EkoSkola Malta

Play to fight the nature crisis

1. Restore the forest by collecting native seeds and avoiding invasive plant seeds.  They can damage the environment! Click on the screen to activate. Use the arrow keys to move the players. You can plant seeds using the spacebar. 2. You can also help restore the ocean.  Dive down to the ocean sea floor to plant sea grass, but avoid swimming into coral reefs and animals. 3. Our grasslands are burning! Make sure to jump on the fences three times to rewild the saigas. They will eat away the long grass and prevent wildfires.  But be careful, don’t step into the fires!

Earth Day Action Toolkit – for all year round!!!

Every April 22nd people from around the world come together to advance sustainability and climate action in commemoration of Earth Day. In the below links you will find loads and loads of actions that can be taken by individuals, communities, businesses, schools, families, home owners… in short everyone.  

St Michael School EkoSkola Newsletter April – June 2022

    Aħbarijiet mill-kumitat tal-EkoSkola tal-Iskola St Michael, Santa Venera… A T T I V I T A J I E T    M I L L – K U M I T A T Air quality Webinar Presentation Green Flag evaluation Xogħol fuq Serra Ħidma fIl-Ballut ta’ Marsaxlokk Mobility Presentation Eko-Parlament Rovigo Erasmus Training F ’ D I N  I L – Ħ A R Ġ A Editorjal Clouds Marine Litter (Esperjenza) Alien Species in Malta Globe Project (Air quality) Readings Electricty / Solar Panel Ritratti

We care about our present and our future

We care about our present and our future: A report. Eco- Schools 11th Young People’s Summit… © 2022 Nature Trust – FEE Malta Any part of the publication can be reproduced as long as the source is properly cited and credited. Citation: Nature Trust – FEE Malta (2022). We care about our present and our future: A report. Eco-Schools 11th Young People’s Summit. Listening to children’s voices for sustainability There was a time, in the not-so-distant past, that the notion of listening to and acting on children’s voices was unheard of and even frowned upon. Children were considered as incapable of making value judgements, of evaluating issues and propose solutions to problems unless they were told how to do it by adults. Most of the opportunities offering children a platform were mostly (at best) different forms of tokenism. Children were expected to listen to and uncritically absorb what adults had to say on issues and themes that had a direct relevance to the children’s present and future. Education for Sustainable Development seeks to empower individuals irrespective of age to become active citizens seeking to promote sustainable lifestyles and choices. Nature Trust – FEE Malta sought to actively facilitate this by implementing the international Eco-Schools Programme (locally called EkoSkola). The EkoSkola programme is mainly driven by student initiated and managed actions that start off at school, but then spill over into their households and their community. Since its inception in 2002, the EkoSkola program has worked hard to bring the voice of children to policy makers, both local and overseas. So, over the years EkoSkola has created different fora to achieve this, like: EkoSkola Parliament sessions, consultation meetings with various Maltese presidents and ministers; meetings with the main political party leaders during which they presented a memorandum prior to the General Elections; and countless meetings with mayors and councillors of different localities. Another forum that promotes children’s voices is the annual Young People’s Summit, during which primary and secondary school students discuss various sustainability issues and propose ways how these issues can be addressed. These issues are collated into a declaration that is then presented to members of parliament. There were even cases where these recommendations were also presented to international fora such as during the Informal Meeting of the EU Environment Council; during international conferences about sustainability, and to delegates attending the CHOGM 2015. As part of the COP 26 follow up, the British High Commission sponsored five mini sessions that explored Climate Change from various dimensions that were attended by students from 103 schools (63 primary and 40 secondary). During the online summits, students discussed with local experts the various perspectives of the issues explored and proposed practical actions that could be implemented to address the issues. These proposals were collated in this special publication together with several other inputs from younger children in the form of drawings and craft projects. An interesting spin off from this series of mini summits, was an interest in learning what children from …

Learning Corner for 5-18 year olds by European Commission

If you’re a primary or secondary school pupil, this is where you’ll find games, competitions and activity books to help you discover the EU in a fun way, in the classroom or at home. You can also find out more about studying or volunteering abroad. If you’re a teacher and want to help your pupils learn about the EU and how it works, this is a source of teaching material for all age groups. As well as finding inspiration for lesson plans, you can also discover networking opportunities with other schools and teachers across the EU. You can find material about food, farming, fisheries, environment, climate, energy, culture and much more… NOTE:  This resource is available in various languages.  Links to the Maltese and English versions can be found below.   More direct links in attachments below too.

