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Northern Climate Change Schools Program Weledeh Catholic School Climate Change Project Phase I: Interview with Elders A group of motivated students were chosen to prepare and host an interview with Dogrib elders who live in the Yellowknife area. Step One: Students had a sample interview that was provided to the teacher. Questions that were relevant to this geographic area were selected for use by the students. The students practiced and rehearsed the interview. Step Two: Cecilia Boyd, Dogrib Language Teacher, was asked by the students to contact several elders to arrange a time for them to come to Weledeh Catholic School for the interview. Step Three: The date for the interview was set for November 21, 2001. Students prepared tea. Ms. McGrath made tea biscuits. Students prepare the tea and biscuits just prior to the interview. Step Four: Each of two elders were interviewed by two students and one teacher, Mrs. Cecilia Boyd, Kayla Parker and Clarissa Kogiak, and Ms. Joanne McGrath, Samantha Cadieux and Christine Migadel. The students recorded the comments of the elders. Step Five: Students thanked the elders and recorded the results of the interviews. Phase II: Cloud Observations Al Dunn worked with his Grade 5 class throughout the year to teach and implement lessons from the GLOBE program. This program teaches students about observing clouds, identifying various cloud formations, predicting and recording weather patterns using clouds as indicators. The students enjoyed this activity and they persevered with the weather observations all year. Phase III: Transportation Issues and Climate Change Step One: Evergreen Theatre Productions came to the Northwest Territories to perform their two person production "Full of Hot Air". This musical production about climate change was very captivating and informative. It was presented to the students of Weledeh Catholic School in December. The students absolutely loved the performance and understood the information about climate change and what individuals can do to help slow the effects of greenhouse gasses: Recycle products, walk, ride bikes or take the bus, reduce packaging and conserve resources(power, water, fuel). The fact that this dynamic presentation was able to be performed in several schools in the Northwest Territories was an added bonus. Students enjoyed the "Full of Hot Air" performance in Fort Providence, Rae-Edzo and other northern schools. Students in Allan Dunn's grade 5 class took the ideas from the performance and worked with Brenda Hans to create their own production based on transportation information that was gleaned from the Weledeh Catholic School Transportation Survey. Step Two: Weledeh Catholic School Climate Change Production Step One: Brenda Hans collected information about the transportation survey that was conducted with the students of Weledeh Catholic School. That information, combined with other lifestyle choices that students had the capacity to make, was used as the basis for a script for the production that the grade five class presented. Step Two: Brenda Hans came to the school approximately 8 times to work with the grade 5 students to:
Although the original plan was to bring the production to other schools in Yellowknife. Unfortunately, this group of students did not feel confident enough to perform to the variety of audiences that other schools would have. Step Three: Cycle-Recycle Initiative Due to the fact that the students of Weledeh Catholic School have received several opportunities for education about Climate Change and they have knowledge of some of the lifestyle changes that are necessary to slow the effects of climate change, a proposal for funding was submitted help promote alternate transportation to school. Promoting biking to school in the warmer months of school was the area that we chose to focus on because students have some control over their transportation to and from school once they are at an age where they can be independent. The funding was acquired through the Community Animation Program (CAP) Funding to purchase some new bike racks. A promotion campaign was started in the spring of 2002. It will be continued in the fall of 2002 and perpetuated from then on. The slogan that we have chosen it "Decide to Ride". The second part of the "decide to ride" campaign will be to promote students taking the bus rather than have parents lined up to drop off and pick up students before and after school. Idling cars outside of schools is a major issue in Yellowknife because of the fuel that is wasted, the emissions that are produced and the effect on the health of individuals (respiratory illness, etc.) The school has also purchased recycling bins to begin recycling in earnest after a two year interruption to our recycling. The money comes from a $1000.00 prize that the school received from NorthwesTel through a recycling of old telephone book initiative. The new recycling program will be launched in the fall of 2002. Phase IV: Naturalization of the Playground -- Plan Development A landscape architect was invited to speak with students involved in an environmental option. The topic of her presentation was on naturalizing the playground and the steps that would need to be taken prior to planting any new growth on the playground. Karen Hamre was the landscape architect and she did a wonderful job of educating students about the steps that need to be taken before, during and after any landscaping initiative would be ready to launch. We have a plan for developing the playground. We used a pamphlet that is produced by Environment Canada which is called "Dilemma at I.M. Perplexed School" that promotes discussion about the things that need to be considered before any playground initiatives take place and the conflict that can be encountered with various interest groups. In the fall of 2002, funding will be sought from various sources to help initiate the naturalization of the playground. This is very much needed but we are very glad that the preplanning has been done to make any planting initiative that might be undertaken a more successful project.
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