Course: Greener Green - Developing sustainability practices in primary schools

Topic outline

Welcome to Greener Green e-learning course!
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication [communication] reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

OUR VISION IS TO CREATE GREEN PRIMARY SCHOOLS.
We want to provide:
Teachers
Students
Families
With tools to make their school environmentally friendly Greener Green, is a European project focusing on primary schools and how they can contribute to a greener world.
We aim to raise awareness about environmental challenges in pupils of a very young age.
Our project will develop:
An Evaluation and Assessment tool to access your school practices
A training course for teachers on how to make their school a greener one.
- Announcements Forum
Module 1 - Project Management
Description
A teacher can help with a green project by educating students about environmental issues, leading by example in promoting sustainable practices in the classroom and school, and providing opportunities for students to take action in their community. This can include incorporating environmentally-themed lesson plans, organizing recycling programs or clean-up events, and encouraging students to participate in local conservation efforts. Additionally, a teacher can work with the school and community to implement green initiatives such as installing solar panels or creating a community garden. Overall, a teacher can play a critical role in fostering a culture of environmental stewardship and promoting sustainable practices in the community.
Many schools are recognizing the benefits of project work for organizing school and achieving learning goals. However, managing a project can be complex and teachers may not know how to utilize available tools to simplify the process. Project management systems can assist in determining tasks, creating schedules, allocating resources, and identifying risks. By using project management tools, educators can improve communication and collaboration, making learning activities more engaging and effective.

Module 1 will assist participants in:

Total Workload: 5 hours and 20 minutes

Videos 85 minutes

Readings 160 minutes

Exercises 75 minutes

Understanding their role as teachers and the importance of teamwork

Examining and updating their teaching methods while highlighting their strengths

Utilizing effective communication and management tools

Planning projects and predicting quality, timelines, and costs.

Implementing processes for effectively managing resources, communication, risks, and changes

Executing and controlling projects successfully

Developing leadership and organizational skills for managing projects, teams, and stakeholders.
- Module 1 Summary File
- 1.1 Project management for teachers
- Module 1.1 Reading Page
- Module 1.1: Case study 1: Jack Chambers PS/Canada Page
- Module 1.1: Case study 2: Okanagan Mission School/Canada Page
- Module 1.1: Case study 3: Finland Page
- Module 1.1: Exercise Page
- 1.2 Project initiation and importance of PDCA cycle
- Module 1.2: Reading Page
- Module 1.2: Video 1 - Project initiation Page
- Module 1.2: Video 2 - PDCA cycle explained Page
- Module 1.2: Exercise Page
- 1.3 Project planning
- Module 1.3: Reading Page
- Module 1.3: Video - Project planning Page
- Module 1.3: Exercise Page
- 1.4 Project execution
- Module 1.4: Reading Page
- Module 1.4: Video - Project execution Page
- Module 1.4: Exercise Page
- 1.5 Digital skills for teachers and project management
- Module 1.5: Reading Page
- Module 1.5: Video - Stop managing, start leading Page
- Module 1.5: Exercise Page
- 1.6 Digital tools for teachers
- Module 1.6: Reading Page
- Module 1.6: Exercise Page
- 1.7 Digital tools for project and time management - Gantt chart
- Module 1.7: Reading Page
- Module 1.7: Video - Create a Gantt Chart in excel Page
- Module 1.7: Extra info - What is a Gantt chart Page
- Module 1.7: Exercise Page
- Module 1 Quiz
  
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Module 2 - Saving Energy and Conserving Resources
Description

Our planet is at risk because the way people live across the world is continually damaging the environment. Human activities have increased levels of global warming and environmental degradation, which has led to climate change across the globe and the depletion of natural environments and resources.
This module will discuss the issues of global warming and our carbon footprint, and provide some practical, low-cost suggestions for schools to reduce their carbon footprint.
One way to begin is to understand our own and our school’s carbon footprint. This is how much we as individuals create greenhouse gases by the way we live. By understanding our own way of living (by the way we live, travel, shop and eat) and how it impacts the greenhouse effect, we can find ways to reduce it and conserve the world we live in.

