Engage kids with nature-based learning
Explore some great environmental resources from our partners to connect young learners to nature! Nature education plays an important role in fostering an understanding and appreciation for the natural world. In a world increasingly disconnected from nature, supporting nature education is essential for cultivating environmental awareness and stewardship.
PROJECT LEARNING TREE CANADA RESOURCES
Trees & Me
Trees & Me contains hundreds of ideas for fun, easy-to-do, hands-on experiences to connect young children to nature, with a focus on trees and forests. Through indoor and outdoor activities, children explore nature through their five senses, experience trees throughout the seasons, and connect with their community.
WHAT: Curriculum Resource
WHO: For ages 1-6
INCLUDES: 12 hands-on activities, suggested readings, fun songs, snacks and art
Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide
Explore Your Environment: K-8 Activity Guide includes 50 hands-on, multidisciplinary activities to connect children to nature and increase young people’s awareness and knowledge about their environment. Activities include detailed step-by-step instructions, academic correlations, time and material requirements, and corresponding student worksheets with green career connections.
WHAT: Curriculum Resource
WHO: Grades K-8
INCLUDES: 50 hands-on activities, students pages, appendices, topic index
Climate Change & Forests: From Seed to Carbon Sink E-Unit
Climate Change and Forests: From Seed to Carbon Sink includes eight activities for educators working with students in grades 9-12. The activities engage learners in inquiry and place-based learning to help them discover how forests contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.
WHAT: Online Activity Guide
WHO: Grades 9-12
INCLUDES: Student pages and printables for educators
Earth Rangers Resources
Earth Rangers Homeroom
Earth Rangers homeroom is an online platform with engaging activities that allow students to discover the environment and wildlife through interactive learning. Available in English and French, and complete with accessible resources, these classroom activities are a great starting point for age-appropriate environmental learning and to get children excited about taking part in eco-action.
WHAT: Free online resources
WHO: For Grades K-6
INCLUDES: Classroom activities, quests, podcast listen and learns, and overviews of environmental concepts for educators
Earth Rangers Classes
Becoming an Earth Rangers Class is easy, free, and makes caring for the planet part of everyday fun.With the classroom checklist, students take on simple daily actions and watch how their efforts create real change.
WHAT: A classroom offering
WHO: K-6 classes
INCLUDES: A classroom pledge and checklist, a free pennant, fun and engaging activities and special contests.
Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action Workshop
In this interactive workshop, you’ll explore practical tools to spark meaningful conversations about environmental issues and inspire real-world student action. Together, we’ll explore Earth Rangers’ 5Es to Drive Eco-Action, a research-based framework designed to help educators address both eco-anxiety and eco-action with students.
WHAT: Professional Development
WHO: Educators
INCLUDES: A virtual or in-person session with follow up materials including an activity guide and a certificate.
Ducks Unlimited Canada Resources
Wetland Field Trip Teacher Resource Pack
Use this resource to help you and your students plan a safe and engaging field trip to a wetland so that you can make the most of this experiential learning experience.
WHAT: Resource Pack
WHO: Teachers (Grades 3 and up)
INCLUDES: Field Guide, Check-lists, ID sheet, and Lesson Plans
My Hobby, Our Climate
My Hobby, Our Climate is designed to help students make the connection between climate change and their personal lives.
In this activity, students will meet five Canadian teenagers with hobbies that are being affected by climate change. After hearing the teenagers’ concerns, students will discuss the various consequences of climate change and offer some solutions. They will then take time to reflect on what they personally enjoy doing and what they can do for their future.
WHAT: Activity
WHO: Grades 9 and up
INCLUDES: Student worksheet and teaching guide
The Climate Change Conundrum
The Climate Change Conundrum is meant to help students identify their emotions surrounding climate change and provide coping strategies. After reading through the cartoon, students will be asked to identify what characters are feeling and why they might be feeling this way. Students will be encouraged to share their own emotions related to climate change and address their coping strategies. They will then discuss the Coping Strategies Model, co-created with Inês Lopes, PhD, psychologist and education consultant.
WHAT: Activity
WHO: Grades 9 and up
INCLUDES: Cartoon and teaching guide
Canadian Wildlife Federation Resources
WILD Education
Description: WILD Education is a professional-development program that trains educators to become certified instructors of Project WILD, Below Zero, and WILD About Sports.
These interdisciplinary programs provide a toolbox of interactive indoor and outdoor activities to engage youth in learning about and taking action for wildlife and the environment.
WHAT: Professional Development workshop
WHO: Teachers (K-12)
INCLUDES: Project WILD, Below Zero, and/or WILD About Sports activity guide (depending on workshop training) + certificate.
WILD Spaces
The WILD Spaces program connects educators and children to nature and helps protect pollinators through hands-on learning experiences. The program guides teachers in empowering elementary students to learn about pollinators, adapt school or community gardens to create pollinator habitat, observe, and document pollinators in the garden and share their experiences with others in the program across Canada.
WHAT: Online Classroom
WHO: Grades K-6
INCLUDES: Lesson plans, student sheets, projects and school gardening resources
GET INVOLVED
Interested in learning more about school programs, field trips, teacher training, and regional events? Contact Jessy at j_stjean@ducks.ca.