PenPals in Canada Advocate for the Environment

When Mr. Knight wants to engage his students in academics, he looks for activities that offer student choice and opportunities to engage with an authentic audience. ​

Since joining the PenPal Schools community in 2018, Mr. Knight, a Grade 5 teacher from Canada,  and his students have studied mythology from communities around the world, discussed environmental issues, and learned how art can inspire action and bring communities together. 

This month, we’re excited to highlight two of Mr. Knight’s students as PenPal Stars for their outstanding work in the Protecting the Planet topic on PenPal Schools!

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Over the past two months, Hein has connected with students from around the world to explore and discuss environmental issues. Hein explained to his PenPals that, “People in my community are forming environmental groups, planting trees, saving ocean animals, and picking up garbage so that animals, big and small, land or water dwellers, can have a safe place to live.”

Hein was selected as a PenPal Star for his commitment to excellence in reading, writing, and digital citizenship. During his studies, Hein connected with nearly twenty different PenPals from across the United States and Canada.

Hein knows what it takes to protect the planet. He explains that, “To be an effective environmental advocate, you need to be kind, want to lend a hand to all the others wanting to help in any way. You need to be a person who does the work needed.”

When Hein isn’t learning with PenPals or thinking about ways to advocate for the environment he enjoys playing video games and doing homework. When asked where he would travel if given the opportunity to go anywhere in the world, Hein explained, “I would like to go to Italy because I like the food!”

Thanks, Hein, for being an outstanding PenPal!

Luca is also a Grade 5 PenPal Star from Canada. Luca’s favorite school subject is mathematics because it is a class where he feels he is able to learn new things each and every day.

Luca takes small actions to help protect the environment in his community. “I help the school sometimes by picking up trash with some of my friends,” he explains. He also prefers not to use single-use plastic bottles. He’s aware of the environmental impact of fast fashion and would prefer to make fewer purchases and purchases that last.

When asked what he enjoyed about connecting with PenPals, Luca explained, “What surprised me about penpals was how you can connect with other people really fast and you can reply to them and give them badges!” When asked what advice he has for other PenPals, Luca explained that, “Being a great pen-pal means you have to be kind.”

Thanks, Luca, for being an excellent PenPal and role model to the community.

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Every month, more than ten thousand students learn together and share their perspectives on PenPal Schools and our team knows that there are many PenPal stars working hard in other PenPal Schools topics!

Is there a PenPal Star in your classroom? Click here to nominate one of your students to be a featured PenPal Star!