Nature Auditor: Understanding Our School Environment
The Nature auditor badge creates the opportunity for students to learn more about ecosystems and the elements that make them. By observing, recording and analysing the living and non-living things around them, they will be able to discuss and implement real actions to improve their school ecosystems, turning learning into action.
Badge goals
By the end of this activity, students will:
- Understand ecosystems and their components
- Identify relationships between living and non-living factors
- Evaluate their school environment
- Suggest actions to improve biodiversity
When & Where to use this badge
This activity can be linked with Science / Biology (ecosystems, habitats), Geography (environmental systems), Environmental Studies, Art (mapping and design), but can be adapted by teachers across disciplines who wish to explore creative approaches to nature-based learning.
Teachers can adapt timing, tools, and level of detail depending on their school context, while keeping the core flow: Learn → Explore → Record → Analyse → Act → Share
Steps to complete this badge
Step 1 – Learn & Think (10 minutes)
Explain that an ecosystem is made up of living things (plants, animals) and non-living elements (sunlight, soil, water, buildings). Discuss how these interact (e.g. sunlight helps plants grow, plants provide food and shelter).
Ask:
- What living things can you find in your school?
- What non-living elements affect them?
- How do they depend on each other?
Step 2 – Explore Your School (20–25 minutes)
Print the Habitat Survey worksheet in the Downloadable Material section and take students outside to different areas of the school. In groups, students observe the area carefully and record in their sheet any living thing (plants, insects, birds) and non-living factors (sunlight, soil, shade, surfaces), making sure to associate them with the specific area where they found them.
Step 3 – Analyse & Act (10–15 minutes)
Students discuss:
- Which areas have more living things? Why?
- Which areas have fewer? Why?
- What might be missing in your school ecosystem?
Afterwards, students choose ONE action between:
- Design an improvement (e.g. plants, bug hotel, bird feeder)
- Draw a “before and after” map
- Suggest changes to improve biodiversity
Step 4 – Share (Optional / Extension)
Additionally, students can present their ideas to the class, create posters or displays and/or share ideas during assembly or school platforms.
You can download these instructions in PDF by clicking here: Generate PDF
Resources & Equipment Needed
- Clipboards / paper
- Habitat Survey worksheet
- Pens/pencils
- Optional: thermometer, magnifiers
Downloadable Material
No badge materials provided