Overview

My Soundscape / Mon Paysage Sonore is a trilingual sound ecology project that engages elementary students in exploring, documenting, and analyzing their local environments through sound. Using Wildlife Acoustics SM4 recorders and bioacoustics software, the project blends science, technology, and creativity to foster environmental literacy and civic participation.

What began as a classroom-based acoustic monitoring project in Montreal has evolved into an inter-regional collaboration spanning from southern Quebec to the High Arctic, enabling students to compare soundscapes across diverse ecological and cultural settings.

Phase 1: Launch and Early Exploration

Launch Date: May 20, 2016
Location: École Étoile filante, Montreal, Quebec

Key Activities

• Sound-Experiment Workshop: Grade 1 and 2 students constructed noise-making instruments using everyday materials (e.g., rubber bands, popsicle sticks, toilet paper tubes) and recorded their sounds with newly deployed SM4 acoustic recorders.

• Deployment: Recorders were initially mounted behind protective grates outside classroom windows and on the roof. Data was analyzed using SongScope software on a dedicated school laptop.

• Early Field Experiments: Students conducted quiet listening experiments in the woods, analyzed differences between urban and park soundscapes, and observed insect pollination in a backyard garden.

Educational Impact

• Students created illustrations and maps of Biophony (natural sounds from living organisms), Geophony (non-biological natural sounds), and Anthrophony (human-made sounds).

• The project raised awareness about urban ecology and acoustic biodiversity among students, staff, and families.

Phase 2: Community Integration and Data Expansion

Refining Logistics

A key goal was identifying student-accessible recording locations with minimal conversational interference. A tree in front of the school was selected for the “permanent” recorder, allowing even young children to participate in maintenance. Mounting solutions (e.g., cabling, padlocks) were tailored for security and usability.

Soundwalks and Citizen Science

• Weekly Soundwalks incorporated vocabulary development, creative sound tests, and group-led experiments.

• The community learned to distinguish sound markers, sound signals, disrupters, and potentials.

• Students simplified tools and created new interpretations—like using their heads instead of drumsticks—showcasing their creative agency.

Bat Walks and Technology Deployment

• Led by a PhD student naturalist, families participated in bat walks using Echometer Touch devices.

• Students borrowed recorders and devices to explore soundscapes from rooftops, gardens, and cottages throughout Quebec.

Phase 3: Arctic Expansion and Trilingual Transition

New Arctic Partner School: Kullick Ilikhakvik (Cambridge Bay, Nunavut)

Through collaboration with Polar Knowledge Canada, the project expanded to the High Arctic. Students at Étoile filante prepared the SM4 and sent welcome notes in French and English.

Scientific Outreach

• Presented at Arctic Biodiversity Symposium and Urban Wildlife Conference (San Diego).

• Engaged with Parks Canada and other researchers to extend the impact across Canada.

Student-Led Inquiry Projects

• Over 20 small-group projects emerged, including:

  • “Guess that Sound” games

  • Noise mapping of school spaces

  • Spectrogram art based on sirens and cicadas

  • Instrument invention and live recording challenges

Language and Lexicon Development

• The project is now trilingual: English, French, and Innuinaqtun.

• The name NIPI (Innuinaqtun for “sound”) was chosen to represent the project’s broadened scope and cultural inclusivity.

Phase 4: Project Consolidation and Long-Term Strategy

Infrastructure and Technological Growth

• Two iPads with BigGrips cases were purchased for student use in field recording, Soundwalks, and bat detection.

• Song Sleuth and Kaleidoscope Viewer allowed students and families to engage with data at home.

New Curriculum and Teacher Support

• A curriculum was drafted to help new schools launch similar programs, ensuring curriculum alignment and safety protocols.

• Sound science concepts were made accessible through hands-on experiments and real-world data interpretation.

Long-Term Data Strategy

• With over 8TB of audio data, the team began partnering with Calcul Québec for data hosting and interface development.

• Plans include building a publicly accessible platform for schools to explore and annotate soundscapes collaboratively.

Impact Summary

Educational

• Students from Grades 1–4 learned to record, analyze, and interpret soundscapes.

• They demonstrated autonomy, collaboration, creativity, and openness—core school values—through project participation.

Scientific

• Participation in academic conferences helped legitimize the project in the scientific community.

• Data from the project is being considered in biodiversity monitoring comparisons (e.g., insects vs. soundscapes).

Social and Cultural

• Increased awareness of local environments.

• Empowered youth as citizen scientists.

• Facilitated cultural and linguistic exchange with Arctic communities.

Next Steps (2025 and Beyond)

• Recorder Relocation: Due to schoolyard construction, the recorder will be relocated to a biodiversity-focused school garden, where students will document seasonal changes.

• Partner Expansion: Outreach to schools in Iqaluit and elsewhere to build a broader network.

• Soundscape During Events: Plans to record soundscapes during special events like eclipses and migrations.

• Bat Activity Integration: Testing hybrid setups using iPads and acoustic devices for timestamped bat activity in soundscapes.

Acknowledgements

This project would not have been possible without the support of Wildlife Acoustics, whose equipment grants enabled student exploration of environmental sound. Thanks also to the staff, students, families, and community volunteers from École Étoile filante, Kullick Ilikhakvik, Polar Knowledge Canada, McGill University, and Calcul Québec.

Together, we are building a new generation of scientifically literate, environmentally aware, and creatively engaged learners—one sound at a time.