How does your school or teachers connect students to the reef to promote CARE?
Have displays and nature positive messaging in the classroom/ school
Teach conservation and respect for the environment, the world's oceans and its interconnected ecosystems (i.e. coral reefs, mangroves, sea grass beds)
Students can list how their own actions can positively or negatively impact reef related ecosystems.
Make connections with First Nation Peoples and their connection to land and sea
Students make connections with their country's or local indigenous/native culture and history about the reef
Students reflect on their own connection to the reef and marine ecosystems
Presentation by an marine related organisation
Which Reef Guardian School Program curriculum resources were used to help students LEARN?
Reef Guardian STEM teaching units
Reef Guardian teaching units
Reef Guardian Reef Beat Education Series
Reef Education free or paid Virtual Learning Experiences (VLEs)
Environmental days (World Ocean Day, Plastic Free July, Walk to School days, National Recycle week).
Eco challenge
Reef Guardian activities embedded into school work programs.
Which Reef Authority resources were used to help students LEARN?
Reef Authority Educational Videos (i.e. Classification of Reef Creatures, Great Barrier Reef Aquarium YouTube channel, Reef Authority Youtube channel)
Marine Park Zone and permits
Tourism
Which LEARN topics were covered this year?
Water quality
Marine debris
Marine management and zones
Target animals (e.g. turtles)
Conservation
Animal features and adaptations
Indigenous culture and histories
The Great Barrier Reef
ACT Marine Debris
Marine debris clean-up (i.e. clean up a local beach/river/creek, clean up Australia Day)
Litter reduction in school (i.e. clean up proactive program)
Litter free lunches (i.e. plastic free lunch)
Education on assembly, newsletters and posters (i.e. educate school community with a talk at assembly, newsletters and posters)
ACT Reducing waste and recycling
Bringing waste free lunches to school
Plastic straw removal or drinks with plastic straws
Bin stencilling (e.g. paint nature positive messages on school bins)
Compost Bins
Worm Farms
Recycling program (i.e. start a recycling program at your school)
Use litter/marine debris to create art- REEFlections RGS unit of work
ACT Water conservation
Wicker beds (i.e. create wicker garden beds at your school)
ACT Reducing energy
School energy audit and/or reduction (i.e. look at the amount of energy your school uses and make a plan to reduce it)
Using/installing solar
Energy monitors (i.e. track your schools energy usage)
Encourage students to turn off electrical equipment when not in use (i.e. lights, fans,)
Carbon reduction or carbon credit scheme
ACT Gardens and habitat restoration
School kitchen garden (i.e. garden that produces fruit and vegetables for your schools tuckshop)
Upkeep native garden or produce garden
Take an opportunity to immerse your class in nature
Take photos of the school's nature and learn about its importance
Creating a woodland in school for trees for koalas in the Koala Hospital
ACT Engage in a community/school challenge
Participate in a local or international interschool STEM or environmentally focused event/challenge
In-school challenge (i.e. environmental education challenge in school)
Presentation to whole school by external partner
Implement a STEM Citizen Science project
Celebrate Environmental days (i.e. World Ocean Day, Plastic Free July, Walk to School days, National Recycle Week etc).
ACT Citizen Science Projects
Eye on the Reef sighting app or enter in data from Rapid Monitoring and 360 Benthic snorkel survey
Mangrove Watch
Marine Monitoring Program- water quality
Excursions to local waterway, parks, farms, reef
Who did you SHARE or collaborate with in the community?
Your local government (i.e. councils, municipalities, locality)
Traditional Owner organisation or First Nations Groups/Organisations
Marine park based or your local industry/business (e.g. tourism operation)
Catchment based industry/business (e.g. local nursery or gardening business)
Marine park based or your local stakeholder organisation (e.g. Reef Check)
Catchment based or your local stakeholder organisation (e.g. Creek Watch)
Get important conservation messages out to the public via Art galleries or other public forums.
How did you SHARE your achievements, messaging or achievements?
Use the Reef Guardian Online Portal or Closed Facebook group to share your achievements or connect with other Reef Guardian Schools (i.e. photos, resources, organizing an interschool event)
Use of education resources provided by partner organisation (excluding the Reef Authority)
Partner organisation participation in ‘school led’ environmental activity/project
Family/community participation in ‘school led’ environmental activity/project
Publicise within the school community (e.g. assembly, newsletters, social media)
Publicise to the broader community (e.g. media, community forums or conferences)
How did you SHARE Reef Guardian School Program membership?
Display RGS Fence sign
On share information via social media or word of mouth
How did your school Care, Learn, Act and Share to promote the next generation of reef STEWARDs?
Visit the inshore or outer reef for a local field trip and enter in data to ensure it is citizen science data
Support Reef Restoration activities with local partners at a site on the reef or your local marine protected area
Learn and protect cultural heritage values of Great Barrier Reef Sea country or your local culturally significant reef
Significantly reduce marine pollution
Significantly enhance a local water way with tree planting and ongoing monitoring
Complete at least one action from Care, Learn, Act and Share
Significantly decrease carbon footprint
Change the mind set of students to instil life long learning and positive nature behaviours
Students and families want to enrol in the school because of its great work as a Reef Guardian School
Implementing the Reef Guardian School Program had a positive influence on increasing wellbeing and attendance or sense of belonging for students.
Be an active Reef Guardian School by completing an annual action plan 2 years in a row
Be an active Reef Guardian School by completing an annual action plan >3 years in a row
If a member of the community was to ask, the majority of teachers and students would b e able to explain what it meant to be a Reef Guardian School.