BOOK A WILD VOICES FOR KIDS PROGRAM!
Due to recent CBEEN program funding changes, we will now offer price options for Wild Voices for Kids programs.
Please select the price option that suits your needs, knowing that some schools don’t have access to the financial resources that others do.
We ask that teachers ensure that a program does not violate their school and/or district policies before booking. It is the responsibility of the teacher to confirm program suitability and communicate needs and questions to the Community Educator.
We continue to have a COVID-19 policy in place and teachers booking programs are expected to read this plan in advance of their program to understand our policies and practices around offering programs.
Questions about the policy may be directed to the Wild Voices Program Manager at wildvoices@cbeen.org
READ OUR COVID-19 PLAN HERE
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Check out our Booking Guide for Teachers.
Whitebark and Limber Pine Trees Species at Risk; why are they so special?
| Bookable Type(s) | In Class/School Yard (1 - 1.5 hr) Half Day Field Study Full Day Field Study |
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| Duration | Varies by Booking |
| Location | Columbia Lake PP, Mt.Swansea, Panorama Mountain Resort, Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, Crowsnest Pass. |
| Contact This Presenter | strausscor@gmail.com |
About the Program
Whitebark and limber pine trees are truly amazing! This program is an introduction to five-needle pine trees, whitebark and limber pine trees, and conifers as a whole. We will discuss: Why are these trees endangered? What is a keystone species? Why are they so crucial to our landscapes and forests? We will also look at some of the very interesting adaptations five-needle pines have, such as whitebark pine's symbiotic relationship with Clark’s nutcracker, and the limber pine’s ability to grow in places with little soil and harsh dry climates.
During this presentation and/or field trip, students will learn the key points on how to identify five-needle pines vs. other trees. From looking at and touching needles, cones, bark, and discussing/viewing habitat specific locations, we will go over the difference between limber and whitebark pine trees, along with the challenges these trees are facing, including invasive species, the effects of climate change, the mountain pine beetle, and habitat loss. We will look at what is being done to help these amazing trees, such as techniques used in five-needle pine conservation, preservation, and restoration.
All presentations will include the 1-1.5 hr classroom portion, which involves a digital presentation and a chance for hands-on exploration of these trees. This option can also involve a walk to a nearby forest.
For field study programs, most will be a half-day program and will involve a hike to explore whitebark and/or limber pines in the wild, along with an exciting "Keystone Species Connectivity Scavenger Hunt". Please connect with Corinna (strausscor@gmail.com) to discuss the possibility of a full-day program, which would include a longer hike with expanded content.
For high school grades, this program will include basic silviculture, measurements, survey protocols, and exciting restoration techniques specific to five-needle pines.
About the Educator
Corinna has worked as an outdoor guide, in which much of her time was spent teaching youth in the outdoors how to rock climb. Corinna currently works as a Registered Biology Technologist (R.B.Tech) conducting fieldwork and is also a certified Four-Season Interpretive Guide.
Ever since she was a child, being outside in nature and embarking on outdoor adventures has made a lasting impact and shaped Corinna's life in so many rewarding ways. Now, and more than ever, Corinna feels it is crucial to get kids outside, off screens, and connecting with the natural world for the health of youth, future generations, and the planet.
| Curriculum Links: | Grade 3 : Living things are diverse, can be grouped, and interact in their environment; biodiversity in the local environment.
Grade 4 - Biomes, Adaptations and sensing and responding; all living things sense and respond to their environment. Grade 5/6 - Multicellular organisms and systems that interact with their environment to survive; interconnectedness; the nature of sustainable practices around BC's resource. Grade 7 - Climate change; evidence of climate change; survival needs/natural selection. Grade 8 - Characteristics of life and photosynthesis. Grade 9 - Grade 9 - The Biosphere, Hydrosphere, and Atmosphere are interconnected and matter and energy fl ow through them;asexual/sexual reproduction. Grade 10 - All of the above plus an introduction in field techniques used in silviculture and techniques used specifically for conservation and restoration of five-needle pine trees. Specifically, what a tree transect is, how to take GPS points and create tree transects, and an introduction into cone caging. Grade 11 Environmental Science, Earth Science and Science for citizens - All of the above, plus a dive into more restoration practices used for five-needle pine trees. An explanation of conservation efforts across the whole range of the species. How the restoration and conservation efforts are a widespread collaborative effort. What are different platforms and apps (inaturalist, iseek and eFlora) that are used to map and locate trees. How this is a citizen science effort and how the students can do it too! |
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| Tags: | Ecosystems / Wildlife, Forestry / Silviculture, Climate Change |
| Seasons: | Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter |
| Grade Levels: | High (10-12), Middle (7-9), Intermediate (4-6) |
| School Districts: | Independent, SD6, SD5 |
Program Price Options:
Due to recent CBEEN program funding changes, CBEEN will now offer price options for Wild Voices for Kids programs. Please select the price option that suits your needs, knowing that some schools don’t have access to the financial resources that others do. The following price options are available:
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Non-subsidized: Please select this option if you can access funds to pay the full price for this program. By selecting this option, this will allow us to offer more subsidized programs to those schools who don’t have the same support as you might. An unlimited number of programs are available at this payment level.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hours = $250
- Half-day field study = $390
- Full-day field study = $595
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Slightly Subsidized: Please select this option if you need a bit of support in paying for your program. CBEEN has secured some grant funding to support this option. An unlimited number of programs are available at this payment level.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hrs = $150
- Half-day field study = $250
- Full-day field study = $350
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Heavily Subsidized: Please select this option if you need a lot of support in helping to make programs happen in your school. CBEEN has secured funding to allow a limited number of classes to access two heavily subsidized programs/class/year.
- In class/school yard ~1-1.5 hrs = $75
- Half-day field study = $125
- Full-day field study = $175
- Fully Subsidized: Please select this option if you have no means of accessing funding for a program. CBEEN has secured funding to allow a limited number of classes to access one totally subsidized program/class/year.