EAAFP Secretariat local environmental education activities in Ro Korea

Eunsong Elementary School Lecture

 

On 21, 22 June, and 27, 28 September, the EAAFP Secretariat was visited to conduct environmental education classes at a local school,  Eunsong Elementary School, in Songdo, Incheon, where the Secretariat based. These 10 sessions for 5th and 6th Grade students aim to introduce Black-faced Spoonbill (BFS) and international organizations like EAAFP. This lecture series was jointly organized with Black-faced Spoonbill and  Friends, a local NGO.

The class started with an interactive lecture by Black-faced Spoonbill and Friends so that the students learned and understand this bird they can see near their homes. The second part of the class was lead by staff and interns of EAAFP Secretariat, who brought the Black-faced Spoonbill migration game developed by WWF-Hong Kong to the class. The students could “experience” the threats faced by Black-faced Spoonbill along their migration route and learned how conservation is working to save the birds and their habitats.

After that, we shared what EAAFP works for conserving migratory waterbirds and their habitats as well as EAAFP’s mission. By Explaining that not one government or organization can save all migratory waterbirds as they migrate to several places, we were able to highlight the importance of international organizations, especially how the EAAFP Partnership works to promote international collaboration. Some students mentioned they have heard of EAAFP.

Playing WWF-Hong Kong developed Black-faced Spoonbill Migration game with the students © Yehyun Shin

Black-faced Spoonbill Poem Competition at Eunsong Elementary School © Yehyun Shin

After the classes, the school conducted a Black-faced Spoonbill poem competition and exhibited some of the lecture slides on the first floor of the school. The poems were made by making a sentence about Black-faced Spoonbill using the characters of the bird’s name, and reviewing the slides whenever the students visit the first floor, we hope that the students would remember what they have learned during the lecture.

 

Environmental education class at Eunsong Elementary School © EAAFP Secretariat

Dong-gu Children Participation Committee workshop

On 14 August 2021, EAAFP Secretariat was invited by  Dong-gu Children Participation Committee in Incheon to conduct a workshop about Black-faced Spoonbill and International organizations. Dong-gu Children Participation Committee is a committee operated by Dong-gu District of Incheon City, labeled as the UNICEF Children-friendly City, to promote children’s right to participate in policies related to themselves. This programme encourages young people to freely express and be involved in the process of the related issues brought by the programme.

As they already had some knowledge of Black-faced Spoonbill based on their experiences like campaigns or field activities such as visiting Namdong Reservoir, one of the BFS’s breeding habitats located in Incheon. After a short lecture about BFS, we played the Black-faced Spoonbill migration game together, but this time virtually. Through the game, students can experience the journey of the bird by “becoming a BFS”. As a baby BFS bred in Ro Korea, we started the journey from Incheon, flew to China, and reaching Hong Kong to finish the journey.

After the game, for the students that are not aware of EAAFP and other International Organizations, we introduced how EAAFP works and answered questions from students. We wish that the students will be inspired to develop their activities from what they have learned during the workshop.

 

Prepared by Yehyun Shin, Hyoin Kim

Post a comment