A free resource for finding school programs and resources in Alberta and BC
Teachers, we know that finding environmental education programs and resources that work for your classroom’s needs can be difficult. This database helps you find relevant, fun offerings that can bring these important topics to life.
Filter and browse our listings to find the perfect activity to engage and energize your students on environmental learning.
You can support this initiative by donating to Elements Society
Project WET Canada
Project WET CanadaBasic Details
Project WET Canada equips educators with hands-on, curriculum-connected water education resources through dynamic in-person and virtual certification workshops.
Project WET Canada equips educators with hands-on, curriculum-connected water education resources through dynamic in-person and virtual certification workshops.
Wilder Institute Calgary Zoo School Programs
Wilder Institute/Calgary ZooBasic Details
Make the zoo your classroom. We’re giving kids unforgettable learning experiences that inspire a lifelong love of wildlife and wild places.
Make the zoo your classroom. We’re giving kids unforgettable learning experiences that inspire a lifelong love of wildlife and wild places.
UBC Farm Field Trips
UBC FarmBasic Details
UBC Farm field trips offer hands-on, sensory-rich experiences on a certified organic farm. Students explore food production, ecosystems, and wilderness skills in themed sessions - Food & Farming, Nature & Ecosystems, or Exploration & Skills - tailored to your age group.
UBC Farm field trips offer hands-on, sensory-rich experiences on a certified organic farm. Students explore food production, ecosystems, and wilderness skills in themed sessions - Food & Farming, Nature & Ecosystems, or Exploration & Skills - tailored to your age group.
Outdoor Conservation Experiences
CPAWS Southern AlbertaBasic Details
Our interactive outdoor experiences include fun, educational hiking, science-based activities, gamified learning, and reconciliation teachings — all of which foster a strong understanding of Alberta's environment and build a lifelong connection to nature.
Our interactive outdoor experiences include fun, educational hiking, science-based activities, gamified learning, and reconciliation teachings — all of which foster a strong understanding of Alberta's environment and build a lifelong connection to nature.
Cheakamus Centre
Cheakamus CentreBasic Details
Outdoor, Environmental, and Indigenous Cultural Education
Outdoor, Environmental, and Indigenous Cultural Education
Fall in the Forest
Fresh RootsBasic Details
Leaves, fruits, and rain all fall in the fall! What changes are happening with the plants, animals, and people in the forest as the season of growth turns to the season of rest?
Leaves, fruits, and rain all fall in the fall! What changes are happening with the plants, animals, and people in the forest as the season of growth turns to the season of rest?
Get Creative
Fresh RootsBasic Details
Art is all around us, including on the farm! Try your hand at making root veggie stamps, painting with leaves, making veggie collages, or other plant-based art projects. Exact projects will vary depending on plant availability.
Art is all around us, including on the farm! Try your hand at making root veggie stamps, painting with leaves, making veggie collages, or other plant-based art projects. Exact projects will vary depending on plant availability.
Living Dinosaurs
Fraser River Discovery CentreBasic Details
Learn about the sturgeon lifecycle, survival needs, and what we can do to protect this remarkable species.
Learn about the sturgeon lifecycle, survival needs, and what we can do to protect this remarkable species.
Room to Play Consulting
Room to PlayBasic Details
Dr. Megan Zeni offers engaging and practical professional learning for elementary school teachers and school staff who locate provincial curriculum in school gardens and outdoor classrooms. Select a curricular area to focus on, or work with Megan to design a customized professional learning event that pedagogically situates outdoor play and learning as an effective opportunity for developing environmental ethics of care with young children.
Dr. Megan Zeni offers engaging and practical professional learning for elementary school teachers and school staff who locate provincial curriculum in school gardens and outdoor classrooms. Select a curricular area to focus on, or work with Megan to design a customized professional learning event that pedagogically situates outdoor play and learning as an effective opportunity for developing environmental ethics of care with young children.
Outdoor Education
Evans LakeBasic Details
Evans Lake has been operating as a camp and outdoor education facility since 1960. The Centre is located 15 kilometres North of Squamish, BC on a picturesque mountain lake.
