Outdoor Education

Every animal needs a home that’s just right! Not too hot, not too cold, not too wet, not too dry. As we travel through Terra Cotta Conservation Area, students use their observation skills to discover the many places animals call home and learn what they can do to help protect them.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: B. Problem Solving and Innovating (B13), C. Self-Regulation and Well-Being (C15 and C17) and D. Belonging and Contributing (D23)

Calling all scientists, can you figure out what makes something alive? How do we tell the difference between living and non-living things? Come and explore the forest with hands-on activities to learn what local plants and wildlife need to eat, different ways they breathe, and what helps them grow.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Link: B. Problem Solving and Innovating (B12 and B13), C. Self-Regulation and Well-Being (C15, C17 and C18) and D. Belonging and Contributing (D23)

There’s nothing better than the start of spring, since this means it’s maple syrup time! Students will learn about the importance of sugar maple trees within local ecology and travel through time to discover the history of liquid gold.

Duration: 1.5 hours

Cost: $230 plus HST per class for half-day program (cannot be combined with another program to make a full day trip). Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links:

• Kindergarten: A. Foundations of Language and Mathematics (A1 and A10), B. Problem Solving and Innovating (B13), C. Self-Regulation and Well-Being (C15, C17, C18) and D. Belonging and Contributing (D23)
• Grade 1: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Needs and Characteristics of Living Things, Earth and Space Systems – Daily and Seasonal Changes; Social Studies: Heritage and Identity – Our Changing Roles and Responsibilities, People and Environments: The Local Community
• Grade 2: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Animals, Earth and Space Systems – Air and Water in the Environment, Matter and Energy – Properties of Liquids and Solids; Social Studies: People and Environments: Global Communities
• Grade 3: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Plants; Social Studies: Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, 1780-1850
• Grade 4: Science and Technology: Life Systems  – Habitats and Communities; Social Studies: Heritage and Identity: Early Societies to 1500 CE
• Grade 5: Science and Technology: Matter and Energy – Properties of and Changes in Matter; Social Studies: Heritage and Identity – Interactions of Indigenous Peoples and Europeans prior to 1713, in what would Eventually Become Canada, Understanding Context: Significant Characteristics and Interactions
• Grade 6: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Biodiversity; Social Studies: Heritage and Identity: Communities in Canada, Past and Present
• Grade 7: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Interactions in the Environment; Grade 7 History: New France and British North America, 1713 – 1800
• Grade 8: Science and Technology: Matter and Energy – Fluids

Can you tell when an animal has been nearby? Are there signs of animals we can look for even if we don’t see them? How do animals survive the changing seasons in Ontario? If you’ve ever wondered about one of these questions, then this program is for you! Learn about the different signs animals leave behind, look for animal tracks and play games that will help you understand what it takes for animals to survive throughout the seasons.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links:

• Grade 1: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Needs and Characteristics of Living Things, Earth and Space Systems – Daily and Seasonal Changes
• Grade 2: Science and Technology: Understanding Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Animals
• Grade 3: Science and Technology: Life Systems  – Growth and Changes in Plants
• Grade 4: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Habitats and Communities

Use your amazing senses to explore the natural wonders of Terra Cotta Conservation Area as you search for sensational animal friends. Learn all about wildlife with special senses like a raccoon who uses touch to explore the forest, a coyote who uses scent to find food, and a deer who uses sound to avoid predators. Then use your senses to explore the forest habitat at Terra Cotta.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Needs and Characteristics of Living Things, Earth and Space Systems – Daily and Seasonal Changes

What do a chef, builder and water scientist have in common? They are all exciting roles students will explore as they become the Nature Guardians of Terra Cotta Conservation Area! Students will journey through a forest and wetland, engaging in hands-on investigations to learn how animals are able to find the food, water, shelter, and air that they need to survive.”

