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With 100% of proceeds going back into outdoor learning non-profit initiatives, The Outdoor Learning School & Store is a charitable social enterprise grown in the homelands of the Secwépemc and Ktunaxa, and flourishing across Turtle Island (North America).

Our awesome team works hard to provide a refined list of excellent resources, equipment, tools & training. We offer this in partnership with over 70 non-profit organizations from across North America.

Outdoor learning is being increasingly adopted to enhance student learning, and to support the physical, emotional and mental health of teachers and students. We’re pleased to help support this, along with other key social and environmental issues such as the climate crisis, the rapid loss of biodiversity, nature-deficit disorder, and the obesity epidemic.

Read about our Ethical Policies and Practices.

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We offer educational tours for the UBC Botanical Garden, Nitobe Memorial Garden, and the Greenheart TreeWalk. As part of the Faculty of Science, we strive to deliver ecology and environmental learning grounded in science and place-based learning. Sustainability is a key theme of our tours and we aim to raise awareness of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.  Our tours can be tailored to all age groups and knowledge levels and range from 1 to 2 hours in length. Located at UBC, we serve groups located in or visiting the Greater Vancouver Area. We offer our tours from Wednesday-Saturday between the hours of 10:00am and 4:30pm. 

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Prior to European colonization, Indigenous peoples got what they needed from the land and water around them. Indigenous peoples have relied on salmon since the fish became abundant in the Fraser River about 5000-6000 years ago. They used native plants for food, medicine, building materials and more. This program explores the connection between Indigenous peoples, salmon, and the broader Fraser River Basin. Students experience the movement of salmon, storytelling and oral histories, and the many uses of native plants through an Indigenous perspective.

Grades: K-3                          Length: 1.5 hours                Maximum group size: 30 students

Program Components:

Introduction to the First Salmon Ceremony through a storybook and discussion.

Understand the stages of a salmon’s life cycle and migration by acting out the story of one salmon’s life.

Learn about some of the edible and medicinal native plants in our region, and then create your own plant, including its uses.

Hear the story of how sockeye came to the Fraser River from two First Nations elders. View map of the traditional lands of the First Nations people in the Fraser River Basin, and use a visual metaphor to understand how long the First Nations people have lived along the Fraser River.

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Lesson Plans Help Students with Climate Anxiety

CPAWS Southern Alberta is introducing a series of six detailed lesson plans, designed by teachers to help students deal with the climate anxiety that so many of them are feeling. Each lesson has been rigorously tested and modified in grade five and six classrooms in several different schools.

Download them for free today on our Bring Nature Home page: Climate Change and Anxiety.

These lesson plans links to Alberta Grade 5 and 6 Science - Earth Systems and Energy.

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THE RIVERWATCH MISSION: The RiverWatch Institute of Alberta delivers science education and environmental awareness experiences along Alberta’s rivers and watershed systems. Through our professional river guides, school science float trips, stewardship activities, and water monitoring equipment, participants learn about the science and health of our waterways. By becoming watershed knowledgeable, Albertans of all walks of life will better understand, enjoy and care for our environment.

YOUR RIVERWATCH SCHOOL SCIENCE FLOAT EXPERIENCE

We believe the best way to study a river is by taking your science classes on a float trip aboard our professionally guided large rafts, fully equipped as floating laboratories! Our science education programs align DIRECTLY with the Alberta provincial curriculum and have been a go-to resource for Alberta secondary science classes since 1995. Our hands-on and experiential science float programming is offered in the fall from early September to the end of October and again in the spring (late April to mid-June) once the ice is off the river.

With a laser focus on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), students explore their local river ecosystem aboard rafts equipped as mobile water quality laboratories. A day of guided rafting takes the student classroom into the real natural world to experience an interesting mix of ecology, wildlife, history, geology, engineering, technology, industry, water quality monitoring and data collection. Our programs showcase science in ways students have never seen before, creating an experience they’ll never forget, INCLUDING A TOUR OF LOCAL WASTE WATER TREATMENT PLANTS! Over the years, close to 200,000 students have adventured out with us to become young scientists for the day.

