Blue Schools Canada

What is Blue Schools Canada?

Blue Schools Canada is the national hub of the Blue School Global Network, an international initiative aligned with the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (2021-2030).

Blue Schools Canada is a community of practice for K-12 and informal community educators to connect and share knowledge, resources, and innovative ideas on ways to incorporate ocean-water-climate learning into their everyday teaching practice. Our focus is at an educator level, and not a school level (i.e., not a school certification program).

The community of practice also brings together a team of ocean education partner organizations working together to provide more streamlined ocean-water-climate learning opportunities for educators.

Objectives:

Strengthen educator confidence and capacity
Expand access to made in Canada resources
Contribute to broader national environmental literacy goals

Opportunities for Educators

Giant Ocean Floor Map

Blue Learning Lab

Ocean Water Climate Live Lessons

Water Rangers Excursion Grant

Blue Teaching Fellow

Blue Learning Centres

Blue Schools Canada Framework

The interconnectedness of people, planet, and purpose forms the foundation of the Blue Schools Canada framework. Our approach recognizes the intrinsic link between human well-being and the health of the global ocean and climate. This holistic perspective is essential in cultivating a generation of informed, engaged, and responsible citizens.

Core Principles

Deepen understanding of Indigenous worldviews and their interconnectedness with the ocean, water, and climate

Cultivate globally minded citizens equipped to address complex ocean and climate challenges with empathy, critical thinking, and a sense of shared responsibility

Empower learners to become agents of change for ocean and climate health, through experiential learning and community engagement.

Policy Briefs for Educators

Our work aligns closely with the UNESCO-led Education for Sustainable Development and Greening Education Partnership initiatives. Here are policy briefs that provide a concise overview of two UNESCO-led documents that support educators and learning communities in integrating ocean and climate education into their practice.

Tips for Integrating Community Science

These tips are designed to help educators seamlessly integrate community/citizen science initiatives into their teaching practice. These approaches aim to create an engaging learning environment that fosters scientific inquiry, data literacy, and environmental stewardship among learners through participation in real-world research projects.

Join the Blue Schools Canada Community of Practice

We invite any K-12 teachers or informal community educators in Canada to join. Membership is free. The registration form takes 10 minutes to complete. Once registered, we will contact you to confirm membership and provide details about opportunities.

Partners in Blue Learning

Blue Schools Canada is coordinated by the Centre for Ocean Literacy Collaboration (formerly Canadian Ocean Literacy Coalition).