Edible Wild Plants in Malta

A Foraging Guide Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) are working hard to raise awareness and foster a greater appreciation of the wild edible flora present in the Maltese archipelago. The importance of wild plants is regrettably often overlooked with a diverse array of plant life frequently dismissed as just weeds, or ħaxix ħażin. In line with their commitment to food sovereignty and ensuring that the food that we eat is healthy and ecologically sound they have prepared this foraging guide to help you on your adventures in finding nutritious new ingredients close to home. The following are some of the benefits derived from wild edible plants: Wild plants are highly nutritious, a good source of several vitamins, minerals, fibre, antioxidants, and phytochemicals which protect one’s body from ageing and pollutants. Consumption of wild plants is economically sound. Being self-propagating, growing unaided, and fully adapted to our local climate and soils, they do not require expensive irrigation systems, substantial amounts of water, chemical treatments, construction of greenhouses, and long hours of manual labour in order to flourish. The best thing of course is that, unlike the produce sold in supermarkets, they are free. Unlike some conventionally grown produce (and unless one picks them from fields where such chemicals are used or from the sides of polluted roads), wild plants are not treated with or exposed to large amounts of chemical pesticides and fertilizers. Taking a walk to forage in nature is a therapeutic activity, helping one to de-stress and nurture a spiritual bond with the land and the wildlife that it supports. Identifying areas of the countryside with high concentrations of wild edible plants creates an incentive for the legal protection of such areas from development. More info about the plants and foraging rules can be found in the link below.

Outdoor Learning Pack

Take learning outside with this great resource… Learning doesn’t just take place inside, so why not be inspired by this fantastic and comprehensive pack from the Woodland Trust for Scotland, and use the great outdoors as a key teaching tool? Bursting with tips, tools, case studies and lesson plans, this valuable resource contains all sorts of useful ideas for outdoor learning. However, the type of learning described is something quite different from ‘outdoor pursuits’: it’s all about taking your normal everyday curriculum, and teaching it outside. From Wild Art to Word Art, with plenty of Science, English and Maths in there too, these materials will help you get started with learning in the natural environment! Thanks to Woodland Trust Scotland.

Our Planet series and related educational material

“There can be no greater legacy than giving young people the tools they need to save our planet.” Sir David Attenborough One Planet, Our Planet The habitats that make up our planet are connected and reliant upon each other. The astonishing diversity of life on earth depends on these global connections. Frozen Worlds Our poles are some of the earth’s last remaining wildernesses. And yet just as we are beginning to understand these extraordinary places, they are changing fast. and much more… Explore the links below and material found in them.

WWF Magazine

World Wildlife magazine provides an inspiring, in-depth look at the connections between animals, people and our planet. Published quarterly by WWF, the magazine helps make you a part of our efforts to solve some of the most pressing issues facing the natural world.

