Program Descriptions: Early Education through Grade 8
Outdoor Experiential Education
Your environmental FIELD TRIP destination
All of the programs below are a half-day (2 hours) in length, except where noted. Check out the Full Program Details for suggested program combinations to create a full-day experience HERE !
| Making Sense of Nature Year-round K (Pre/ECE) |
Come outside with us and learn how to use your eagle-eyes, owl-ears and fox-nose! Nature is full of new sights, sounds, smells and textures, and this program encourages young learners to take it all in. Includes lots of outside time and guided exploration. |
| The Great Animal Adventure Year-round K (Pre/ECE) |
All kinds of animals call RBG home, and in this program we search for animals, their homes and the signs they leave behind. We discover strategies for survival in nature, and how animals interact with each other and their habitats. |
| The Great Plant Parade Year-round K (Pre/ECE) |
RBG may be the best place to see plants in Canada! In this program we explore different types of plants, and learn how they survive in our challenging climate. Winter variation: ask about having this program in our balmy Mediterranean Garden! |
| Reptile Rendezvous January–April K (Pre/ECE) |
Our exotic and beautiful collection of turtles, crocodilians, lizards, and snakes is the perfect way to introduce young learners to the world of reptiles! Learn about the amazing ways reptile biology has adapted to survive in extreme environments. Slither, swim, crawl, or climb over to RBG Centre to see our scaley visitors in naturalistic habitats: this is not a program to missss! |
| Hit the Trails! The Natural World (2 hr) Year-round (Gr. 1–8) |
RBG’s Arboretum has natural surprises around every corner, every week of the year! Whether taking in the fall colours, tracking deer through the snow, or discovering spring flowers, a general nature tour allows students to connect with the forests, fields, and fauna along the shores of Cootes Paradise. This half-day program can be tailored to complement desired curricula. |
| Hit the Trails! The Natural World (2 hr) Year-round (Gr. 1–8) |
RBG’s Arboretum has natural surprises around every corner, every week of the year! Whether taking in the fall colours, tracking deer through the snow, or discovering spring flowers, a general nature tour allows students to connect with the forests, fields, and fauna along the shores of Cootes Paradise. This half-day program can be tailored to complement desired curricula. |
| Hit the Trails! The Natural World (2 hr) Year-round (Gr. 1–8) |
RBG’s Arboretum has natural surprises around every corner, every week of the year! Whether taking in the fall colours, tracking deer through the snow, or discovering spring flowers, a general nature tour allows students to connect with the forests, fields, and fauna along the shores of Cootes Paradise. This half-day program can be tailored to complement desired curricula. |
| Hit the Trails! Characteristics and Needs of Living Things Year-round Gr. 1 (Gr. 2) |
Heading out onto RBG’s trails in search of plants and animals, this program delves deep into the world of living things. Students learn what defines a living thing, how these organisms survive in nature and how humans fit into the natural world. |
| Characteristics and Needs of Turtles January –April Primary |
Featuring species from Ontario and around the world, this program introduces students to the fascinating ways in which turtles and other reptiles meet their basic needs. Students explore the similarities and differences between turtles and human beings, and how both species depend on their environment to survive. |
| Hit the Trails! Growth and Changes in Animals Year-round Gr. 2 (Gr. 3) |
RBG is home to incredible animals of all kinds! Though they may be different, they all share some important things in common. This program explores what defines an animal, and how they grow and survive. Lots of time is spent outside in search of wild creatures and the signs they leave behind! |
| Growth and Changes in Reptiles January–April Primary |
Reptiles inhabit some of the most extreme environments on earth, which makes them the perfect model organism for studying growth and changes in animals. With our live animal teaching partners, students learn about the adaptations they use to survive, their fascinating life cycles, and what makes them unique in the animal kingdom. |
| Hit the Trails! Growth and Changes in Plants Year-round Gr. 3 (Gr. 2) |
RBG is home to more plant species than any other place in Canada, and the perfect place to explore growth and changes in plants! Learn about plant needs and life cycles, and see how a variety of local plants grow and survive in our northern Carolinian forest. |
| Hit the Trails! Habitats and Communities Year-round Gr. 4 (Gr. 3, 5) |
A habitat is much more than just where an organism lives! In this program, students explore all the facets of plant and animal habitats here at RBG, and how they depend on each other. Students also consider their own habitat needs, and how they compare to those of other living things. |
| Reptile Habitats and Communities January–April Junior |
What makes a habitat a home? What are the necessary components of a community? The habitats and communities of reptiles are not all alike, but students explore how these amazingly adapted creatures use their particular habitats by visiting our winter exhibit Reptile Rendezvous. |
| Hit the Trails! Interactions in the Environment Year-round Gr. 7 (Gr. 6, 8) |
Everything in nature is connected, and in this program students take a close look at those connections. By exploring food webs, mutualism, parasitism and other local examples, students examine interactions in nature and how human interactions can be both negative and positive. |
| Hit the Trails! Winter November–March (Gr. 4–8) |
