C2C Winter Solstice Celebration

Thursday, December 14, 4:30-6pm PT (on Zoom)

Featuring “Rise Up Indigenous Wellness” with Launa Payne & Sherrelle Anderson

Secwépemc Language Course for Educators – Eastern Dialect

Mondays at 6pm PT, January 15 – February 26 (skip February 19 for Family Day)

With language teacher Roxanne Iswell Sampson

Managing Eco-Anxiety through Outdoor Learning

Tues, January 16, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With Educators and Earth Rangers, Stephanie Doyle and Nicole Forsyth

• • • When kids are worried about the environment, they can feel scared, overwhelmed and even hopeless. This is called eco-anxiety. But what can we do about it?How about turning Eco-Anxiety into Eco-Action? Eco-anxiety is a valid response to the real challenges our kids see around them. As adults, our job isn’t to make their concerns go away; it’s to help channel them into positive action. Join Stephanie and Nicole who will share research and practical ways on how Outdoor Learning and Environmental Action can help to manage Eco-Anxiety.Stephanie Doyle, PhD, is the Education Programs Manager at Earth Rangers. Earth Rangers Homeroom supports K-6 educators in transforming children’s concerns about the environment into positive action through classroom resources, an eco clubs program and the “Eco-Anxiety to Eco-Action” micro-credential.Nicole Forsyth is the Managing Director for Earth Rangers, USA, a nonprofit committed to instilling environmental knowledge, positivity, and the confidence to take action in every child in Canada and now the United States.All registrants will be entered to win some great draw prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.Learn more from Earth Rangers Experts in our:
      • ‘Eco Anxiety to Eco Action’ Podcast Episode 

      Take Action with Climate Education:

      • Groundswell: Indigenous Knowledge and a Call to Action for Climate Change 
      • Teaching Kids about Climate Change
      • Teaching Teens About Climate Change 

Nature Activities for Learners

January 17, 2024 – February 21, 2024, 4pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With author Jacob Rodenburg, and co-hosted by Outdoor Learning Store Director of Learning, Jade Berrill

Join us for this micro-credential learning course to improve the nature activities you provide for learners. Come away with practical, cross-curricular, hands-on activities and skills!

Session Themes: 

1. Connecting to Nearby Nature
2. Seasonal Nature Activities (for the year!)
3. A Pathway to Nature Connection
4. Creating Places and Spaces where Nature and People can Thrive

Jacob Rodenburg, Nature Sommelier, is an award-winning educator and Executive Director of Camp Kawartha, a summer camp and outdoor education centre. He is also an instructor in Environmental Education at Trent University. He has taught more than 100,000 students and is co-author of The Big Book of Nature Activities and The Book of Nature Connection.

Jade Berrill, our (also award-winning!) Director of Learning, has a vivaciousness for life that ignites everyone around her. With a BSc (1ST Class HONS) in Physical Geography and Environmental Chemistry and over 15 years experience teaching across 7 countries and 4 continents she is well accustomed to creating and delivering place-based workshops and offerings for educators and students alike.

Course resource: The Big Book of Nature Activities

Outdoor Learning Astronomy

Tues, January 23, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With Educator and Astronomer, Julie Bolduc-Duval

When we think of astronomy, we usually think of the night sky and that doesn’t work too well with regular classroom schedules. But there are many ways to teach astronomy and bringing the students outdoors is a great way to start!

Whether you’re starting to observe the daytime sky (yes, there’s plenty to see and do during the day!) or using the great outdoors to create scale models, we’ll show you many activities for different grade levels.

We’ll cover topics such as the phases of the Moon, eclipses, figuring out our place in the Solar System and the Milky Way Galaxy, and even exoplanets – those distant planets around other stars. We’ll also explain how your students can explore these themes at home with their families. We love helping young people (and not so young!) reconnect with the sky and their environment and we have many ideas to share with you!

All registrants will be entered to win some great draw prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.

You can ‘Discover the Universe’ where you are with your own Night Sky Guide:

• Night Sky – Glow in the Dark Guide!

Indigenous Resources for Outdoor Learning

Tues, February 6, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With Publishers Qwultultun Robert Goldsmith & Seabacola Topher Beaton

Join Qultultun and Seabacola to learn about authentic Indigenous Learning Resources that connect educators with the Land from across Turtle Island. From traditional to modern stories, educational books and resources, this workshop will connect you with the wealth of authentic Indigenous resources available from Strong Nations – Indigenous owned and operated publishing house.

Qwultultun/Robert Goldsmith is from Quw’utsun First Nation (Cowichan Tribes). He was born in Vancouver but has lived on Vancouver Island, in Nanaimo, for most of his life. Robert is the father of two children, Melainee and Rylan. Robert joined Strong Nations as a shipper/receiver in 2018. Since then, his role has expanded to include warehouse management and customer service, and Director of Publishing. Robert is now the Manager of Sales.

Topher Beaton, or his traditional name Seabacola, has been involved with Strong Nations for years as a member of the operations team, as an author, and now as the Manager of Publishing. He was previously Managing Editor of Portal magazine and studied Creative Writing and English at Vancouver Island University. His first graphic novel Andy’s Tribal Canoe Journey was published in 2022.

All registrants will be entered to win some great draw prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.

