May 23rd, 2024
Students from twelve Waterloo Region District School Board (WRDSB) schools converged on the Camp Heidelberg Outdoor and Environmental Education Centre to compete in a series of environmental learning challenges in celebration of Earth Day. The Earth Day Amazing Race 2024, hosted by the Outdoor & Environmental Education (OEE) Department, kicked off with a welcome ceremony for the 48 environmentally-minded students who had been nominated by their teachers. Each team of four raced to complete 15 activities spread throughout the Camp Heidelberg property. Teams received a map and instructions as to which stations they should visit first.
Among the 15 challenge stations, students used radio telemetry equipment to find a hidden transmitter; identified a selection of true-to-life mammal skull replicas; navigated using a compass; identified bird species based on their birdsongs; and caught tadpoles, water beetles and crayfish.
At the sound of the starting whistle, student teams were off in a frenzy. One station tasked students with transplanting young wildflower seedlings into larger fibre pots. Each team set aside nine of these indigenous wildflower plants to bring back to school for planting in their monarch waystation.
Chalmers Street PS students plant wildflower seedlings into fiber pots.
Another station challenged students to build a nest box out of six pre-cut wooden panels. These birdhouses were also sent back with students to put up in their schoolyards. Nest boxes are habitat support for cavity-nesting birds, such as chickadees, tree swallows and Eastern bluebirds, helping to mitigate the impact of habitat loss in the Waterloo Region. By enhancing their schoolyards with native wildflowers and nest boxes, students will be contributing to the development of ecological learning spaces at WRDSB schools.
Students from Vista Hills PS building a birdhouse.
Elizabeth Zeigler PS students identify red-spotted newts and test CO2 content in pond water.
The day’s events culminated in a race to complete one of 12 Earth puzzles. Teams that completed their activity stations first got a head start on the final challenge. The pressure was on as teams concentrated on assembling their puzzle as fast as possible.
Students from Elizabeth Zeigler PS race to complete their puzzle.
As the clock ticked on, Cedar Creek Public School students managed to pull ahead of the competition, finally placing the last piece into their Earth puzzle. Congratulations to Cedar Creek Public School and to all students who participated.
Cedar Creek PS students celebrate completing their puzzles first.
At-Home Environmental Learning Opportunities
Students and families might like to try calculating how much carbon is absorbed by a tree in their neighbourhood or schoolyard. Use this three question survey to find out how much carbon will be sequestered by a tree in one year and over the course of its lifetime. Students of all ages can practice identifying birds by ear using this interactive google slide deck (works best in presentation mode), or visit the OEE Department home page for more Nature ID guides and resources.