Life is all around us during the winter. Through games and a fascinating nature hike, students examine the amazing ways that plants and animals meet their needs to survive during Canada’s winter months. Bring warm clothes and boots, we are heading outside! |
| Hit the Trails! – 4 hr Year-round (Gr. 4–8) |
An immersive outdoor experience! On this full-day adventure, students join an RBG guide on a hike through some of the spectacular and diverse landscapes that make this area unique. The program combines physical challenge with nature learning, without being information-heavy. The hike can be tailored to complement desired curricula, or simply left to focus on the experience and follow the students’ curiosity. |
| Biodiversity May–June, September–October Gr. 6 (Gr. 5, 7, 8) |
It’s hard to imagine a better place to explore biodiversity than here at RBG! Through hands-on exploration, students study the biodiversity of a local forest, field or wetland, relate it to ecosystem health and examine the impacts that humans can have on the environment. Please note: availability of study sites may vary by season, but there is always lots to see! Ask us about making this a full-day by exploring two different habitats. |
| Reptile Biodiversity January–April Junior, Intermediate |
Reptiles are an important part of our ecosystems. Through the lens of the global diversity of reptiles, students examine what biodiversity means, its importance to healthy ecosystems and why biodiversity is at risk while exploring our winter exhibit Reptile Rendezvous. |
| Fishway Demonstration May–June, September–October Gr. 4, 6, 7 (Gr. 1-3, 5, 8) |
The RBG Fishway is incredible! This sophisticated conservation tool keeps invasive carp out of Cootes Paradise while allowing native fish to pass through. Students see fish up close and talk to our biologists about the incredible underwater world of RBG, all in the context of the complex history of Cootes Paradise. This program takes place at our Princess Point location. |
| Getting to Know GPS Year-round (Gr. 7, 8) |
GPS can be used for navigation and scientific research, but is also the heart of geocaching, a high-tech treasure hunt activity for teams. In a program combining math, physical activity, and team work, students learn all about the Global Positioning System, and then put their new skills to the test with a partner out on a challenge course in our Arboretum! |
| Soils in the Environment May–June, September–October Gr. 3 (Gr. 4) |
Soil is the foundation of nearly all terrestrial ecosystems. Get ready to get your hands dirty as we delve into the world beneath our feet! Search for tiny soil-dwellers, explore the properties of dirt and examine how humans impact and change soil ecosystems. |
| Air and Water in Nature Year-round Gr. 2 (Gr. 3) |
Air and water may be the most fundamental requirements of all land-living plants and animals, and the ones we most take for granted. Using RBG’s ecosystems, this program explores the physical properties of air and water, and the integral roles they play in the local environment. |
| Species at Risk April–June, September–October Gr. 4, 6, 7 (Gr. 5, 8) |
RBG provides critical habitat for many species at risk, and this program examines their natural history, why they are in danger and what RBG is doing to help. Students may even encounter some of these rare plants and animals as we explore the trails and wetlands of RBG! |
| Organ Systems in Nature September–November, March–June Gr. 5 |
Do you have hawk-eyes, owl-ears, a vulture-stomach or a bird-brain? In this program students use the incredible plants and animals of RBG to explore examples of organ systems in nature, how these systems are adapted for the survival of the organism, and how they compare to those of humans. |
| Reptile Organ Systems January-April Gr. 5 |
The organ systems of reptiles share both striking similarities and drastic differences with those of humans. Using our winter exhibit Reptile Rendezvous, students explore the biology and organ systems of reptiles, how organs are used for survival, and how they compare to our own. |
| Cells in Nature September–November, March–June Gr. 8 |
Cells are the fundamental unit of life, and while they can’t be seen with the naked eye, their evidence is everywhere. In this program students explore the roles of different types of cells in the plants and animals of RBG, and how they are adapted to perform their specialized functions. |
| Mediterranean Biome/Plants November–March Gr. 1, 3, 4, 6, 7 (Gr. 2, 5, 8) |
Study unusual plants from the Earth’s five mediterranean regions, and learn how they grow and survive in these difficult climates. By completing a set of challenges in our Mediterranean greenhouse, students will understand the role of plants in the environment, their importance to humans and become a “Junior Botanist” at Canada’s largest botanical garden! |
| Creative Writing in Nature Year-round (Gr. 6–8) |
Let nature inspire your creative writing side! By using skills such as listening, observing, imagining, and exploring, students will learn and employ strategies for writing using nature as a muse. Whether it is for poetry, non-fiction, or creative story writing, RBG’s gardens and natural lands can unlock the power of literature from within your students. |
| Creative Writing: Reptiles January-April Intermediate, Senior |
Armed with a variety of literary tools and fun strategies, students explore Reptile Rendezvous through a poetic or narrative lens. After learning terms and techniques for writing, students engage in crafting and sharing poetry or stories inspired by our winter exhibit with enthusiasm. |
| Look, See, Paint! Year-round |
From cave paintings to oil on canvas, nature has provided inspiration to artists for millennia. Using the gardens and natural lands of RBG, students receive instruction and use our high-quality watercolour kits to create their own worksof- art. Group sizes limited by watercolour kits and supplies. |