Evans Lake has been operating as a camp and outdoor education facility since 1960. The Centre is located 15 kilometres North of Squamish, BC on a picturesque mountain lake.
Freshwater Field Study Program
Elbow River Watershed PartnershipBasic Details
Field trip along the Elbow River in the spring and along the Bow or Elbow River in the fall. Partnership Program with Alberta Parks. This program aligns with the science curriculum for Grade 8 – Freshwater Systems and Grade 9 – Biological Diversity & Environmental Chemistry.
Field trip along the Elbow River in the spring and along the Bow or Elbow River in the fall. Partnership Program with Alberta Parks. This program aligns with the science curriculum for Grade 8 – Freshwater Systems and Grade 9 – Biological Diversity & Environmental Chemistry.
Shepard Landfill Tour with Composting Facility visit
The City of Calgary Waste & Recycling ServicesBasic Details
The City of Calgary offers school tours at the Composting Facility and Shepard Landfill, providing students the unique opportunity to observe Calgary’s waste management operations in action.
The City of Calgary offers school tours at the Composting Facility and Shepard Landfill, providing students the unique opportunity to observe Calgary’s waste management operations in action.
21st Century Farming
Fresh RootsBasic Details
Climate change and biodiversity loss are major threats to our food system, and unjust labour practices in the food sector contribute to poverty and oppression in our communities, but there is a way forward! See how regenerative agriculture and projects like Fresh Roots can improve the food system by supporting both the ecosystem we are part of and the people who grow our food, and help build a truly sustainable food system!
When you book this program, please let us know in the Notes if you would prefer an ecosystems or human/food systems focus!
Climate change and biodiversity loss are major threats to our food system, and unjust labour practices in the food sector contribute to poverty and oppression in our communities, but there is a way forward! See how regenerative agriculture and projects like Fresh Roots can improve the food system by supporting both the ecosystem we are part of and the people who grow our food, and help build a truly sustainable food system!
When you book this program, please let us know in the Notes if you would prefer an ecosystems or human/food systems focus!
EduKits
The Biosphere Institute of the Bow ValleyBasic Details
The Biosphere Institute’s Bear, Bison, Cougar, Elk and Wolf EduKits increase the ecological literacy of students and citizens in the Bow Valley.
These travelling trunks contain pelts, fur swatches, skulls, scat replicas, and books relevant to animals and their place in the ecosystem and Indigenous and settler cultures. They also include digital media and a PowerPoint presentation that can be used in classroom delivery.
The Biosphere Institute’s Bear, Bison, Cougar, Elk and Wolf EduKits increase the ecological literacy of students and citizens in the Bow Valley.
These travelling trunks contain pelts, fur swatches, skulls, scat replicas, and books relevant to animals and their place in the ecosystem and Indigenous and settler cultures. They also include digital media and a PowerPoint presentation that can be used in classroom delivery.
From Pollution to Solution
Fraser River Discovery CentreBasic Details
Examine different types of pollutants and where they come from, and evaluate how individual actions contribute to the health of the river.
Examine different types of pollutants and where they come from, and evaluate how individual actions contribute to the health of the river.
River of Stories
Fraser River Discovery CentreBasic Details
Journey down the river of stories to learn all about the Fraser River Basin.
Journey down the river of stories to learn all about the Fraser River Basin.
Environmental Outdoor Education
The Biosphere Institute of the Bow ValleyBasic Details
Are you looking to connect your classroom to the environment? Ever wondered how learning can be applied to the community? Future Leaders is our environmental education program for students, teachers and youth of the Bow Valley. Lesson deliveries from Future Leaders tie the Alberta K-12 curriculum to environmental topics such as wildlife, climate change and ecology that are relevant in the community of the Bow Valley.
Are you looking to connect your classroom to the environment? Ever wondered how learning can be applied to the community? Future Leaders is our environmental education program for students, teachers and youth of the Bow Valley. Lesson deliveries from Future Leaders tie the Alberta K-12 curriculum to environmental topics such as wildlife, climate change and ecology that are relevant in the community of the Bow Valley.
