Resources for Educators
Get Inspired About Nature Education
Squirrel Thoughts
This activity is a nature-themed exercise in memory-building. It provides an opportunity to review what the students learned at the Environment Centre, while also providing a new challenge with which to engage. Begin with some fun squirrel stretches and movements. Review what sorts of food squirrels prefer to eat and discuss how these small creatures ensure that they have food available all winter long.
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Nature Sound Map
A great way to get to know your local woodlands is to venture out, find a sit-spot, and listen to your surroundings. Create a Sound Map to help you remember what you heard!
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Brush With Nature
One way to tune into the wonder of nature and its many forms is to capture it through paint. By painting, we not only express ourselves, we also hone our observational skills, letting others know what it is that we see.
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Nature Journals
A nature journal is simply a place for capturing your words and sketches; it’s a spot to record your observations, feelings, and thoughts about an aspect of the natural world that has caught your attention.
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The Magic of Nests
At first blush, making a bird’s nest doesn’t seem that remarkable. But if you think about it, birds do have a handicap when it comes to building something. They don’t have hands! So they need to use their beaks and feet. Imagine making a nest using only your mouth and toes. And yet the nests that birds – such as warblers, orioles and finches – create from a few bits of grass, bark, twigs, and mud are truly wondrous examples of natural architecture. It is worthwhile to remind ourselves that humans aren’t the only builders on this planet!
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Hole Patrol: How Animals Keep Warm in Winter
Photocopy a Hole Patrol Card (provided) and take it with you on your next walk in the woods. Be on the lookout for snags and use the cards to help you figure out which species might be living in your “NeighbourWood.” Compare the size of your hole with your card. Look for additional clues such as feathers, scat, pellets, chewed cones, tracks, and scratch marks. What did you find?
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Hiding in Plain Sight
Animals take on the form and shape of something else to conceal their true selves. Crab spiders imitate bird poop, while Polyphemus moths mimic predators’ eyes when they flash their hind wings to reveal an oval shape reminiscent of an owl’s eyes. There are thousands of ways insects, birds, and mammals imitate other things in order to hide and deceive. Their survival depends on having a convincing disguise!
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Nature Hammered Prints: A Smashing Good Time
After the greys, whites, and browns of the winter season, our eyes become hungry for the vibrant colours of spring. From pale violets, butter yellows, and glorious pinks to the many intense shades of green—spring is a feast for the eyes! You can capture some of this beauty by gently pounding coloured flowers and plants onto either paper or light-coloured cloth (e.g., T-shirts or handkerchiefs) to release their natural dyes.
View ResourceGreen Teacher: A Pathway to Stewardship
Green Teacher: A Pathway to Stewardship Click the link above to learn more!
View ResourcePre/Post Camp Kawartha Visit Guided by “A Day in the Life of a Squirrel” Programming
At Camp Kawartha: Students live the life of a squirrel. From camouflaging to building nests, students participate in a variety of interactive games and role-playing activities that simulate seasonal changes over a year. (K-3) Curriculum Connections Science Curriculum Links – Life Systems: Kindergarten – Problem Solving & Innovation, Belonging & Contributing Grade 1 – Needs […]
View ResourceNCCIE Website
https://www.nccie.ca/ “First Nations University of Canada is the home of the National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous Education, connecting communities with each other to share their stories about Indigenous education across Canada and around the world.” Very good lesson plans and resources for educators, students, and parents alike!