By the end of Module 2 you will understand:

Total Workload: 1 hour and 36 minutes

Videos 25 minutes

Readings 64 minutes

Exercises 10 minutes

What the greenhouse effect is
What climate change is
What a carbon footprint is
How everyone’s carbon footprint affects greenhouse gases
Why it is important to reduce our own carbon footprint and ideas how to start
- Module 2: Summary File
- 2.1 Climate Change and our Carbon Footprint
- Module 2.1: Reading Page
- Module 2.1: Case study 1: Scuola Leonardo da Vinci, Milan, Italy Page
- Module 2.1: Case study 2: Zevensprong, Leuven, Belgium Page
- Module 2.1: Video 1 - What Is the Greenhouse Effect? Page
- Module 2.1: Video 2 - Causes and Effects of Climate Change Page
- Module 2.1: Article - Climate change impacts, risks and adaptation Page
- Module 2.1: Chart - Total greenhouse gas emission trends and projections in Europe Page
- Module 2.1: Video 3 - Climate Change: Your carbon footprint explained Page
- Module 2.1: Carbon Footprint Calculator Exercise - Individuals and families Page
- Module 2.1: Carbon Footprint Calculator Exercise - Children Page
- 2.2 Energy Efficiency
- Module 2.2: Reading Page
- Module 2.2: Video - What is energy efficiency? Page
- 2.3 Refuse, Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose and Recycle
- Module 2.3: Reading Page
- Module 2.3: Article 1 - Schools in Greece share their ideas of recycling and upcycling Page
- Module 2.3: Article 2 - EU school food procurement schemes Page
- Module 2.3: Article 3 - The artist who is turning plastic waste into sculptures Page
- Module 2.3: Article 4 - E-waste recycling heroes in the making! Page
- 2.4 Environmental Conservation in Schools
- Module 2.4: Reading Page
- Module 2.4: Article & Video - 3 Billion Trees Pledge Page
- 2.5 Adapting how we travel
- Module 2.5: Reading Page
- Module 2.5: Article - Time for electric school buses in Poland Page
- Module 2.5: Article - What are bike buses Page
- 2.6 Saving water
- Module 2.6: Reading Page
- Module 2.6: Video - Our Changing Climate and Conservation Page
- Module 2 Quiz
  
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Module 3 - My Land
Description

The education based on “my place” is a new pedagogical method which cross-auricularly intends to approach the local environment and raise the active participation of all students. The role of Environmental Education is decisive for the school to educate students and to cultivate integrated personalities with ecological consciousness and empathy.
The existing programs focus mainly on acquiring knowledge about the general environment and not about the place to which each school unit belongs.

Learning outcome:
The aim of the specific lesson is to search for information and implement actions for the natural environment of the school community. Gruenewald &Smith (2008) state that in place-based education the concept "place" is often used as a synonym for the concept "community".

Total Workload: 45 minutes

Readings 45 minutes
- Module 3: Summary File
- 3.1 Introduction
- Module 3.1: Reading Page
- 3.2 Steps for Organising Activities
- Module 3.2: Reading Page
- 3.3 Good practices
- Module 3.3 Reading Page
- Module 3.3 Good practices Page
- 3.4 References and Recources
- Module 3.4: References & Resources Page
- Module 3 Quiz
  
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Module 4 - Climate Change
Description

Global warming, melting polar ice sheets, rising sea levels, record temperatures, decreasing greenhouse gas emissions...
The climate is also present in all media, it even mobilizes people in the street. But do we really know what climate is? And what is the difference between climate and weather?

By the end of Module 4 you will learn:
What is the difference between weather and climate ? What is global warming ?
Which evolution for future of the global warming ?

Total Workload: 2 hours and 11 minutes

Videos 86 minutes

Readings 45 minutes
- 4.1 Climate change
- Module 4.1: Summary File
- Module 4.1 Reading Page
- Module 4.1: Case study 1: Some schools in Brussels (Belgium) Page
- Module 4.1: Case study 2: Schools of Brussels (Belgium) Page
- Module 4.1: Supplementary videos Page
- 4.2 Consequences now
- Module 4.2: Summary File
- Module 4.2 Reading Page
- Module 4.2: Supplementary videos Page
- 4.3 Human influences
- Module 4.3: Summary File
- Module 4.3 Reading Page
- Module 4.3: Supplementary videos Page
- 4.4 World cities consequences
- Module 4.4: Summary File
- Module 4.4 Reading Page
- Module 4.4: Supplementary videos Page
- Module 4 Quiz
  
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Module 5 - My School Leads the Change
Description

An environmental impact is any alteration of the environment, directly or indirectly caused by a project or human activity in a given area.
School as a human activity that occupies a certain area, generates an infinite number of negative effects on the environment (waste production, water consumption, noise pollution...), which can only be avoided or minimized to the extent that are known, and the ways to deal with them are studied.

