Language Arts - Just Add Nature!
Posted by Canadian Wildlife Federation | Fédération canadienne de la faune on 7 Nov 2023
Nature can bring the language arts curriculum to life! Not only can nature act as a source of inspiration for writing, including stories and poetry, but it also provides opportunities for observation, inquiry and key skill development.
Language arts teaches us how to communicate, how to interpret the world around us, how to work together to solve problems, and how to capture, record and share information and ideas with others.
By infusing nature-base learning into language arts, we can foster literacy while inspiring a deeper connection and appreciation for the environment!
Check out the tips below for some easy ways to integrate environmental and outdoor education into your next language arts lesson!
For Early Years and Elementary
- Through Nature Journalling, you can foster observation and writing skills by encouraging youth to draw, label and describe the things they observe in nature.
- Engage youth in a brainstorming session to create a personal mind map illustrating their connections to the ocean.
- Build research, speaking and writing skills by having youth conduct a mock interview with a local animal of plants species, then having them use the information they collect to write an illustrative article!
- Youth can practice their listening skills by learning some of the common birdsongs from species in their local area.
For Middle Years and High School
- Engage youth in researching, developing and presenting information on their local watershed through a hands-on or digital display. Youth can choose from a variety of display styles, including story, art, video or even 3D models.
- Through role-playing, have students explore the impacts of climate change from a variety of perspectives.
- Develop students’ verbal presentation skills by engaging in a debate about the positive and negative effects of invasive species.
- Challenge stereotypes and encourage youth to examine the difference between facts and opinion by exploring our relationship with urban wildlife, including those often seen as pests such as skunks and racoons.
Science - Just Add Nature!
Posted by Canadian Wildlife Federation | Fédération canadienne de la faune on 13 Oct 2023
Pairing science with nature-based education? Now that’s a winning combination!
Science helps us better understand the natural world around us! Through science, we ask questions and seek answers to grow our collective knowledge.
Nature-based learning provides an amazing gateway for real-world problem-solving, research and critical thinking – all key skills in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
Check out the tips below for some easy ways to integrate environmental and outdoors education into your next science lesson!
For Early Years and Elementary
- Teach about the movement of animals by examining wildlife tracks in the mud or snow.
- Explore the components of habitat by having students create a map of their own habitat then compare their needs to those of plants and wildlife.
- Showcase the changing seasons by examining how polar bears adapt to Canada’s winters. This activity is also a great way to teach about temperature!
- Invite students to observe the lifecycle of plants firsthand by having them create paper plant pots to grow their own seedlings in the spring!
- Examine plant structure and function with this handy factsheet detailing the process of pollination.
- Conduct an experiment to see which foods are preferred by birds by erecting a bird feeding station and observing its visitors!
For Middle Years and High School
- Explore our connection to the ocean through our watersheds by mapping the flow of water from your community to the ocean.
- Have your students become citizen scientists by collecting and documenting observations of local biodiversity through iNaturalist.ca.
- Discover how water gets cleaned by wetlands by creating a filter using a pop bottle and natural materials.
- Explore the impacts of climate change on wildlife by examining its influence on different groups of animals.
- Play a card-matching activity to explore how human activities can accidentally transport invasive species into ecosystems.
- Explore the concept of sustainability by examining your individual and collect carbon footprint!
2023/2024 School Year
Posted by Canadian Wildlife Federation | Fédération canadienne de la faune on 7 Sep 2023
Recipes for Transformative Education
Take your standard curriculum, fold in some experiential learning, add a generous helping of nature and you’ve got a recipe for education that has the power to inspire and transform!
This school year bring your classroom to life by incorporating nature-based learning into your teaching practice! From science to math, arts to social studies, follow along with us as we share our “recipes for success” each month. All you need to do is add nature!
If you haven't signed up to receive our monthly education newsletters you can click here and sign up at the bottom of the page, and be sure to check back here so you don't miss the next post in October!
What’s coming up this year?
- October 2023 | Science
- November 2023 | Language Arts
- December 2023 | Winter Break
- January 2024 | Social Studies
- February 2024 | Mathematics
- March 2024 | Spring Break
- April 2024 | Arts
- May 2024 | Health & Physical Education
- June 2024 | Summer Break
In the meantime, check out our Online Resource Library to discover a wide array of educational content, including lesson plans, factsheets, projects and videos!
Here you will find a wide range of educational resources, lesson plans, videos, and hands-on projects to help you teach students of all ages about wildlife and habitat conservation. You can also browse our teaching tools to find Resources and Videos that meet your individual teaching needs.