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha First Nations Awareness and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Visit
First Nations Awareness and Traditional Ecological Knowledge For thousands of years, First Nations sustained and nourished their cultures by harvesting what they needed on the land. They used plants and animals for medicine, for food, clothing and for building material. Their survival depended on having a positive relationship with the natural world. This ethic of […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha First Nations Awareness and Traditional Ecological Knowledge Visit
First Nations Awareness and Traditional Ecological Knowledge For thousands of years, First Nations sustained and nourished their cultures by harvesting what they needed on the land. They used plants and animals for medicine, for food, clothing and for building material. Their survival depended on having a positive relationship with the natural world. This ethic of […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Taming the Wildflower Visit
Taming the Wildflower With storytelling, a little detective work and dramatic movement, we help to generate enthusiasm for Ontario’s wildflowers. Students reenact how flowers are pollinated, how bees dance to find wildflowers, and by following a series of clues, students discover the beauty and diversity of 6 local species. Curriculum Links ARTS. Dance A1. Creating […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha Taming the Wildflower Visit
Taming the Wildflower With storytelling, a little detective work and dramatic movement, we help to generate enthusiasm for Ontario’s wildflowers. Students reenact how flowers are pollinated, how bees dance to find wildflowers, and by following a series of clues, students discover the beauty and diversity of 6 local species. Curriculum Links ARTS. Dance A1. Creating […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha “It’s not Dirt, it’s Soil” Visit
It’s not Dirt, it’s Soil! One cubic centimetre of soil contains more life than people on earth! Learn all about the creation of soil, the critters that inhabit it, and its importance in terrestrial ecosystems. Curriculum Connections Understanding Earth and Space Systems: Soils in the Environment assess the impact of soils on society and the […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha “Local Eats: The Importance of Healthy Food” Visit
Local Eats: The Importance of Healthy Food “The healthiest food” argued writer Wendell Berry “is the shortest distance from the Earth to your mouth.” In this program, children will learn where their food comes from through interactive and educational activities. They’ll visit our organic garden and solar straw bale greenhouse. Students will harvest fresh herbs […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha “Local Eats: The Importance of Healthy Food” Visit
Local Eats: The Importance of Healthy Food “The healthiest food” argued writer Wendell Berry “is the shortest distance from the Earth to your mouth.” In this program, children will learn where their food comes from through interactive and educational activities. They’ll visit our organic garden and solar straw bale greenhouse. Students will harvest fresh herbs […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha “Seeds and Seed Dispersal” Visit
Seeds and Seed Dispersal Some pop, some glide, some stick and many float in the air or on the water. Every spring we see that there is enduring evidence of our local plants’ ability to survive and spread in the vibrant new growth that carpets our forests and fields. How seeds travel merits closer investigation! […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha “Seeds and Seed Dispersal” Visit
Seeds and Seed Dispersal Some pop, some glide, some stick and many float in the air or on the water. Every spring we see that there is enduring evidence of our local plants’ ability to survive and spread in the vibrant new growth that carpets our forests and fields. How seeds travel merits closer investigation! […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha “Treeific: A Program about Plants and Trees” Visit
Treeific: A Program about Plants and Trees They provide an elegant and beautiful backdrop to our daily lives but few people stop and consider plants: the only living organism that can manufacture their own food and supply the world with oxygen. In this introduction to the world of plants, your students will learn about the […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha “Treeific: A Program about Plants and Trees” Visit
Treeific: A Program about Plants and Trees They provide an elegant and beautiful backdrop to our daily lives but few people stop and consider plants: the only living organism that can manufacture their own food and supply the world with oxygen. In this introduction to the world of plants, your students will learn about the […]
View ResourceEducator/Parent Book List
Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to Bring Teaching Outdoors – Rachel Tidd Offers practical and easy to implement activities that bring curriculum into the outdoors. Provides activities that can help educators overcome barriers to teaching outside. Activities are designed such that they are accessible to all teachers in diverse settings as well as for all students […]
View ResourceArchive of Outdoor Lesson Plans
https://schoolweb.tdsb.on.ca/toes/Resources/Get-Outside-Lessons A lesson plan archive for I/S and P/J educators.
View ResourceForest Guide
https://assets.ctfassets.net/e09p19lzfrfe/t83CTB0hESKpY34nBzfe2/7cc969515e83513e033f66176e46c1b1/FO22_TEACHERS_TOOLBOX_FA_ONLINE.pdf A forest education guide/toolkit for parents and educators.
View ResourceEquitable Nature Access Toolkit
https://www.childrenandnature.org/resources/how-to-talk-with-kids-about-equitable-access-to-nature-a-toolkit-for-parents-and-teachers/ A toolkit on how to talk with kids about equitable nature access.
View ResourceTree Bee Website
https://treebee.ca/ Tree Bee is a tree identification tool used to engage classrooms, families and communities in learning more about the trees and forests in their own backyards.
View ResourceNFB Website
https://www.nfb.ca/channels/the_green_channel/ A collection of Canadian films that provide “a close look at our world, the environment and sustainability.”
