In-School Programs
Ausable Bayfield Conservation educators are dedicated to building relationships between youth and their natural world. These programs are typically offered at your school from November to April. Consult with a conservation educator to see if they can develop and deliver specialized programs to meet your curriculum needs.
In addition to the programs, a regular outdoor program may be delivered in your schoolyard (de-pending on the site and/or program).
Download the flyer for in-school programs for the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA) watershed:
- In-school programs – Environmental Education in the Classroom – for primary, junior, intermediate and all grades (1 MB - Large PDF file)
Download the flyer for in-school programs in the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority (MVCA) watershed:
- In-school programs (Maitland Conservation) – Environmental Education in the Classroom – FDK-8 – Large PDF file
Special Offer
A special offer for watershed schools from March-May 2020 includes a limited number of free soil and water-focused programs in-school programs, thanks to a grant from NextEra Energy Canada, LP (this offer does not apply to all in-school programs).
Download a Watershed Schools Map.
In the classroom (Updated Autumn 2019):
Levels
Primary
Growth and Changes in Animals
How is a beaver different from a snake? Learn about some amazing adaptations as you explore the animals groups.
Water in the Environment
Journey through the water cycle. Explore the properties and importance of water moves through games and experiments.
Growth and Changes in Plants
Become an herbal superhero as you discover how plants make their own food and form the basis of any food pyramid.
Soils in the Environment
Dig in and discover what is hiding in the soil. Learn about the properties of soil through demonstrations and hands-on exploration.
School Yards Alive!
This outdoor, schoolyard-based program uses facilitated activities to explore science concepts.
Students are introduced to mapping through story. Afterwards students explore distinct areas of your schoolyard and make observations of all the living things they see.
Natural Curiosity
Develop your students’ natural curiosity and awareness of the natural world through schoolyard inquiry based learning.
Contact Ausable Bayfield Conservation staff to discuss nature themes in which your students are interested.
Junior
Rocks and Minerals
Become an amateur geologist. Explore the formation of rocks and the minerals they contain by looking at and testing real specimens
Species at Risk
Learn why some species struggle for survival while others thrive. Explore the natural and human-related factors affecting aquatic animals. Free for watershed schools in autumn only.
Habitats and Biodiversity in the School Yard
This outdoor schoolyard program introduces students to the concepts around habitats and biodiversity through facilitated activities to develop knowledge and skills to complete a schoolyard bioblitz! Grade 6 students will be taught how to use a dichotomous key.
River Safety Quest
*FREE to Watershed Schools *
Students work through stations leaning about different habitats, how different surfaces impact water absorption, cold water safety, and learn to make safe decisions around water.
Yellow Fish Road™
This hands-on environmental project could help decrease water pollution in your community. Paint ‘yellow fish’ next to storm drains and distribute brochures to nearby households and businesses. (Available in selected communities only).
Intermediate
Ecosystem Exploration
Students will be introduced to concepts of carrying capacity, decomposers, producers and con-sumers through activities. Students will identify different habitats within your schoolyard.
Working in small groups students will collect abiotic and biotic information about their assigned study area.
Local Water Systems
This multi-part program includes a classroom presentation on watershed science and hands-on inquiries to demonstrate how water can be polluted; a field trip to a local river system to investi-gate what lives in the water, chemical properties of water and what each reveals about water quality and the health of the watershed; and a tour of your local wastewater and/or drinking wa-ter treatment plant. Ausable Bayfield Conservation encourages students to develop a service learning project in your community!
River Safety Quest
*FREE to Watershed Schools *
Students work through stations leaning about different habitats, how different surfaces impact water absorption, cold water safety and learn to make safe decisions around water.
All Grades
Snowshoeing
Jump into the snow and experience first-hand how snowshoes are used to travel during the winter. Learn how different animals are adapted to movement in the snow and search for tracks.
Games and activities will be adjusted for age and interest.
Questions?
If you have questions please contact Denise Iszczuk or Nina Sampson, Ausable Bayfield Conservation Educators via our staff directory.