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Needs and Characteristics of Living Things; Earth and Space Systems – Daily and Seasonal Changes

Lace up your sneakers and go for gold as you participate in the amazing Animal Olympics. During this interactive and high energy program, students transform into animal athletes and compete in a variety of challenges showcasing the skills and adaptations of local wildlife. Let the games begin!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Animals; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

Investigate the incredible insects living in Terra Cotta Conservation Area and find out what makes them unique! Students will search for creepy crawlers in the soil, examine sneaky swimmers in the water and role-play as fantastic flyers through an interactive migration game.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Animals; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

What happens when the temperature gets too cold or too warm? Are you ready for the weather? Come and learn how to check the weather by studying wind and temperature. Discover the forms that water can take in different conditions and find out how animals adapt to the changing seasons.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Earth and Space Systems – Air and Water in the Environment, Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Animals; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

Scientists, grab your shovels and get the dirt… on soil! Investigate which insects and other animals live in the ‘land down under’ while learning about the different types of soil under your very own feet.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: STEM Skills and Connections, Earth and Space Systems – Soils in the Environment

Will you be like the Lorax and speak for the trees? Take a walk through a mature forest and use hands-on investigation to discover how our local trees support a variety of wildlife just like the Lorax’s forest. Find out what it means to be stewards of the earth and receive your own “Truffula” seeds to plant with your class.

(Note: It is recommended to read or watch “The Lorax” with your students prior to this field trip.)

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Plants; The Arts: Drama

Keep calm and build on! Explore the foundations of nature’s strong and stable structures by inspecting their form and function. Discover how birds build long-lasting nests and why beavers are the ultimate engineers. Then put that knowledge to work in exciting construction challenges. Strap on your tool belt and let’s get building!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Matter and Energy – Forces and Motion, Structures and Mechanisms – Strong and Stable Structures

Close your eyes and explore nature in a whole new way – through sound. Wander through different habitats and learn about the melodies you hear, how soundwaves travel and why sound is so important for survival.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Matter and Energy – Light and Sound; Life Systems – Habitats and Communities

It’s all about location when looking for the perfect place to set up an animal home. Take the challenge and enter the fast-paced world of real estate, where students will role-play as agents who are searching for a desirable habitat for their animal client. Discover the specific characteristics that make a habitat suitable and what happens when animals’ surroundings undergo unexpected changes.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: STEM Skills and Connections, Life Systems – Habitats and Communities

What do food, water, shelter and space have in common? Survival! Come and learn how the animals of Terra Cotta Conservation Area use their natural environment to fulfil these four basic needs. Students will investigate animal shelters, study animal water use and play high-energy games involving food chains and habitat limitations.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Habitat and Communities; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

Peer through the lens of a camera to explore the elements of design and create your own wild art. In this program, students will become creative directors and use digital cameras or sketchbooks to capture their perfect shot.

(Note: Sketching will be offered instead of cameras during inclement weather and in the winter months.)

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Grade 5: The Arts: Visual Arts

Learn about the methods that the historical Indigenous peoples of the Credit River Watershed used to work with nature every day. Through hands-on, interactive activities, students will investigate several tools used, try some agility games, and have the opportunity to respectfully engage with nature. Through a role-play activity, students will also learn how trading may have taken place between Indigenous peoples and European settlers. After participating in this program, students will have a better appreciation of the resilience of the Indigenous communities in the Credit River Watershed and their enduring presence on the land.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Grade 5: Social Studies: Heritage and Identity – Interactions of Indigenous Peoples and Europeans prior to 1713, in What Would Eventually Become Canada, Understanding Context: Significant Characteristics and Interactions

Come explore the forest on foot or by snowshoe! Learn how to prepare for a hike, the benefits of spending time outside for physical and mental health, and gain knowledge of plants and wildlife in the watershed along the way. As you get your heart rate going, you’ll discover why hiking is not only perfect for viewing wildlife – it’s also a great workout!

