Island WISE: Promoting Young Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Across Cape Breton Island

Welcome to Week 4 of the 3 min Science Camp

Our theme this week is
CONSERVATION- EVERY DAY IS A EARTH DAY
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Meet this week's super talented guests, Kathleen Aitken, Jen Cooper and Meaghan Fortune from ACAP.

Below are highlights of some of the work that ACAP does, If you wish to get involved or know more, visit their website at https://www.acapcb.ns.ca/ or their Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/ACAPCapeBreton/

Beach Cleanups

Removing Trash

Community building
ACTIVITIES
Activity - 1 QUIZ
Watch and read these resources about biodiversity and the impact of plastic. Then complete the quiz and email us the screenshot of your score to islandwisecbu@gmail.com by Aug 15
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4 minute video on biodiversity: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GK_vRtHJZu4
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Short fact-sheet on biodiversity from the Canadian Wildlife Federation https://cwf-fcf.org/en/resources/DIY/at-home/biodiversity-101.html
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4 minute video on plastic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO3SA4YyEYU
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Important Note: Guardian supervision is important for all activities. Follow internet safety rules.


Activity - 2 MINI LITTER CLEANUP (optional)
Do a mini litter clean up in your neighborhood. Grab a garbage bag and a pair of old gloves to protect your hands and pick up garbage that is littering your neighborhood. Choose one piece of litter and research the impacts of that litter on the environment. Some questions you might want to ask for your research are:
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Where did the litter come from? Can you trace it back to a company? Who do you think was using it before it was discarded?
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How long does this material take to break down?
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Does it contain any chemicals that might be harmful to people or wildlife?
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Is there any chance an animal might accidentally eat it?
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Anything else you discover?
Create an original short video explaining what you learned and post it to Tiktok, tagging IslandWise and acap_capebreton. If you don’t wish to post it online, send it to our email id at islandwisecbu@gmail.com by Aug 15
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Create your own info poster with information and drawings or photos. Either draw by hand or use Powerpoint or Canva online. Share your poster on Facebook or mail it to us at islandwisecbu@gmail.com by Aug 15
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Important Note: Guardian supervision is important for all activities. Follow health and safety measures. Abide by all Covid related precautions and guidelines.
Activity - 3 PLASTIC AUDIT OF YOUR RECYCLING BIN
Do a plastic audit of your recycling bin and make a plastic action plan.
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Use the table provided , click here to record the kinds of plastic waste in the bin. Most types of plastic will have a number somewhere on the package, usually within a small recycling symbol. Count the number of each item (See the example table.)
When you finish your audit, think about how you would take action to reduce plastic in your life. Will you write a letter to your member of parliament or other political representative letting them know you are concerned about plastic use in Canada? Will you work with your family to find more reusable options? Maybe you’ll volunteer on a community clean-up and pick up plastic waste for proper disposal! For more information about plastic waste and actions in your community, follow ACAP Cape Breton on Facebook and Instagram.
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Send your observations by Aug 15 to islandwisecbu@gmail.com
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Important Note: Guardian supervision is important for all activities. Follow health and safety measures. Abide by all Covid related precautions and guidelines.


Activity - 4 BECOME A CITIZEN SCIENTIST (Optional)
Become a citizen scientist and document the species around your neighborhood or perhaps backyard.
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Download the iNaturalist app to your smartphone or device and get started. (Note: you need access to an email address to create an account.)
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Snap photos of plants and animals using the “observe” icon at the bottom of the screen.
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Click the “What did you see?” option to view species suggestions
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Share your observations on iNaturalist app, you could join the project Who lives in our backyards? IslandWISE at CBU through the iNaturalist app. Note: You might need to create a account first. How to use the iNaturalist app: Take photos of species using the camera icon, then select “What did you see?” to view species suggestions. Finally, hit “share” to upload your observations online.
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Upload the photos by Aug 15 on IslandWISE iNaturalist project page.
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Important Note: Guardian supervision is important for all activities. Follow health and safety measures. Abide by all Covid related precautions and guidelines. Follow internet safety rules
Activity - 5 UPSCALING, TURNING TRASH INTO TREASURE
Note- Adult supervision is required for all activities

