Making it work
ART has developed a simple method for delivering specialized programming in schools. Here’s a snapshot of our individual roles and responsibilities, and how we can work together as a team to deliver an excellent program that the students will enjoy and remember for a lifetime.

Teachers
Catalysts—Teachers’ energy and enthusiasm brings out the very best in their students. Their leadership and understanding can enable a school to achieve the maximum benefit from ART’s integrated learning model. The ART program gives teachers a proven turnkey approach to integrating environmental themes across the curriculum for K-7 students. The CDs introduce and enliven environmental issues, and the provincially recommended educators’ handbooks provide curriculum connections and activities suitable for a range of learners. Other resources are also available to enhance your school’s enjoyment of the Voices of Nature program. ART can put you in touch with a network of community resources that can expand the impact of your Voices of Nature program.

To get the most out of the Voices of Nature program, teachers are asked to:

Help students memorize the songs by playing CDs in class prior to Holly’s 4-day workshop. Beginning about one month prior to Holly’s arrival, teachers introduce a new song every week, so that kids can memorize lyrics. Each student learns four songs—two songs by their particular group, two mass songs sung together by the whole school.

Use the Cycle of Life/Recycle and Salish Sea Educator’s Handbooks to connect student curriculum to the songs. They are handy, classroom-proven resources that offer a multitude of lesson and activity ideas. As new songs are introduced, activities in language arts, science, social studies, math, physical education, and fine arts can be shaped to reflect the issues raised in the lyrics. This gives teachers the most benefit from having the music in the school because:

1. Student understanding of what they are singing about is deepened.
2. The music enlivens and stimulates learning in other subjects.
3. Connections are made in a way that makes complex issues understandable.

Encourage students to write five-sentence song introductions about the issues raised in a song. Expresses what the song is about, why they like it, and what they want the audience to do to help. This activity makes students think about the words they are singing, formulate their own opinions, and communicate them to others. Students can take turns introducing songs in class before playing the CD, or rehearsing the song. At the concert, songs are often introduced by students who have been selected by the teachers. Kids have a voice and a chance to be in the limelight, and as adults know … what comes “out of the mouths of babes” is often profound, humorous or enlightening!

Reader’s Theatre—Part of the concert performance can include children performing speaking parts and a script concerning endangered species. The script relates to the theme of an upcoming Voices of Nature Radio Show, e.g. orca and beluga whales, recycling, composting, etc. Teachers decide on criteria to be met for inclusion in the concert. The actors communicate about the issues.

The Concert—The final concert takes place in the school auditorium or a local theatre. ART provides production expertise as part of the music program. Professional musicians are often part of the show. The combination of children’s voices, virtuoso musicianship and songs about issues of deep concern to everyone in the school community makes the show very enjoyable for adults. Teachers provide proactive leadership for the students, most of whom are experiencing their first “professional performance”. The concert is recorded. Parts are included intwo episodes of the Voices of Nature Radio Show broadcast on Village 900 (CKMO AM 900 in Victoria, BC) and
podcast on www.CycleofLife.ca (a great opportunity for far-flung family members to take part in an important personal moment in a child’s life).

Encourage students to write Public Service Announcements (PSAs). This year, ART is pleased to be offering our 2006 schools an opportunity to produce student PSAs for airing on the Voices of Nature Radio Show, for broadcast on Village 900 and podcast on www.CycleofLife.ca. For students passionate about having their environmental messages heard, it’s a great chance to go global!

Support child-driven environmental projects. If a student or group at your school is taking on a special environmental project, please let us know. The Voices of Nature and Cycle of Life project teams are happy to support youth eco-activism through www.CycleofLife.ca, Voices of Nature Radio, and through our global environmental network.

Enable student access to broadcasts of the Voices of Nature Radio Show on Village 900 and via the web at www.CycleofLife.ca.

Administrators

Communicators—
School Administrators serve as the key communications link between ART, the school’s team of educators, and other members of the broader school community. Their vision and leadership will enable the school to get the most out of the program. ART can put administrators in touch with colleagues from schools we’ve worked with in the past. They can share their experiences and recommendations. A few quotable quotes can be found on the last page of this document.

Project Specialists—
School administrators should become familiar with the Cycle of Life/Recycle and Salish Sea Educator’s Handbooks. They are provincially recommended resources that are full of activities for a broad spectrum of learners. Administrators can appreciate the “big picture” and how an integrated program could benefit the school community on many levels.

Community Champions—
By championing a school recycling or composting program, school administrators can help make learning about the environment more concrete. There are many ways to spread the message of environmental stewardship, and ART can share some of the simple and sustainable lessons we’ve learned from the many schools we have worked over the years.

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