Welcome to the 'Green team' sustainability blog 2021/22!

Here you will find all the latest news on our sustainability projects, learning and ideas! As of Summer 2022, We will now be sharing our news via an e-newsletter (see above) each term - enjoy!

World Environment day

We were all cheering on 7 year old Aneeshwar for raising awareness of sustainability through his inspirational poems and talks on Britain's got talent, making it to the final of the show! It was also world environment day during his final performance, a time to reflect on the impact that we have on the world around us. Take a look at Aneeshwar and think, What change can you make in your own life to help our planet?

Aneeshwar's World environment Day Performance on BGT (Click for link)

30 Days Wild

The Green Team are challenging you all to take part in the Wildlife Trusts '30 days wild' where you undertake one wild moment each day through the month of June. this could be walking barefoot on the grass, staying up late and looking at the stars, eating a meal outside or following a bee on a journey! There are free packs available to order here: https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/30dayswild and a #30dayswild app to provide lots of ideas!

'Save the planet' Club

Don't be disappointed if you didn't get chosen as your class rep, Ms. Gentry is now running a 'Save the planet' club after half term to get even more children involved in our journey to the Green flag award! If you are attending this club, please bring along your ideas to share :) 

Big battery hunt update

The 'Green team' have been busy spreading the word about collecting batteries for the 'big battery hunt' competition run by Duracell, Ruby class have currently collected the most batteries! Remember you can come and collect extra boxes from Ms. Gentry any time. The deadline has now been extended from the 10th June to 24th June - 2 extra weeks to collect batteries!

Litter picking project

In our 'Green team' meeting this week the children decided that they want to introduce a litter picking rota for all year groups to get involved in! This will be lead by our year 6 representatives and the aim is for our school grounds to be a cleaner, greener place to learn and play. Please help us by putting your rubbish in the bins outside, before and after school.

Green team badge design competition

We held a design competition among our green team members to come up with a new logo to be made into badges for our representatives to wear. The winning design was by Macie in Amethyst class! Congratulations 🙂

Big battery hunt

We are taking part in "The Big Battery Hunt", this is a nationwide battery recycling initiative funded by Duracell. Young people in schools across the UK are encouraged to think about the importance of recycling, and then challenged to collect as many used batteries as they can. The aim is to contribute to an overall total of 4 million batteries being recycled. 

Collection boxes will be in each class and the main office, any batteries collected by Friday 10^th June 2022 will be counted and submitted to the prize draw! The prizes are AMAZING and our school could win £4000 for play equipment, Nintendo switches, iPads and more! Every battery counts!

New Green team announced!

We are excited to announce that our new class representatives for the 'Green team' have been selected.

The Green Team Leader - Ms. Gentry

Jade class - Shayan / Ruby class - Malaya

Amber class - Harrison / Topaz class - Ingrid

Pearl class - Anuar / Opal class - Emili

Coral class - Camilla / Quartz class - Yusuf

Amethyst class - Macie / Garnet class - Daniel

Sapphire class - Ved / Turquoise class - Frankie

Emerald class - Samarth / Zircon Class - Manyata

Applications for the New Green team Summer 2022

Do you want to help our school to become more sustainable? Applications to join the green team are now open, please speak to your class teacher for details! The Green team will meet regularly to plan and make changes around the school to improve our sustainability. We are working alongside thousands of schools around the world to 'Save the planet' and make responsible choices through the Eco-Schools scheme, and Henry Green is now working towards the coveted green flag award! We are looking forward to sharing our progress, ideas, hints and tips on the school newsletter every week.

Covid environment crisis!

There has been a big impact from Covid-19 on the environment. Many people are using disposable plastic gloves and masks to help protect themselves, and you may have noticed some of these items are also being thrown on the floor, causing more litter! How can we help? By choosing to buy or make face masks from fabric (cotton is best) these can be washed and reused again and again. You can keep your hands clean by regular washing using soap and water, or when you are out and about you can also you hand sanitiser!

Great British Clean

Are you taking part in the Great British September Clean? Over the next 2 weeks, all around the country you will see extra litter pickers, taking care of the local area - you can do your bit too. Visit https://www.keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean to find out more!

Welcome back!

We are really looking forward to make more sustainable changes in school this year and learning all about the 10 eco topics. Watch out for news and challenges here on the green team blog!

Sustainable summer!