YOUR RIVERWATCH GUIDES

All RiverWatch guides are highly trained and possess a minimum Class 1 PROAOA certification to meet Transport Canada Commercial Rafting Standards. All our river guides complete an intense week of training involving rafting, emergency response, health and safety, bus driving, equipment maintenance, water quality monitoring, and local/natural history interpretation. To work for RiverWatch Guides must possess Standard First Aid certification and/or may also have Wilderness First Aid, National Lifeguard Society, Swift Water Rescue or Emergency Medical Responder training. The result is an experienced group of certified and professional river guides ready to provide a safe, engaging and fully immersive rafting experience. Your RiverWatch raft guide will help students gain new insights and appreciation for our rivers’ history, culture, bio-diversity and stewardship. Everyone will finish the day more connected to nature and the river!

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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. Surrounded by forest, the Centre offers a feeling of wilderness seclusion while featuring all your basic amenities, accommodations and full catering.

The Centre is also open year-round and available for school field trips, family events, weddings, corporate retreats and private bookings. Rentals over 41 people offer exclusive use of the facility including full catering, use of all activity equipment and accommodations for 120.

We believe Outdoor Education is an experience every child should have. By taking the classroom to the great outdoors kids have an opportunity to get their hands dirty, learn in an interactive and fun environment, and develop personally.

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The SPEC School Gardens Program is a well established environmental education program (started in 2008) and is aligned with BC Curriculum. We offer in person grade specific curricular resources, personalized workshops and seasonal lessons. Our goal is to connect every one to nature and we often collaborate with ECE, K-12 schools, for profit and not for profit organizations to provide programming. We help K-12 schools or not for profits establish new gardens or improve existing ones with climate friendly and organic gardening practices.

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Our outdoor programs take place at the Fish Creek Environmental Learning Centre, at Shannon Terrace, 15931 Woodpath Rd SW, Calgary AB.

K-6 programs are teacher-led. Alberta Parks staff will provide the group with an in-depth orientation, and support the group throughout the day. Teachers are required to attend a 1.5 hour on-site orientation before the date of their program. Available for 2 classes per day, based on availability.

Grade 7-12 programs are led by an Alberta Parks staff member, who will be with your group for the entire day. Available for one class per day (max 35 students).

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Algonquin College's Play, Learn, and Teaching Outdoors in the Early Years certificate program immerses early learning professionals in outdoor pedagogical practice through the Outdoor ECE National Framework of the Canadian Centre for Outdoor Play. In this program, you explore concepts of active engagement, nurturing holistic development, and building meaningful connections in outdoor pedagogical practice.

Learners explore the benefits of risky outdoor play, strengthen a justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion lens, and build cultural competency guided by evidence from the Canadian Pediatric Society. They gain advocacy, communication, and practical skills through place-based learning and a culminating action-research project applied to their own professional setting.

Upon completion, graduates are prepared to champion inclusive, culturally responsive outdoor play in diverse contexts, including early learning programs, kindergartens, child and family centres, community health agencies, and governmental or non-governmental organizations serving children and families.

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Worms Love Leftovers gives children a peek into the amazing world of worms and how they help recycle organic waste, turning it into healthy living soil. This is an inquiry-based opportunity that fully engages participants in hands-on learning and incorporates several cross-curricular competencies.

Available for schools in Calgary. Subsidies are available so cost is not a barrier to participation.

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We currently run Club programs in Metro Vancouver and Kelowna - reach out if you're looking for a program near you.

This is an 8-week/workshop after school program. Youth can do the program once. Participants take part in fun interactive activities each week and develop cooking skills by making a plant-based dinner at each workshop.

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Using the 3R’s, students recognize recycling symbols and sort materials found in their home and classroom.

*This workshop is free for schools in the Township of Langley (limited spaces available).

Available to schools in the Township of Langley, City of Langley (SD35) and City of Surrey (SD36).

Schools outside of Langley will be charged mileage. Teachers outside of these districts may enquire about workshop availability.

Duration 60 minutes Cost $95

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Please allow a minimum of 2 weeks notice if you are seeking a new lesson not listed in our lesson plans.

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The Fraser River is one of the world’s great rivers not only in its contribution to the environmental, cultural, and historical wealth of British Columbia, but because of its current pivotal role in the economy of BC.  We are going to explore how people have used and shared the resources of the Fraser River, focusing on the tumultuous time when Indigenous peoples and fur traders shared the river.

Grades: 4-7                          Length: 1.5 hours               Maximum group size: 30 students

Program Components:

Visual presentation introducing the history of trade on the Fraser River.

Learn proper archaeological protocol, excavate archaeological artifacts, and learn what each represents.

Keep an archaeologist’s journal, drawing diagrams and answering questions about stone and metal tools.

Play a fun and competitive game to understand the value of items traded between First Nations and European traders.