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Signs of the Seasons Visit
Seasonal transportation mouvement (this could be a full activity or a body break) Have the children mimic different styles of transportation depending on the season (ex: swimming in summer or skiing in winter). Have them observe how the different mouvements make them feel. Ex: is it funny trying to swim on land? Ski without snow? […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha Signs of the Seasons Visit
Clothespin view (from Discover Your School’s Better Nature) During the spring or fall, give your students a clothes pin and have them write their name on it. Clip your clothes pin to a tree bud during spring or clip it to a green leaf during late summer, just as the forests are about to change […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Natural Neighbours Visit
Poem “writing” Have your students explore and play within an outside area During this time walk around and talk to your student about what their neighbourhood/wood means to them/their favourite part/their role in the neighbourwood/hood Record the main themes/sentences As the teacher put this together as your class’ poem. Read : Jigging for Halibut with […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha Natural Neighbours Visit
Focused Exploration Provide the students with time to explore an outdoor area (ideally one they are less familiar with) Ask them to search for animal and bird signs – if possible ask the children to come back to you when they feel they have completed this task, if your students are not at this level, […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Honing in on Homes Visit
Exploring how to enhance habitat around us Utilizing lessons from the Camp Kawartha session Student-led exploration and discussion of the habitat in the school yard/outdoor space Collect ideas on a piece of chart paper – place this in the classroom – see over the course of the year how to action these items either fully […]
View ResourcePre Camp Kawartha Honing in on Homes Visit
Build a fort Head outside with your class Use found materials (ex: leaves, sticks, cedar boughs on the ground) How would this provide us with shelter? Warmth? Comfort? Set up a bird feeder on a classroom window or in the school yard (as described in the book: Discover Your School’s Better Nature by Jacob Rodenburg) […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Hide and Seek: A Program about Camouflage Visit
Art Project: Draw yourself with colour – how do you change when you feel different emotions? How do different animals act when they are scared? Trying to find a mate? Nursing their babies? Etc.? Exploration Dice (as described in the book: Discover Your School’s Better Nature by Jacob Rodenburg) This is an activity that bounces […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Hide and Seek: A Program about Camouflage Visit
Art Project: Draw yourself with colour – how do you change when you feel different emotions? How do different animals act when they are scared? Trying to find a mate? Nursing their babies? Etc.? Exploration Dice (as described in the book: Discover Your School’s Better Nature by Jacob Rodenburg) This is an activity that bounces […]
View ResourcePost Camp Kawartha Am I Alive? Visit
What can we see? Hear? Smell? Touch? Bring the children outside to whatever outdoor space you have access to. Engage the children in exploring what living (a) animals (b) plants (c) other living elements (d) non-living elements you can See? Hear? Smell? Touch? Let them be the guides. Brainstorm as a class other living things […]
View ResourcePre-visit Activity: “Am I Alive?” Program
5 Senses Exploration Head outside with your students Sit/lie down in a circle: Close our eyes, focus on your breathing. What do we hear? What can we feel/touch? What do we smell? Can we taste anything on our tongues, does the air have a taste? We can ask these questions and have the children out […]
View ResourceHonourable Harvest Overview
This article, The “Honorable Harvest”: Lessons From an Indigenous Tradition of Giving Thanks by Robin Wall Kimmerer, provides a detailed yet concise overview of the Honourable Harvest for those who may be less familiar.
View ResourceSpecies at Risk Public Registry Website Link
This is a great resource for children to find Species at Risk that live in their neighbourhood, community, province, etc. A great starting point for projects and actionable initiatives. https://species-registry.canada.ca/index-en.html#/species?sortBy=commonNameSort&sortDirection=asc&pageSize=10
View ResourceGrade One and Kindergarten Book List
Check out some great book recommendations for Ages 4-6! Each title links to brief descriptions of the books on CBC I Hear You, Forest by Kallie George, illustrated by Carmen Mok Thunder and the Noise Storms by Jeffrey Ansloos & Shezza Ansloos, illustrated by Joshua Mangeshig Pawis-Steckley Treaty Words by Aimée Craft, illustrated by Luke […]
View ResourceGet to know your bugs!
National Geographic Kids’ Insect Centre https://www.natgeokids.com/uk/category/discover/animals/insects/
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Enjoying the Gifts of Winter, Naturally.
It is a cold December day. A delicate layer of frost edges the corner of each window and mounds of snow smooth over bushes and trees. Birds are huddled under eaves, fluffing their feathers, reminding you that winter is well and truly here.
Brush with Nature
Nature is full of complex curves, shapes, and lines: the sweep of a pine branch, a cascading waterfall, waves marching along a lake, or a rolling thunder cloud. To our eyes, the natural world may seem chaotic—a bold blend of colours, textures, and patterns. But a more careful look reveals just how intricate and lovely the shapes of nature are.
Touching the Earth – A conversation with Jacob Rodenburg & Drew Monkman
Recently, I had the amazing opportunity to sit down with two incredibly inspirational men who have dedicated much of their lives to engaging kids (and parents!) with nature. Drew Monkman and Jacob Rodenburg have written The Big Book of Nature Activities. A year-round guide to outdoor learning.
Balsam Fir Motor Boat
You may be lucky enough to have balsam firs growing where you live, and if you do, you’ve got access to the tools to craft a resin-powered “motorboat” ready to zoom across any pond!
The Art of Stalking
If you’re like me, a walk through the woods is a loud affair. Stepping on sticks, squelching through mud, shuffling over dried leaves, and smashing through branches—whatever wildlife may have been hiding is long gone.
The Book of Nature Connection is Now Available
Executive Director, Jacob...