Grants and Resources
This page provides a number of useful website links relevant to environmental education for schools of various levels.
Grants, Rebates and other assistance
NSW Department of Education and Training: A comprehensive and current listing of grants available to NSW schools.
EcoSchool Grants
The NSW Environmental Trust has announced the next round of EcoSchool Grants, which close on 18 May 2012. There is now a separate Food Garden Grant scheme within this program!
20 grants of $3,500 each are up for grabs in the next two years.
Successful projects for this round would commence in 2013.
The criteria might also support professional development, training, and other value-adding activities for existing sites.
Check the EcoSchools Grants site above for details.
Sustainable Schools and School Environment Management Plans (SEMP)
Sustainable Schools NSW: Sustainable Schools NSW is a government-funded program that helps schools integrate environmental learning and awareness into all aspects of their activities including the classroom, the canteen, school grounds, travel to and from school, the office, workshops and sports carnivals etc. A sustainable school engages their whole community by adopting a fun, practical and relevant way of learning and working together.
School Environmental Management Plan: A School Environment Management Plan (SEMP) is a document that sets out the school community's intentions in regard to environmental education and environmental management. It represents an agreement to work together across the whole school.
Programs
Airwatch: A comprehensive program for secondary students about the factors affecting the quality of our air.
Active for Air: A program for primary school students designed to improve both their health and the quality of the air around them.
Botanic Gardens Trust Kids Zone: This website contains lots of fun games, tools, resources, songs, stories and activities.
CSIRO On Borrowed Time: An online biodiversity education package developed by ecologist David Lindenmayer.
CSIRO Carbon Kids: For primary and middle schooling years, this program combines the latest in environmental science with education in sustainability through a range of resources for both primary and secondary school communities to better understand climate change and encourage positive actions that will help them become more sustainable.
DECCW Down to Earth: A manual which introduces waste-saving techniques with case studies and step-by-step guides to setting up a compost heap, worm farm and a no-dig garden.
Visy Recycling for Schools: Games and tools focused on recycling.
Specific information areas
Natural Cleaning: Natural cleaning or 'green cleaning' is a way to clean with fewer cleaning products and using safer alternatives - producing less waste and reducing the need for harmful chemicals.
Composting: Composting is a natural and inexpensive way to reduce waste and generate nutrient rich fertile compost.
Worm farming: Worm farming is also a great way to divert food waste from landfill. Worm castings are great for feeding plants, adding to seedling mixes and potting soils or top-dressing.
General resources
Environmental Education Centres: The DET has 25 Zoo and Environmental Education Centres located around NSW. They provide various programs to visiting school groups depending on the unique features of their location. Programs offered are linked to NSW syllabus documents and stage groups.
National Parks and Wildlife Service Educational Resources: Provides information on national parks, native plants and animals, weeds and pest animals, Aboriginal culture, history and more.
NSW Department of Education and Training (DET): Environmental Education Environmental Education page.
Sydney Water: Water education initiatives.
Teach Sustainability: A resource hub for sustainability education material.