In Grade 2, we’ve spent the past few months diving into an exciting and important topic—how the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) helps protect our forests and the animals who live there. Through stories, videos, and discussions, students learned that the FSC logo—a tree with a checkmark—means the product was made with care for nature, people, and wildlife.

Each student created their own Google Slide presentation to showcase what they learned about FSC and why it matters. They proudly shared facts, images, and messages like, “Think before you buy, keep the forests high!” and “If it’s FSC, looks good to me!” The creativity and thoughtfulness in their work was inspiring.

We also made a short video featuring two talking trees to teach our peers and parents about FSC in a fun and memorable way. Students collaborated to create a school-wide FSC scavenger hunt using real images of FSC products they found at home and in our classroom. They’ve become incredibly observant, cheering whenever they spot the logo—on paper, tissues, packaging, and more! One student said, “I told my mom we should only buy the juice boxes with the tree checkmark now.”

We’re so grateful to have received a grant from the Pay it Forward For the Planet Program, which helped fund our Edmonton Zoo field trip. There, we learned how FSC not only protects trees but also helps animals by keeping their forest homes safe and healthy.

Our students have become passionate, responsible consumers, eager to educate others—including their families! Through this project, they’ve learned that even small choices, like what paper we buy, can make a big difference for our planet. To help protect forests even more, we chose to share our learning online instead of using paper. By creating slideshows and videos, we saved trees while teaching others about how to help them too! Learning about FSC has also helped us reduce waste in our classroom!

I am so proud of their leadership, voices, and growing awareness as stewards of our Earth.