Understanding Food and Climate Change – An Interactive Guide

Understanding Food and Climate Change: An Interactive Guide explores the links between what we grow, eat, and throw away, and the impact of climate change. But why explore the relationships between food and climate change? Because food is an essential human need and offers the potential for personalizing climate change. Food production depends on natural resources that are linked to climate and weather. Understanding the global food system can help your students comprehend how personal choices about food can impact climate change. By talking about food, we can demonstrate why climate change matters to all of us. The link below leads to an interactive e-book with loads of information and activities. The Center for Ecoliteracy offers a no-cost suite of digital education resources that explore the fundamental relationships between climate change and the food systems that sustain human life. These publications consider the potential for food systems-oriented climate change mitigation and adaptation. The first two resources in the suite are Understanding Food and Climate Change: An Interactive Guide and Understanding Food and Climate Change: A Systems Perspective. Understanding Food and Climate Change: An Interactive Guide incorporates text, video, photography, and an array of interactive experiences to deliver climate science alongside multicultural, interdisciplinary viewpoints. Its aim is to promote awareness and understanding of global climate issues, their intersection with food systems, and promising strategies for addressing climate change. This resource includes suggested activities and connections to both the Next Generation Science Standards and the National Curriculum Standards for Social Studies Thematic Strands. The companion publication, Understanding Food and Climate Change: A Systems Perspective, is a collection of essays that addresses topics that educators will encounter when teaching about food and climate change. These essays offer subjects for class discussion or student research and provide extensive resources for further investigation. This resource applies systems thinking to inspire readers to think in terms of systems, both human and natural. Used together, these publications serve as a strong foundation for developing and deepening our understanding of how we interact with nature. They are valuable resources for anyone engaged in shaping a more positive future. Copyright © 2018 Center for Ecoliteracy 2150 Allston Way, Suite 270 Berkeley, CA 94704-1377

Nature for all Discovery Zone

Welcome to the #NatureForAll Discovery Zone. Curated from #NatureForAll partner resources, and ranging from videos to lesson plans, comic books to coloring books, this collection will help you connect people with nature, instill love of nature and learn about nature wherever you are. Refer to the link below for loads of online resources where you can browse hundreds of partner resources, from comic books to lesson plans. and a Conversation Space – A unique online platform allowing you to interact with nature enthusiasts interested in connecting people with nature.

Earth School

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, an unprecedented coalition has come together to launch “Earth School,” which provides free, high-quality educational content to help students, parents and teachers around the world who are currently at home. Initiated by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and TED-Ed, Earth School takes students on a 30-day “Adventure” through the natural world. The curated Earth School content features videos, reading materials and activities — which will be translated into 10 languages — to help students gain an understanding of the environment while considering their role within it. This is the biggest online learning initiative in UNEP’s history and is available for free on TED-Ed’s website.

Eco-friendly gardens: 7 ways you can help protect the environment with self-sustaining gardening habits.

If you’re looking for a fun outdoor project this spring, planting and taking care of an eco-friendly garden is a great choice. It’s a fulfilling activity that helps you enjoy nature while staying mindful about your environmental impact, and it’s an ideal way to add beauty to your property. There are even more benefits to eco-friendly gardening if you choose to grow vegetables and herbs, as you can use them in delicious, home-cooked meals. You’ll have peace of mind knowing the food you’re using is organic—and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you grew the plants yourself. Ready to do your own eco-friendly gardening? Here are seven tips to help you get started.

4 Easy, Affordable Ideas for Creating a Water-Friendly Garden

Whether you’re worried about the impact of climate change on future generations or you simply want to save on your monthly utility bill, a water-friendly yard is a great way to reduce your consumption of one of the planet’s most valuable resources. That’s because there are plenty of easy, inexpensive ways to create and maintain a lawn and landscape that require less water. Here are four ideas to help you get started.

Self-sustaining gardening habits

If you’re looking for a fun outdoor project this spring, planting and taking care of an eco-friendly garden is a great choice. It’s a fulfilling activity that helps you enjoy nature while staying mindful about your environmental impact, and it’s an ideal way to add beauty to your property. There are even more benefits to eco-friendly gardening if you choose to grow vegetables and herbs, as you can use them in delicious, home-cooked meals. You’ll have peace of mind knowing the food you’re using is organic—and you’ll have the satisfaction of knowing you grew the plants yourself. Ready to do your own eco-friendly gardening? Here are seven tips to help you get started.

