Resources

Department Resources

Guide for Sustainable Schools in Manitoba
( 4 MB)
The Guide invites schools to take a whole school approach to sustainability and contains a wealth of resources and exemplars, as well as a school planning template to provide a scaffold for the school community to create their own unique and locally relevant sustainability plan.

Lake Winnipeg Water Stewardship: A Resource for Grade 8 Science
This document is designed to give a Lake Winnipeg focus to the Grade 8 Science water systems cluster. It provides a context for which students can deepen their understandings about water systems and concepts related to sustainable development through a focused inquiry into Lake Winnipeg.

Learning Resources for Education for Sustainable Development, Kindergarten to Grade 12: A Reference for Selecting Learning Resources (November 2008) ( 505 KB)
The list of titles with indexes was compiled using the results of learning resources reviews conducted by the Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) in conjunction with Manitoba and Canadian Teachers. LSF is a Canadian non-profit organization founded in 1991 to implement education for sustainable develoment (ESD) into the formal school systems in Canada.

Education for Sustainable Development Grade 7 to Grade 9 Learning Resources: A Reference for Selecting Learning Resources (May 2007)
This publication is a reference tool provided by Manitoba Education to help educators select student and teacher learning resources to support the curriculum.

Education for Sustainable Development: A List of Titles with Suggested Uses for Senior 2 to Senior 4: A Reference for Selecting Learning Resources (April 2006)
This publication is a reference tool to help educators select student and teacher learning resources related to sustainable development where sustainable development concepts are woven into various subject areas.

Education for a Sustainable Future: A Resource for Curriculum Developers, Teachers, and Administrators
This publication is intended to assist Manitoba curriculum developers and educators to integrate sustainability concepts into new and existing curricula. "The challenge of Education for a Sustainable Future is to enable students to make choices that incorporate the essential principles and values of sustainability."

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National Resources

Resources for Rethink (R4R)
Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) provides an online database of excellent, relevant, peer-reviewed curriculum resources relating to education for sustainable development. This is not a directory of resources; rather it is a database of high quality resources available to teachers. A resource is anything (print, multi-media) developed for use in the formal education system (K-12) and must come with instructions and materials.

 

Climate Change Resources

Climate Change outcomes are found in Manitoba as follows:

Science Curriculum

• Grade 5 – Climate Change
• Grade 7 – Fossil Fuel Use and GHG
• Grade 10 – Climate Change
• Grade 11 – Chemistry - Gases and Atmosphere
• Grade 12 – Biology - Conservation of Biodiversity

There are also many indirect links to climate change issues in the curriculum.  Professional development is provided to increase teacher confidence in integrating issues such as the Kyoto Protocol and the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change.

Social Studies Curriculum

• Grade 2 – My Environment
• Grade 4 – Living in Manitoba - environmental stewardship
• Grade 7 – Climate Change
• Grade 10 – Sustainable Development

• Grade 7 social studies curriculum mentions the term climate change in only one outcome, however there are numerous outcomes relating to the environment, sustainability, and changes over time that encourage integration of climate change.
• Grade 9 social studies outcomes do not specifically reference the term “climate change” but there are several references to environmental stewardship, sustainability and Canadian perspective on global issues that encourage integration of climate change.
• In terms of senior year’s social studies, any coverage of climate change relates to the social, economic and environmental impact rather than to the scientific explanation (arguments) for climate change.
• Grade 11 Physical Geography (optional) curriculum is very dated and does not include references to climate change, however, the study of weather and climate is a major component of this course and it is likely that teachers would include references to climate change.

Learning Resources

Manitoba Conservation – The Climate and Green Initiatives section of Manitoba Conservation’s website contains a number of resources on the issue of climate change and ideas on ways to reduce personal green house gas emissions.  There is also a list of ideas for green projects to undertake in schools or classrooms.

Government of Canada Climate Change Website – This site provides facts and reports on Canada’s action on climate change.

