#LfS – Page 5 – Learning for Sustainability

International School Meals Day

International Schoo gdw_ismd_logo l Meals Day is back on 5 March 2015, raising awareness of the importance of good nutrition for children, and healthy eating habits at home and at school. Celebrating culture through food is this year’s theme. Also, remember that Food for Thought funding applications can be submitted until Sunday 29th March 2015. This provides a great opportunity to make the connections between your existing work on learning for sustainability and food education.

Religious and Moral Education through Outdoor Learning

Photo of pupils working outdoors Taking learning outdoors is an important aspect of learning for sustainability. In the recent, ‘Conversations about learning for sustainability’ report, the benefits of outdoor learning were highlighted time and again by parents, pupils and practitioners. 3 -18 Curricular Impact Reports, including those in Sciences, Social Studies and RME have documented the positive impact of outdoor learning approaches. Religious and Moral Education through Outdoor Learning is a new resource which explores how high quality learning and teaching in RME can be delivered through outdoor learning. This resource is aimed at all practitioners involved in the delivery of RME and contains a range of useful case studies, practical questions and professional dialogue prompts.

‘Dams to Darnley’ Outdoor Education Pack

The Dams to Darnley education resource offers an interesting range of outdoor learning activities for all practitioners. Each activity is linked to science experiences and outcomes from early to fourth level. Whilst the resource was produced by the countryside ranger service in East Renfrewshire, it promotes a number of engaging approaches which can be replicated within school grounds or country parks across Scotland.

Countryside rangers can lead activities, however, there are also self-led activites to allow teachers to take ownership within their own settings. The pack also contains helpful appendices with guidance on taking learning outdoors, templates for risk assessments and useful contacts and links.

Fair Trade 2015

Fair Trade Fortnight 2015is now approaching, and this year’s dates are 23rd February to 8th March.

Schools get involved in the new annual campaigns each year, but teachers also work with their students the whole year round to facilitate study and thinking about issues of justice and international development. Young people develop their understanding of the issues underlying key global problems, and come to recognise their own potential for making a difference. Fair Trade is a broad concept, and other products such as chocolate, coffee, cotton and rice are frequently seen in school activities.

The Scottish Fair Trade Forum (SFTF) supports and encourages positive action all over Scotland, and schools rise to the challenge. Extending educational activity into nurseries and early years establishments is a particular focus, with a new Fair Trade Nurseries section on the website.

The Traidcraft charity website Schools section provides resources for teachers and advice about becoming a Fair Trade School.

Just Trading Scotland is a fair trade supplier based in Paisley. Their popular 90k Rice Challenge runs again this year, challenging schools and community organisations to sell 90k of rice, the amount of rice sold that would enable a Malawian farmer to pay for a year’s secondary education for one child.