EkoSkola Newsletter – St Michael School, St. Venera – Ħarġa 18

All about forests

Global Forest Watch (GFW) is an interactive online forest monitoring and alert system designed to empower people everywhere with the information they need to better manage and conserve forest landscapes. Global Forest Watch uses cutting edge technology and science to provide the timeliest and most precise information about the status of forest landscapes worldwide, including near-real-time alerts showing suspected locations of recent tree cover loss. GFW is free and simple to use, enabling anyone to create custom maps, analyze forest trends, subscribe to alerts, or download data for their local area or the entire world. Users can also contribute to GFW by sharing data and stories from the ground via GFW’s crowdsourcing tools, blogs, and discussion groups. Special “apps” provide detailed information for companies that wish to reduce the risk of deforestation in their supply chains, users who want to monitor fires across Southeast Asia, and more. GFW serves a variety of users including governments, the private sector, NGOs, journalists, universities, and the general public. GFW is a growing partnership of organizations contributing data, technology, funding, and expertise. The GFW partnership is convened by the World Resources Institute. See a full list of partners below.

52 Tips for Biodiversity

Biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth – makes our planet habitable and beautiful. Many of us look to the natural environment for pleasure, inspiration or recreation. We also depend on it for food, energy, raw materials, air and water – the elements that make life as we know it possible and drive our economies.

Wild Plants in Malta

maltawildplants.com is an online archive of Flora website made by Mr Stephen Mifsud, M.Sc Biodiversity and Taxonomy of Plants.  He can be contacted on [email protected] Within the same website one can find things such as a botanical project to identify plants www.maltawildplants.com/floramelitensiskeys/Fumaria.php A website about wild funghi and fauna on the Maltese Islands, also by Stephen Mifsud can be found here: www.maltafauna.com

Fun and Games in Nature – LEAF website link

Through this link you will be lead to our sister website www.leafmalta.org and the resource section aimed at enjoying the outdoors.

Protecting our native forests/woodland – LEAF

Through this link you will be lead to our sister website www.leafmalta.org and the resource section aimed at Protecting our native forests/woodland.

Planting More Trees – LEAF

Through this link you will be lead to our sister website www.leafmalta.org and the resource section aimed at Planting More Trees

Making Responsible Choices – LEAF

Through this link you will be lead to our sister website www.leafmalta.org and the resource section aimed at Making Responsible Choices

Instilling love for trees – LEAF

Through this link you will be lead to our sister website www.leafmalta.org and the resource section aimed at instilling love for trees.

CoReflect – Collaboration and reflection

Project CoReflect (Title: Digital support for Inquiry, Collaboration, and Reflection on Socio-Scientific Debates) is a three year (2008-2011) research program, funded by the European Commission, under the FP7 Science in Society program. Bringing together eight diverse and multi-disciplinary teams from seven European states, the project members promoted evidence-based practice in science teaching and learning, by collaborating to iteratively design, enact, critique, and validate problem-based innovative inquiry learning environments.

LEAF Newsletter 2

The local LEAF newsletter gives updates about activities organised by Learning about Forests Malta, information about trees and other biodiversity issues, contacts and points to ponder…

LEAF Newsletter 1

The local LEAF newsletter gives updates about activities organised by Learning about Forests Malta, information about trees and other biodiversity issues, contacts and points to ponder…

The Enviromental Effects of Smoking

What are cigarettes made up from?… Air pollution from cigarette smoke… Cigarette related littering… Tobacco hurts people and their environment… Cigarette filters – silent killers… want to learn more?  Download the PDF document given below.  You will find more information and links about the topic.

Damage done by Balloon Releases…

What is wrong with balloon releases?
Organizations, communities, families and individuals from all over the world release millions of helium filled balloons into the air each year to celebrate or publicize some special occasion.

LEAF Newsletter – Issue 1

The need to learn about forests goes beyond how green or less green the Maltese islands might or should look to the odd tourist or the keen environmentalist. In essence it is a deeper need to understand the key role forests play for sustainable life on our planet and whether that role is being compromised by the way of life we lead. This newsletter is a first step to start learning about forests.  You are invited to download this newsletter and get to know more about the local situation and issues abroad.

The Ugly Journey of Trash

This is a poster which depicts in one page what happens to trash, where it goes and how it effects the sea and life within and around.  A really sad story… This poster is part of the campaign Project Aware. Click here to download the poster of The Ugly Journey of Trash in PDF format.  