International Institute for Sustainable Development – IISD has a number of scientific publications available on the issue of climate change.

Green Manitoba – Classroom and student resources are available on the issues of waste, energy and water.

Manitoba Model Forest – This site include a number of resources on climate change.

Climate Watch – An audio series about the earth’s atmosphere, climate change and global warming.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change – This site is the leading body for the assessment of climate change, established by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) to provide the world with a clear scientific view on the current state of climate change and its potential environmental and socio-economic consequences.

Classroom Lesson Plans and Activities

A Teacher's Guide for the Video Sila Alangotok – Inuit Observations on Climate Change - A Resource for Senior 2 Science. This teacher’s guide has been developed for use with the video Sila Alangotok—Inuit Observations on Climate Change, produced by the International Institute for Sustainable Development.

Green Learning Climate Change Resource Centre – This site has in depth information on climate change issues. Explore greenlearning.ca teaching resources under Lessons & Activities.

Natural Resources Canada – This site contains a Climate Change Poster Series for teachers. The Poster Series provides a full range of questions and activity suggestions. The overall goals of the resource are to: increase student's knowledge of climate change, demonstrate the complexity of this environmental phenomenon and improve students' critical thinking skills while evaluating these complex issues. This teacher's resource has been primarily aligned to meet various curriculum outcomes of S2 science across the country.

Climate Change North – This site offers resources and information specific to how climate change is affecting Northern Canada. Resources include backgrounders, lesson plans and Web links for grades K-12.

Creating a Climate of Change – This multimedia kit addresses the basic concepts of climate change and the associated socioeconomic, political and environmental effects. This kit was mailed to most Canadian secondary schools, but can be reordered at this site.

Resources for Rethinking Database – This large database of sustainability education resources includes several quality resources on climate change for grades K-12.

A Climate Change Webquest - Campaign to Save Our Resources – This lesson is designed for middle years and high school students, with the focus on social studies and science curriculum objectives. The focus of this lesson is not the science of climate change, but rather on the social, environmental, and economic consequences of human activity and consumption.

Action Websites

Climate Change Connections – Resources are available on their website to help Manitoban's understand what climate change means to them and how they can take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, they provide tailor-made conferences for youth across Manitoba.

350 – 350.org is an international campaign that's building a movement to unite the world around solutions to the climate crisis--the solutions that science and justice demand. There are a number of action resources available on this site.

Climate Change: Youth Guide to Action – A comprehensive guide by TakingITGlobal leads young people through the steps toward effective action against climate change.

No Idling Program – This site provides information on how to make your school an idle free zone.

WWF Earth Hour – Earth Hour is an international event created by WWF with the goal of getting as many individuals, schools and businesses as possible to turn off their lights for one hour.

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Production and Sustainable Consumption Resources

Sustainable Consumption Teacher Resources

YouthXChange is designed to assist teachers (middle to senior years) in raising and acquiring awareness of the opportunities offered by the adoption of more sustainable consumer choices in a youth friendly format. The YouthXChange training kit is produced by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as part of the UN Decade for Education for Sustainable Development.

The training kit is divided into 9 theme rooms which include:

• respecting our bodies - personal wellness, healthy eating and eco-friendly cosmetics
• looking for a place - sustainable buildings, active transport, the homeless, immigrants, refugees and displaced peoples
• social belonging - citizenship, racism, empowered workers, sustainable cities and global networking
• packaging yourself - fashion victims, child labor, sustainable design, reusing and recycling
• carrying the torch - illiteracy, consumption, media, bio and cultural diversity, designing communities
• pay the right price - minimizing waste, saving water, tackling pollution, fair trade, corporate responsibility, eco and ethical labels, consumers in action, ethical investments
• awakening your soul - self, not selfish, simplicity, expressing yourself, hobbies
• clean up your fun - sustainable parties, zero emission venues, cinema and theatre, arts and crafts, meeting friends, sharing meals
• looking ahead - free access information, committed research, ethics, energy access, energy savings, renewable energy, global warming, innovative materials

