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 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Belonging and Contributing (Overall Expectation 29)

Ever wonder why pet rocks don’t need food or water, or say “hi”? Come explore our fabulous forest. Students will use magnifying glasses to learn the difference between living and non-living things. During this adventure, students will meet local trees and sing with songbirds.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Link: Belonging and Contributing (Overall Expectation 29)

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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links:

• Kindergarten: Belonging and Contributing (OE 29), Self-Regulation and Well-Being (OE 7, 8), Demonstrating Literacy and Mathematics Behaviours (OE 14, 16)
• 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: 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
• Grade 3: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Growth and Changes in Plants
• Grade 4: Science and Technology: Life Systems  –Habitats and Communities
• Grade 5: Science and Technology: Matter and Energy – Properties of and Changes in Matter
• Grade 6: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Biodiversity
• Grade 7: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Interactions in the Environment
• 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 than 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 the winter months.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Using an enchanted treasure map, explore the natural wonders with your amazing senses. While discovering how animals use their senses, journey into the world of ‘magical’ creatures and plants that call this place home.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Description: What do a chef, builder, and water scientist have in common? Students will take on these exciting roles as they become the Guardians of Terra Cotta. Through hands-on investigations they will become involved in a fast-paced adventure to ensure the animals are able to find the food, water and shelter they need to survive.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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. Which animal will take home the Olympic medals?

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Calling all Inspectors! Make your way to the station house and get ready to investigate the creepy-crawly conspiracy taking place. Your mission is to find and examine the insects of the land, water and air, and solve the mystery of what makes them incredible. Case closed.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Brrrr…it’s getting cold! Are you ready for the weather? Come and learn how to check the weather by testing the wind and temperature using hands-on techniques. What happens when it gets too cold or too warm? Discover the forms that water can take in different weather and find out how animals adapt to the changing seasons.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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 magnifying glasses and get the dirt… on dirt! Investigate what insects and animals live in the land down under while finding out about the different types of soils under your very own toes.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Earth and Space Systems – Soils in the Environment

Take a walk through the Lorax’s forest and discover the wild and colourful plants that grow here. Using drama and hands-on investigation, students get their own “Truffula” seed and find out what it means to be a steward of the earth.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Keep calm and build on! Explore the nuts and bolts of nature’s strong and stable structures, and construct a masterpiece of your own. But don’t forget…nature’s forces are at work so make sure your structure can endure. Discover how birds build long-lasting nests and why beavers are the ultimate engineers. Strap on your tool belt and let’s get building!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Close your eyes and explore different habitats in a whole new way – through sound. Join us on a safari tour, and learn what makes forests, lakes and fields unique places for wildlife to call home. Find out what animals are really “saying” and create your own “soundscape symphony” to learn about how sound travels and how animals use it to communicate.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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 role play as agents who are searching for a desirable habitat for an animal client. Discover the specific characteristics that make a habitat suitable and what happens when human and animal habitats become a little too close for comfort.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Habitats and Communities

What do food, water, shelter and space have in common? Come and learn how animals need these four very important things to survive. Students will search for animal shelters, investigate animal water use and play a high-energy food chain game, all while exploring Terra Cotta’s forest and wetland!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class.

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

Peer through the lens of a camera and explore and create your own two- and three-dimensional wild art. Dabble with the principles and elements of art and design and be inspired by nature’s masterpiece! Sketching will be offered during inclement weather and the winter months instead of cameras.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: The Arts: Visual Arts; Health and Physical Education: Active Living

A great way to explore the forest is by snowshoe or on foot. Follow animal tracks along the trail to see where they lead, and watch for the many birds that call Terra Cotta home. As you get your heart rate going, you’ll discover why hiking or snowshoeing is not only perfect for viewing wildlife – it’s also a great workout!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links:

Grade 5: Health and Physical Education: Active Living; Science and Technology: Life Systems – Human Health and Body Systems

Grade 6: Science and Technology:  Life Systems – Biodiversity; Health and Physical Education: Active Living, Physical Fitness

Grade 7: Science and Technology: Earth & Life Systems –Interactions in the Environment; Health and Physical Education: Active Living; Social Studies: Geography – Physical Patterns in a Changing World

Grade 8: Science and Technology: Earth & Space Systems – Water Systems; Health and Physical Education – Active Living

Let’s flock together and use our bird brains and discover local birds using binoculars. Touch and feel feathers and replica bird skulls and learn about bird adaptations, biodiversity amongst species and how we can protect and increase bird populations in our community. By the end of the session, you will be thinking like a bird!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Life Systems – Biodiversity, STEM Skills and Connections – STEM Investigation and Communication Skills, Applications, Connections and Contributions

Who says math can’t be fun, exciting and done outdoors! This hands-on program focuses on forest ecosystems and how math along with data collection can be useful in determining and improving the health of our forests.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Waypoints, satellites and directions, oh my! If you feel like you have a bad sense of direction, learn how to use a GPS device, go geocaching and take to the trails for a biodiversity challenge. Students will be challenged to put their ecological knowledge into practice by exploring ecosystem features of forests and ponds while navigating their way through the park.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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

Do you have what it takes to survive in the wild? Come on a hike and train with some of the best survivors – our local wildlife. Learn about the strategies they use to find food, water and to avoid being eaten. Then, use your skills to compete in the Survival Games, where hunters become the hunted and only the strong survive.

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

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 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Earth and Space Systems – Water Systems; Social Studies: 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. You’ll get to participate in hands-on activities that showcase the work our Forest Technicians, Watershed Restoration staff and Planning teams do each day. From monitoring tree health with your math skills, using identification keys to identify indicator species, and even examining air photos to look for changes in our watershed overtime. Test out a future career today!

Duration: 1.5 hours (can be combined with another 1.5 hours 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 students in each class

Ontario Curriculum Links: Science and Technology: Earth and Space Systems – Water Systems; Social Studies: Geography – Global Settlement – Patterns and Sustainability; Mathematics: Spatial Sense

No, the fee of $425 plus HST is for one class (up to 30 students) for a full-day visit, or $230 plus HST for one class (up to 30 students) 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 starts in the Outdoor Education Centre. 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 litterless 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.