Journey 2050
Calgary StampedeBasic Details
Journey 2050 is a free, interdisciplinary, inquiry-based agriculture education program that challenges students to answer the essential question: “How will we sustainably feed nearly 10 billion people by the year 2050?”
Journey 2050 is a free, interdisciplinary, inquiry-based agriculture education program that challenges students to answer the essential question: “How will we sustainably feed nearly 10 billion people by the year 2050?”
PLT Canada Educator Training Workshop
Project Learning Tree CanadaBasic Details
Join a workshop to explore how PLT Canada materials can enhance environmental education. Learn to engage students in hands-on, place-based learning, fostering environmental stewardship and critical thinking through activities focused on sustainability and conservation.
Join a workshop to explore how PLT Canada materials can enhance environmental education. Learn to engage students in hands-on, place-based learning, fostering environmental stewardship and critical thinking through activities focused on sustainability and conservation.
Evolution on the Farm
Fresh RootsBasic Details
How many plants are related to broccoli? Why can’t we grow coconuts in Vancouver? Explore these questions and more as we dive deep into the evolution of food crops through natural and human selection, and the effects of climate on our food.
How many plants are related to broccoli? Why can’t we grow coconuts in Vancouver? Explore these questions and more as we dive deep into the evolution of food crops through natural and human selection, and the effects of climate on our food.
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FAQs
For Teachers
I can’t find listings that work for me. What can I do?
Try removing any filtering criteria to see more results. If you can’t find listings in your area, try looking in the “Available Nationwide” category, or use the Delivery Format filter to select listings marked as “Online” or “Resource”. If you would like to suggest a listing for inclusion, contact us at fern@elements-society.org
How does the favourites list work?
Your list is stored temporarily on the device used to visit the site, and can expire between visits. Make sure to record the link to your list, or email the list to yourself. The link will always work if you return to it. When the contents of your list is edited (e.g. adding or removing items), the link will also change. Make sure to copy the new link after making any changes to your list.
How do teacher recommendations work?
The organization who produces the activity solicits recommendations from teachers who have completed their activities. Recommendations include a teacher’s school district in order to provide local context, but are kept anonymous for privacy reasons.
How do I leave recommendations for listings?
After you complete a program, the listing organization will send you a special website link that you can use to leave a recommendation. If you would like to leave a recommendation but haven’t received a link, contact the organization directly.
When browsing by location, how do I know which school district I am located in?
If you aren’t sure what public school district you are located in, see the Alberta Education Maps or the BC School District Map.
How do I suggest a listing for inclusion or provide any other feedback?
To suggest a listing, email us and we can try to connect with the organization. Note that organizations are responsible for publishing their own listings.
If you have any other feedback, email us. Although we strive to keep this resource up to date, Elements Society is not responsible for the accuracy of information provided by organizations.
I need a full run through of FERN, where can I find this?
Here is a full FERN run through for teachers/educators. Learn how to access classroom-ready environmental education resources to bring vital topics to life.
For Listing Organizations
How do I submit my organization’s programs or resources for inclusion?
If you create environmental education programs or resources, sign up for an account. Once you are signed in, you can create a new listing. All new and updated listings are subject to review before appearing on the website.
How do I submit an update to my listings?
Sign in to your account, and you will see all of your listings and have the option to submit an update to (or delete) any listing. Updates are subject to review before appearing on the website.
I no longer have access to the email used for my account. What can I do?
Email us and we can help restore access to your listings.
How do I get teacher recommendations for my listings?
When you create a new listing, you will receive a unique website link that allows teachers to leave a recommendation. After teachers complete a program, it’s your responsibility to solicit recommendations by sending the link. Recommendations include a teacher’s school district in order to provide local context, but are kept anonymous for privacy reasons.
How do I update the payment information for my listing?
If your payment method on file is expired or was declined, email us and we can help you update your payment info.
I need a full run through of FERN and making a listing, where can I find this?
Here is a full FERN run through for organisations. Discover how to share your programs and resources on FERN and connect meaningfully with classrooms across Alberta and BC.
👉 Watch the Organization Webinar