By the end of Module 5 you know how to:
1. Carry out an environmental impact assessment of the school (environmental audit, carbon footprint, environmental diagnosis)
2. Motivate and involve students in the change process
3. Improve student learning with an appropriate orientation of curricular actions

Total Workload: 2 hours and 9 minutes

Videos 16 minutes

Readings 23 minutes

Exercises 90 minutes
- Module 5: Summary File
- 5.1 How to carry out an environmental impact assessment of the school (environmental audit, carbon footprint, environmental diagnosis)
- Module 5.1 Reading Page
- Module 5.1: Case study 1: At school, we reduce kilowatts Page
- Module 5.1: Case study 2: A greener curriculum Page
- Module 5.1: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 5.1: Exercise 2 Page
- 5.2 How to motivate and involve students in the change process
- Module 5.2 Reading Page
- Module 5.2: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 5.2: Video 1 - Greta ThunbergURL Page
- Module 5.2: Video 2 - Social Contracts Foster Community in the Classroom Page
- 5.3 Improve student learning with an appropriate orientation of curricular actions
- Module 5.3 Reading Page
- Module 5.3: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 5.3: Exercise 2 Page
- 5.4 Classroom ecoaudit
- Module 5.4: Reading Page
- Module 5.4: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 5.4: Exercise 2 Page
- 5.5 Classroom waste management
- Module 5.5: Reading Page
- Module 5.5: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 5.5: Exercise 2 Page
- Module 5.5: Exercise 3 Page
- Module 5 Quiz
  
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Module 6 - Healthy Lifestyle
Description

Today’s common understanding when we refer to a green environment is often understood as an umbrella term for the following life indicators:
Self-awareness and a tendency to maintain physical health, with a real awareness of the link between physical and mental health. A healthy mind in a healthy body is nothing more than a philosophy of life. Choosing to opt for a green mode that induces the attaining of a natural energy while acting on the stimulus of one's good mood.
These parameters of a green life help to Prevent diseases and health problems while saving money.
Setting green objectives and goals helps to improve self-confidence and releases a sense of well-being and fulfillment.

Learning Outcomes:

Total Workload: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Readings 60 minutes

Exercises 15 minutes

Physically fit - Healthier & Energy saving
Build a healthy mind & mood - Manage earth resources
Outdoor Activities - No Pollution & Sustainable energy
Link - pollution <> diseases - Healthier & Sustainable energy
Manage Stress - No drugs & No addiction
Green activity planning - Power to invest into green
- Module 6: Summary File
- 6.1 Exercising
- Module 6.1: Summary File
- Module 6.1: Reading Page
- Module 6.1: Best practices File
- 6.2 Dietary
- Module 6.2: Summary File
- Module 6.2: Reading Page
- 6.3 Green ways to get to school
- Module 6.3: Summary File
- Module 6.3: Reading Page
- Module 6 Quiz
  
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Module 7 - A European Green Dimension
Description

This module focueses on green initiatives that have been taken by the European Union.

Content:
European green deal
Initiatives and priorities for climate and environment
Sustainability education in europe
Resources and organisations to support schools
Future perspectives

Total Workload: 2 hours and 7 minutes

Videos 8 minutes

Readings 15 minutes

Exercises 104 minutes
- Module 7: Summary File
- 7.1 European green deal
- Module 7.1: Reading Page
- Module 7.1: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 7.1: Exercise 2 Page
- Module 7.1: Video - Green deal proposal Page
- 7.2 Initiatives and priorities for climate and environment
- Module 7.2: Reading Page
- Module 7.2: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 7.2: Exercise 2 Page
- 7.3 Sustainability education in Europe
- Module 7.3: Reading Page
- Module 7.3: Exercise 1 Page
- Module 7.3: Exercise 2 Page
- 7.4 Resources and organisations to support schools
- Module 7.4: Reading Page
- Module 7.4: External links 1 Page
- Module 7.4: External links 2 Page
- Module 7.4: Exercise 1 Page
- 7.5 Future perspectives
- Module 7.5: Reading Page
- Module 7.5: Exercise 1 Page
- 7.6 Good practices
- Good practice 1: The Green Week Page
- Good practice 2: Climatics, a network project Page
- Module 7 Quiz
  
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