Videos – stunning galaxy of marine wildlife around the Maltese Islands- PANACEA

Deep within Malta’s blue sea lies a galaxy of marine wildlife coming in all shapes, sizes and colours, or so we’re told. For despite the rich heritage, most Maltese know little of the underwater world encircling the island’s 300-kilometre coastline.

The Earth Dog Story – Earth Dog returns to Save the Environment

The Earth Dog Story, first published in 1992, returns as an app in iTunes and an eBook as part of the U.S. Department of Energy environmental outreach program with Weekly Reader. Earth Dog is a superhero who teaches kids about taking care of the environment.

Earth Preservers Website

Earth Preservers is an environmental news and information website for kids that relates the environment to a wide-range of current events and topics. Resources include short films and documentaries, interactive quizzes, classroom resources, poll questions, and a monthly newsletter.

Take 2: The Student’s Point of View

The Take2 Youth Media Program takes advantage of today’s youthful fascination with technology to motivate active learning in environmental science, English, and media literacy. Working individually or collaborating in teams, students create short documentaries or public service announcements that are designed to inform, entertain, or advocate on issues illustrated by the footage provided.

Games Page on the United States Environmental Protection Agency

This webpage contains links to loads of games, videos and quizzes related to the environment, energy, water, mystery solving, science, recycling, waste and much more…

Virtual Pond Dip

The Virtual Pond Dip introduces some common organisms and encourages an exploration of the incredible ‘world within a world’ of a real pond. Click on each organism to read the factfile that links to more detail.  

Let’s Go Chipper Ambassadors

Let’s Go Chipper is a website which provides award-winning educational APPS, books, movies and music that connect children with nature and the great outdoors! When is the last time you heard a parent say, “Go out and play.” With a wink to childhood and a mission to reconnect children and families with nature, the Let’s Go Chipper!TM series excites all back into the great outdoors. The nature inspired stories are eco-educational and correlated to national academic standards in arts and literature, science, and social skills.

Electronic Field Trip…

National Park Foundation provides the opportunity to experience various electronic fieldtrips. Past electronic field trips include the Sea Change, the Climate Challenge, Exploring Nature’s Plumbing System, and various others.  

Butterflies & Bulldozers

Butterflies & Bulldozers is a story about the rights of nature and the rights of people, compromise and commitment, and the tough choices we all have to make.

Film: White Water, Black Gold

White Water, Black Gold follows David Lavallee on his three-year journey across Western Canada in search of the truth about the impact of the world’s thirstiest oil industry.

New Mobile Game from ARKive

“Survival” is a free, quick-fire mobile game to raise awareness about the world’s most endangered animals. Immersive, interactive, and educational, “Survival” is a great way to encourage children’s curiosity for the natural world.

Outdoor Skills Education

The Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies has released six new publications in its award-winning North American Conservation Education Strategy Tool Kit for Achieving Excellence.

Schoolyard Biodiversity Guide

The Schoolyard Biodiversity Investigation provides students with the opportunity to learn about biodiversity in a tangible and available environment – their own schoolyard.

Hands on Farming – Gozo

The Hands On Farming Program is intended to familiarise students with our local environment and with the Maltese farming industry. Students attend the Xewkija Experimental Farm for a half day visit, during which they are given information on the work carried out on the farm.

Explaining the LEAF programme

Learning about Forests is another FEE programme made available to maltese schools by Nature Trust Malta. The national coordinator is Mr Johann Gatt who can be contacted by email on [email protected]

The Great Turtle Race

Help the great turtle travel a long journey by guiding it to avoid obstacles such as plastic bags and look for jellyfish.  It is a seven day long race… Thanks to National Geographic.

Project Learning Tree Releases New Early Childhood Curriculum

To connect students to nature at a younger age, Project Learning Tree releases a new curriculum guide and music CD to engage children ages 3-6 in outdoor exploration and play. Eleven field-tested, hands-on activities showcase over 130 “early childhood experiences”

Film: Big River

Following up on their documentary King Corn, the filmmakers have returned to Iowa to investigate the impact their acre of corn has had on the people and places downstream.