to plan and develop successful projects through communication, behaviour change and collaboration.

Location: At your school or one of the other schools in attendance.

Cost: Please contact us at studentprograms@ceres.org.au for pricing details.
You may be eligible to participate for FREE (limited to 10 students per school) provided that your school is located in the Hume, Manningham, Merri-bek or Whitehorse council regions or your school is located in a regional area in Victoria (outside of metro-Melbourne). Contact us to find out if you’re eligible. 

Program Overview

Children will discover the basic needs of local wildlife – food, water, shelter and connect to local ecosystems through exploration to assess if it is a suitable place for wildlife to live.

Learning outcomes

Build knowledge

• Children will discover the basic needs of local wildlife need – food, water, shelter

Foster connection

• Children will connect to local ecosystems through exploration to assess if it is a suitable place for wildlife to live

Action and skills

• Students will learn new skills;
  • Identify, collect, and build what local wildlife need for a suitable place to live
  • Build a mini insect hotel to bring back for your centre to increase habitat and biodiversity 

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

• Download the Waste Presentation(PPTX, 9MB)
• Download the Waste Lesson Plan

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

• Download the Biodiversity Presentation(PPTX, 6MB)
• Download the Biodiversity Lesson Plan(PDF, 7MB)

Water

Water presentation(PPTX, 5MB)
Water lesson plans (Foundation - Grade 6)(PDF, 4MB)

Energy

Energy presentation(PPTX, 7MB)
Energy lesson plans (Foundation - Grade 6)(PDF, 3MB)

Sustainable systems

Sustainable systems presentation(PPTX, 16MB)
Sustainable systems lesson plans (Foundation - Grade 6)(PDF, 6MB)