Little Drops, Big Impact: A School Water Garden Initiative by Simone Drummond

Purpose

How can kids help tackle real environmental problems while learning from the land and each

other? This project invites students to become active stewards of water and nature: building

resilience, curiosity, and community in the process.

About This Project

What We are Doing

Little Drops, Big Impact is more than a school project, it’s a hands-on learning journey. Students in Grades 2 to 5 at Wanipigow School are designing and planting a 300m² rain garden right on their school grounds. It’s a powerful, place-based response to stormwater challenges, helping kids connect with the environment in meaningful, lasting ways.

Where It’s Happening

The garden will bloom on Treaty 1 territory, in a quiet corner of the schoolyard that’s often wet and muddy due to poor drainage. What some might see as a problem, we see as potential: a chance to turn a neglected space into a thriving outdoor classroom.

Who’s Making It Happen

• 15–30 young learners (Grades 2–5)

• Teachers, Elders, school staff, and families

• A local environmental consultant guiding the process

• Volunteers from the community lending their time and knowledge

What Makes This Project Special

The Challenge: Stormwater runoff is becoming a growing issue in Manitoba due to clay soil,

rising temperatures, and more frequent rainfall.

Our Response: Students are building a bioretention rain garden that uses native plants to absorb and filter water. It serves both as an ecological solution and as a place for learning and creativity.

A Unique Learning Approach: Inspired by Indigenous knowledge, students are encouraged to observe and listen to the land and water. The garden becomes a living classroom where nature is the teacher.

Connecting to the Curriculum: Students explore science, math, literacy, and art through real-world challenges. They collect data, make observations, write reflections and express their learning through various forms.

Empowering Roles: Students take the lead as designers, researchers, and problem solvers.

Teachers act as guides. Community members contribute time, knowledge and care.

Our Goals

• Capture and naturally filter up to 2,000 litres of stormwater per rainfall.

• Increase student awareness of climate adaptation and native ecosystems.

• Strengthen school and community relationships through shared stewardship.

• Encourage other schools in Manitoba to explore nature-based solutions.