In winter, the Trailblazers program can be offered as snowshoeing, if trail conditions allow. Wooden snowshoes available at no additional charge.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links:

Grade 5: Health and Physical Education: Social-Emotional Learning Skills, Active Living, Movement Competence: Skills, Concepts, and Strategies; Science and Technology: Life Systems – Human Health and Body Systems

Grade 6: Science and Technology:  Life Systems – Biodiversity; Health and Physical Education: Social-Emotional Learning Skills, Active Living

Grade 7: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Interactions in the Environment; Health and Physical Education: Social-Emotional Learning Skills, Active Living; Geography – Physical Patterns in a Changing World

Grade 8: Science and Technology: Earth & Space Systems – Water Systems; Health and Physical Education – Social-Emotional Learning Skills, Active Living; Geography – Global Settlements: Patterns and Sustainability

Let’s flock together and use our bird brains to discover local birds! Examine replica bird skulls and eggs to learn about bird adaptations and biodiversity amongst species. Then explore Terra Cotta Conservation Area using binoculars to identify birds and learn how we can help protect and increase bird populations in our community.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Biodiversity, STEM Skills and Connections

Why are trees and forests important? Find out as you become junior foresters! Conduct a tree study to identify, measure and determine the health of local tree species. Discover how biodiversity helps to create a more resilient forest that will survive in years to come.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Biodiversity, STEM Skills and Connections; Social Studies: People and Environments – Canada’s Interactions with the Global Community

Let’s delve into the wireless connections within our natural world by using satellites! Working with a partner, learn to use GPS devices and race to locate waypoints along our trails in this fast-paced geocaching challenge. Students will put their ecological knowledge into practice by exploring ecosystem features of forests and wetland areas while navigating their way through the park.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Interactions in the Environment, Earth and Space Systems – Heat in the Environment; Health and Physical Education: Active Living; Geography – Physical Patterns in the Changing World

Do you have what it takes to survive in the wild? Learn how energy moves through an ecosystem’s food chain in this dynamic outdoor game. Students will take on the role of a carnivore, omnivore or herbivore and try to meet their animal’s survival needs before time runs out.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Interactions in the Environment; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

In this fast-paced wayfinding challenge, you’ll need to work with a partner as community planners to design a neighbourhood that is both a sustainable and desirable place to live. Using GPS devices, you’ll race to find geocaches that challenge you to make choices about which features to include in your plan. While doing this, students will discover how humans impact water systems and how the aquatic environment can be protected for future generations.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: STEM Skills and Connections, Earth and Space Systems – Water Systems; Geography – Global Settlement – Patterns and Sustainability; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

Gain hands-on experience into the work that Credit Valley Conservation does to protect and monitor our local environment. Participate in activities that showcase the work our Forest Technicians, Watershed Restoration staff and Planning teams perform each day – monitor tree health with your math skills, use identification keys to identify indicator species and observe how our watershed has changed over time. Test out a future career in conservation today!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hour program to make a full day trip)

Cost: $230 plus HST for one program or $425 plus HST per class for two programs. Maximum 30 participants in each class (including adults)

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: STEM Skills and Connections, Earth and Space Systems – Water Systems; Geography – Global Settlement – Patterns and Sustainability; Mathematics: Spatial Sense

No, the fee of $425 plus HST is for one class (up to 30 students and adults) for a full-day visit, or $230 plus HST for one class (up to 30 students and adults) to attend a half-day visit.

We encourage you to arrive as early as your schedule permits. Some flexibility is possible and should be discussed with our team.

Your day-long field trip will start either in the Outdoor Education Centre or our covered outdoor pavilion (depending on the number of classes booked). Other parts of the conservation area are accessed as needed.

Students should wear appropriate clothing for the weather as your class will be outside for most of the day and our programs run rain or sunshine. Layered clothing is suggested to provide greater comfort.

Yes, each student should bring a small snack for mid-morning and a refillable water bottle. If your class is spending the whole day with us, please have each student pack a litter-free lunch.

No, staff do not provide sunscreen or insect repellant. Each participant should bring these items.

No, you will need to arrange and pay for your bus transportation.

Credit Valley Conservation staff need to be aware of the health and safety needs of each class on the specific day of a program.

Unfortunately, we are unable to offer both GPS programs at the same time to two different classes, as there is only one class set of GPS units available. Also, because the GPS programs have a similar format, please select the one GPS program that you are most interested in and then any of our other programs that you think would work for your students.