UNESCO Teaching and Learning for a Sustainable Future – A multi-media teacher education program developed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). It is designed for pre-service teacher courses as well as the in-service education of teachers, curriculum developers, education policy makers, and authors of educational materials. The teacher education program enhances ones understanding of sustainable development, clarifies concepts and themes relate to sustainable development and aids one in integrating issues of sustainability into a range of school subjects and classroom topics. The program contains 25 modules including, one on consumer education.

Resource Racket: A Global Perspective on Resources and Consumption – Lesson plans for grade levels 8-12 comparing consumption in developed and developing countries: students use “cards” with information on different families to compare their lives and consumption patterns.

CONSUME THIS! Buying That Matters  – This online youth friendly booklet introduces Sustainable Consumption, demonstrates alternative ways to consume; presents real life examples of young people who practice sustainable consumption in their daily lives; and provides tips on how you can practice sustainable consumption. This booklet was produced by the Canadian Centre for Pollution Prevention (C2P2).

Ecological footprint Calculators – The Ecological Footprint measures the amount of nature's resources an individual, a community, or a country consumes in a given year.
http://www.mec.ca
http://www.redefiningprogress.org
http://www.zerofootprintkids.com/kids_home.aspx

I Buy Different – The New American Dream   – This is a campaign to educate young people about the connections between consumer choices and environmental and social issues. The site contains a lot of consumer information, shopping tips, a downloadable community action guide with 30 activity ideas and some step by step advice on organizing community projects. The site also features and educators guide to exploring issues and the Environment for purchase. The Guide is for Middle to Senior Years.

Adbusters – Adbusters is an ecological magazine, dedicated to examining the relationship between human beings and their physical and mental environment.

The David Suzuki Foundation – The David Suzuki Foundation site provides useful suggestions on ways to lighten your ecological footprint. It is also a useful site for researching Canada’s most prominent sustainable development issues.

Videos

The Story of Stuff – The Story of Stuff is a 20-minute film that takes viewers on a provocative and eye-opening tour of the real costs of our consumer driven culture—from resource extraction to iPod incineration.  Included on this website are a number of resources related to the topics raised in the movie found at:  http://www.storyofstuff.com/learnmore.php

Affluenza – This site was inspired by the PBS special Affluenza, a documentary on the consumption culture of America. Contained within the site is a history of how our present consumption patterns evolved and a useful Teacher’s Guide, which provides lesson ideas on both consumption and advertisements for grades 5-12.

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Web Resources

ESD Toolkit
http://www.esdtoolkit.org/

Project Flow
http://www.lsf-lst.ca/en/projects/youth-taking-action/projecr-flow

The Earth Charter Handbook
http://www.earthcharterinaction.org/content/

Eco-Globe Supporting Websites

Resources for Thinking
http://www.resources4rethinking.ca/

Green Manitoba
http://www.greenmanitoba.ca

Manitoba in motion
http://www.manitobainmotion.ca/

Healthy Schools
http://www.gov.mb.ca/healthyschools/

Resource Conservation Manitoba
http://www.resourceconservation.mb.ca/

Health Canada
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/index_e.html

Canadian Association for School Health
http://www.safehealthyschools.org/index.htm

Manitoba Science Council
http://www.scmb.mb.ca/

Manitoba Conservation
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/susresmb/principles-susdev/index.html

Pollution Prevention
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pollutionprevention/index.html

Waste Reduction
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/pollutionprevention/waste/index.html

Manitoba Envirothon
http://www.thinktrees.org/Envirothon.aspx

Manitoba Forestry Association
www.thinktrees.org

Manitoba Model Forest
http://www.manitobamodelforest.net

Manitoba Conservation-Fisheries
http://www.gov.mb.ca/conservation/fish/

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