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Grasslands are one of our most important ecosystems, acting as powerful carbon sinks, preventing soil erosion and providing critical habitat for pollinators. With the Grasslands Resource Pack, your students will journey to Western Canada and explore these incredible ecosystems, how Indigenous Peoples farmed in the past and how we can look toward the future with sustainable agriculture.

Modules include: (40 minutes each)

Introduction to Grassland Ecosystems

A History of Agriculture in Canada

Sustainable Agriculture to the Rescue

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Get to Galiano Island easily with BC Ferries! We're a short 1-1.5 hour trip from the Tsawwassen ferry terminal in Vancouver or the Swartz Bay ferry terminal in Victoria. Our hands-on, nature-based programs have proudly been developed over 20+ years. Programs serve to introduce youth to nature in a fun, safe and meaningful way. Our activities are designed to reflect the BC K-12 curriculum, resonate local Indigenous voices and foster youth environmental leadership.

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Engage students in an interactive online course, where students will be exposed to Coast Salish environmental knowledge, the Southern Resident Killer Whales, and the threats facing these species at risk. Students will learn to become effective environmental stewards, making a real difference in protecting the ocean.

This five-hour, virtual course offers a self-paced online experience, ideal for students who can engage independently with minimal guidance. The course can also function as guided lessons or activities between students and teachers. Through interactive learning modules and hands-on projects, students will gain insight into the Salish Sea, orca behavior, and the broader impacts of human activities on marine ecosystems. The course incorporates the rich knowledge and history of the Coast Salish peoples, highlighting their connection and stewardship of the Salish Sea. Students will be inspired through this course to take sustainable action to protect orcas, and become environmental stewards.

Orcas in the Salish Sea meets B.C. Curriculum Connections and Learning Outcomes for Grades 3-8, and the First Peoples Principles of Learning. This online, self-paced course is available nationwide for students and educators. Thank you to Prince of Whales for sponsoring this course.

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Every class in your school receives an age-appropriate lesson about your local watershed, the wildlife within it, and how to protect it from storm drain pollution. Children then paint their Dreamfish, which becomes part of a permanent fence mural installed by professional designers. The fish represent each student's dream of a healthy future for our freshwater habitats, while the mural reminds everyone that, even though we can't always see our creeks and other waterways, what we do impacts them.

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WILDNorth offers free, curriculum-specific presentations for Grades 3, 4, 5, and 6 in Edmonton thanks to Capital City Cleanup. There is a cost of $80 to book this presentation for schools outside of Edmonton.

Grade 3 – “Food Chains, Wildlife, & My Community”

This 45-minute presentation is designed to introduce Grade 3 students to the intricate relationships between animals, plants, and their environment. Students will learn about food chains, how energy moves through the environment, and explore a food web using examples of local wildlife and vegetation. Linked directly to the Living Systems unit, this program offers a fun and tangible way for students to learn how plants and animals interact with one another while developing an awareness and appreciation for backyard nature.

Grade 4 – “Litter, Wildlife, & My Community”

Since a clean community is a shared responsibility, WILDNorth and Capital City Clean Up have joined forces to deliver the “Litter, Wildlife & My Community” classroom program. Educational and entertaining, this 60-minute presentation directly links to the Waste and Our World unit. It illustrates how litter harms wildlife and helps students identify actions they can take to minimize litter’s impact on wildlife.

Grade 5 – “Body Systems, Wildlife, & My Community”

This 60-minute presentation is designed to introduce Grade 5 students to the fascinating world of animal anatomy, diving into the body systems that support survival in the wild. Students will explore how the digestive, respiratory, circulatory, and musculoskeletal systems function in different animals, including birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians. This program offers an engaging way for students to understand the vital processes that allow animals to thrive in their environments while fostering a sense of responsibility for protecting local wildlife.

Grade 6 – “Ecosystems, Wildlife, & My Community”

This 60-minute presentation is designed to deepen Grade 6 students’ understanding of ecosystems, the complex interactions that sustain them, and the vital role wildlife plays within them. Students will investigate the characteristics and components of ecosystems, focusing on the intricate relationships between animals, plants, and their environment. This program offers an engaging exploration of local ecosystems, including forests, wetlands, and grasslands, while highlighting how Alberta’s wildlife are specially adapted to their habitats. The presentation also emphasizes the importance of protecting these ecosystems from threats like litter and pollution to ensure the survival and wellbeing of local wildlife.