You can learn more and access amazing Strong Nations resources here:

• Strong Nations Resources

Apprentissage de l’astronomie en plein air

Tues, February 13, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

Avec l’éducatrice et astronome Julie Bolduc-Duval

Quand nous pensons à l’astronomie, nous pensons généralement au ciel de nuit et cela ne fonctionne pas très bien avec les horaires habituels de classe. Mais il existe de nombreuses façons d’enseigner l’astronomie et amener les élèves à l’extérieur est une excellente façon de commencer!

Que vous commenciez à observer le ciel de jour (oui, il y a beaucoup à voir et à faire pendant le jour!) ou que vous utilisiez les grands espaces pour créer des modèles à l’échelle, nous vous montrerons de nombreuses activités pour différents niveaux scolaires. Nous aborderons des sujets tels que les phases de la Lune, les éclipses, notre place dans le Système solaire et notre galaxie et même les exoplanètes – ces planètes lointaines autour des autres étoiles. Nous expliquerons également comment vos élèves peuvent explorer ces thèmes à la maison avec leur famille. Nous adorons aider les jeunes (et moins jeunes!) à se reconnecter au ciel et à leur environnement et nous avons de nombreuses idées à partager avec vous!

Toutes les personnes inscrites participeront à un tirage au sort pour gagner de superbes prix ! Après l’atelier, vous recevrez un code de réduction pour accéder aux ressources partagées, à l’enregistrement et à un lien pour accéder à votre certificat de participation.

Vous pouvez “découvrir l’univers” où que vous soyez avec votre propre guide du ciel nocturne :

• Night Sky – A Glow in the Dark Guide!

Stories in the Wild: Animal Tracks & Traces

Tues, February 20, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With Wild Educators Jill Jennings & Patty Kolesnichenko

Join Wildsight educators Patty Kolesnichenko and Jill Jennings as they dive into a world of mystery and intrigue, of tracks and traces, of clues left behind by creatures you often do not see – a world of animal signs. Animal tracks and signs create the perfect scaffolding to storytelling, investigation, imagination, and FUN – all found in nearby nature.

Patty and Jill will share Wildsight’s “Stories in the WIld: Animal Tracks and Traces”, a resource that will bring the stories of the snow (or mud) to life! A track sheet with lifesize tracks and accompanying lesson plan, activities, and natural history cards will help educators to teach their learners how to become nature detectives and solve the mysteries left behind by our wild neighbours.

Patty Kolesnichenko has worked as an environmental educator for over 20 years. Patty is in her element when teaching outdoor education and enjoys helping young people find meaningful connections to their natural environment.

Jill has been working in environmental education in many capacities throughout her career–from singing and dancing about all things “neat-ure” as an interpreter with Alberta Parks, to creating many successful environmental education programs in BC and beyond.

All registrants will be entered to win some great draw prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.

Create your own ‘Stories in the Wild’ with our:

• • Animal Tracks and Traces Guide
  • Animal Tracks and Traces Kit: COMING SOON!!!

Enhancing Climate Change Education Through Active Learning

Tues, February 27, 4 pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With Educator and Researcher Dr Karen Acton

A national climate change education survey, conducted by Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) involving over 4,000 Canadians, found an overwhelming consensus that schools have an important role to play in educating our youth about climate change, yet educators shared concerns about a lack of resources and professional learning opportunities.

This interactive workshop will provide highlights of LSF’s climate change education survey results, and support workshop participants in increasing their repertoire of active learning strategies to effectively teach the complex topic of climate change.

All registrants will be entered to win some great draw prizes! Following the workshop, you will receive a discount code to access the resources shared, the recording, and a link to access your Certificate of Attendance.

Transform your Climate Change Education :

• Connecting the Dots: Key Strategies that Transform Learning for Environmental Education, Citizenship and Sustainability

Wild Learning

March 27, 2024 – April 17, 2024, 4pm Pacific / 7 pm Eastern

With author Rachel Tidd, and co-hosted by Outdoor Learning Store Director of Learning, Jade Berrill

This course will include guided conversations, activities and discussion with the author, practical activities for you to try and get feedback on, and community building with other educators while discovering how to deliver your own ‘Wild Learning’.

Session Dates & Themes: 

Registrants will receive:

• Access to 4 live virtual sessions
• Links to the recordings of all sessions (available for up to 3 months after)
• A Certificate of Completion (4 Learning Hours)
• A 10% discount code to access Outdoor Learning Resources, including the book, Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to bring Teaching Outdoors

Rachel Tidd has extensive teaching experience as an elementary and special education teacher and homeschool parent. She is a doctoral student at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point in Educational Sustainability. She has a BSc in Environmental Science and a Master’s degree in Elementary and Special Education.

Jade Berrill is a Physical Geographer (BSc), Environmental Educator, Outdoor Instructor and Guide. She is the Director of Learning for the The Outdoor Learning Store, and has been designing & delivering environmental and nature based programs for over fifteen years, across four continents and seven countries.

Course Recommended Resource: Wild Learning: Practical Ideas to bring Teaching Outdoors by Rachel Tidd. Upon registration you will receive a 10% discount code towards helping access Outdoor Learning Resources, including this book.

Group / Organization Registration: We offer 10% off for groups of 10 or more who register together. You can use this discount code at checkout: UTWRQCTY