Students are taking the health and protection of our campus into their own hands.

A group of Grade 9 students shared findings about the health of Duck Lake with the WAB Board in an effort to provide enhanced clarity about the lake’s condition and maintain the health of what has become a lively ecosystem and valued learning resource.

The study was part of their Grade 9 ecology unit based around the guiding question, “How healthy is Duck Lake?” 

“The project-based approach to learning created an authentic opportunity for inquiry,” said MYP Science teacher Jaima Holland. “All students produced a piece of assessment, whether it was a report, poster, mobile application, or video. Several students held discussions with Grade 5 students, and others presented to the WAB Board to inform our community how we can improve and sustain the lake clean-up efforts.”

Since WAB enhanced its clean-up efforts in the last several years, Duck Lake has increasingly become more than just a visual staple of our campus. It has transformed its ecology and has become a vital resource for learning and community building.

“The whole project was an amazing and interesting experience from collecting and testing the data to making our final projects that come to a conclusion about everything we did and learned,” said Grade 9 student Aminah A., who also presented to the WAB Board. “On top of the opportunities for field work and data collection, students also get to use Duck Lake as an ice rink during the winter and for canoeing. I hope we can continue to introduce more animals and plants species into the environment so that we can improve the lake’s biodiversity.” 

For the WAB Board, it is always an exciting opportunity when members have the chance to hear from students about their learning and how it impacts the community. WAB Board Chair Tina Dige said she is excited to see the continuation of enthusiasm since the WAB Class of 2016 began focusing heavily on improving the lake’s health and looks forward to the continuation of such learning experiences.

“To continue to improve the lake’s overall ecological health, the students suggested we look at which fish we could introduce to live in Duck Lake and which natural flora to plant,” Tina said. “A project like this also clearly show that real life connections under teacher guidance enhance students engagement, knowledge gained and a greater overall understanding of science. I trust we also will see how it enhances students further understanding of the environment and the world.”