Today is the end of the school year, it has been a very unexpected ending and many things have happened differently to normal. Keep being sustainable at home, and I look forward to hearing all about the 'green' things that you have been doing at home in September!

Wild Free LBBD

We are so lucky that the Barking and Dagenham councillors understand how important learning about sustainability and leading sustainable lives is. They had planned a wonderful series of events called 'Wild, Free, LBBD' for this summer which now sadly can't happen because of social distancing. But do not worry! Because they have instead launched the 'Wild, Free, LBBD' nature photography competition! Get outside into the wild and take some photographs, this competition is open to everyone, children and adults - and there are many exciting prizes to be won! Details below!

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https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/wild-free-in-lbbd-competition-tickets-98867949699

Bug Hotel!

Ms. Gentry has been busy with help from some other staff and pupils, to create our very own Henry Green BUG HOTEL! Using all recycled materials that may have ended up in landfill, we have created a safe and exciting home for many insects to live and thrive. It is so important that we protect insects, especially bees and butterflies as they help to pollinate our crops of fruit and vegetables. Without them, we would not be able to grow enough food! Make sure you keep an eye out next time you walk past the Reception classrooms, and see if you can spot the Bug hotel in our new secret garden!

30 Days wild awards!

In EYFS, the Nursery and Reception bubbles have been completing 'Random acts of wildness' for the past 30 days! Today they were awarded their certificates, take a look at the galleries on the sustainability page to see some of the wild activities they took part in both at school and at home!

30 Days wild photos

It's nearly the end of the Wildlife trusts #30dayswild - If you took part in some wild activities, don't forget to print off your certificate! Just because the event is almost over doesn't mean that we should stop having our 'random act of wildness'. There are lots of wild activities that you can do on the 'home learning' section of the sustainability page, spending sometime outside every day is not only good for our body, but also for our mind!

30 Days wild update

We are 10 days in to the wildlife trusts #30dayswild - so far I have seen children admiring the clouds, growing and smelling fresh herbs, walking barefoot on the grass, making bird feeders from recycled bottles, reading and drawing outside, playing nature bingo and more. Please keep sharing your ideas with us and keep it wild through June!

World Ocean Day

Today is 'World Ocean Day' - think about how we can protect our magnificent ocean. Recycle, buy re-usable bottles and packaging - try to create a collage of the ocean using some recycled materials eg. crisp packets, plastics, old magazines, bottle lids... then do some research about the ocean and add an important message to your collage. Today in Reception, the children are reading the story 'Tiddler the storytelling fish' and they will be watching the incredible short film 'Snail and the whale' on BBC iPlayer to learn a little about life in the ocean. 

Have your say!

See what children are saying about world environment day on CBBC Newsround, what would your message to world leaders be?  https://www.bbc.co.uk/newsround/52893318

World Environment Day

Today is world environment day - Ms. Gentry launched a competition to create a school poster about litter, the winner was Jaimey from Jade class, who is a current representative for Reception on the 'Green team'. We loved her message "Please put your rubbish in the right colour bin. Henry Green Primary School!" Well done! Don't forget, we would love to see some of your #30dayswild activities, photographs or learning too.

Have a wonderfully sustainable day!

30 Days wild!

Today is the start of the incredible Wildlife trusts '30 days wild' - where you are all invited to experience a random act of wildness for each day through the month of June. These could be standing barefoot in the grass, listening for wild sounds, reading a book about nature, eating a meal outside, drawing a plant or insect, making a bug hotel, planting a seed, smelling a herb, watching the clouds.. the list is endless! You can download the free 30 days wild app for ideas, or head to the website www.wildlifetrusts/30dayswild for a free printable pack of goodies! Enjoy a little moment of wild every day, and please share your pictures with us too #30dayswild

Competition time!

Exciting news! This week as part of the weekly whole school challenge you will see there is a sustainability 'design a poster' competition. Leading up to 'World environment day' on June 5th, we would love to see your posters about littering - email your posters to your teachers and Ms Gentry will choose one to be featured at the top of our sustainability page! The winner will be announced on Friday 5th June!

Green Team Launch!

Today we launch our new Sustainability page on the Henry Green website! You will be able to see our progress to become an Eco school, revisit past projects in the galleries, explore new home learning activities and keep up to date with all the latest news! Keep living your best 'green' life - Ms Gentry