Outdoor Education
Complete List of Outdoor Education Programs
The Amazing Race
Grades: 9, 10, 12
Seasons: all
Explore Scanlon Creek using a map and compass to find 21 stations across the property. Along the way, roadblocks and detours present a variety of challenges teams must overcome to be successful. There are two versions of The Amazing Race to choose from: Focus on Forestry or Teambuilding Challenge.
Animal Orienteering
Grades: K, 1, 2, 3
Seasons: all
Students will develop essential skills in map reading and interpretation while also learning about different animal groups. Using their newfound mapping skills, students will progress through a series of orienteering courses that focus on different animal groups and their unique physical characteristics.
Aquatic Adventures
Grades: 2, 4, 6
Seasons: fall and spring
Discover the diversity of life found in Scanlon Creek. Using long-handled dip nets and identification sheets, groups will work to identify invertebrates that are collected. A discussion of animal characteristics, adaptations and life cycles will give a greater understanding of these fascinating critters and their habitats.
Arctic Winter Games
Grades: 2, 4, 6
Seasons: winter
Take an adventure north to explore parts of traditional Inuit culture and animals that live in the Arctic. Become immersed in a variety of traditional Arctic winter games created by the Inuit and Dene peoples. Discussions will include how the cold northern climate has affected the lives of the people and animals who live there.
Climate Escape
Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10
Seasons: all
Students will learn about the carbon cycle, the greenhouse effect and climate change from a global and local standpoint. As a culminating activity, students will participate in a game called Climate Escape, which will challenge them to work together to navigate around the Scanlon Creek property solving various puzzles to reveal the locked “answer to climate change”.
*This program has been recently updated to include new challenges, Indigenous connections and Traditional Ecological Knowledge.
Diversity of Animals
Grades: 2
Seasons: all
Through inquiry-based learning and simulation activities, the diversity that exists between and amongst groups of animals will be more closely examined. Students are introduced to a variety of local animals to discover and explore the characteristics, adaptations, similarities, and differences that make each animal group unique.
Feathered Friends
Grades: K, 1
Seasons: all
Let’s explore the nearby natural habitat and dive into the fascinating world of local birds! Through active games and hands-on discovery, students will learn to recognize familiar bird calls, understand what birds need to survive, and build empathy for the wildlife around them. The program finishes with students making their own bird feeder to take home and support local birds.
Forests of the Future
Grades: 7
Seasons: fall and spring
Students will explore the role of trees in carbon storage and the impacts of climate change on local forests. Using GPS units and maps, they will locate four tree species, record microhabitat observations and measure tree diameters at breast height (DBH). Their findings will help them consider the conditions that support healthy forests and guide future management decisions. *This program includes a pre-learning podcast activity and a post-visit data analysis using iTree, where students develop a planting plan for Scanlon Creek based on their results.
Habitats & Communities
Grades: 4
Seasons: all
Learn about the different adaptations that plant and animal species have developed to survive while exploring the Scanlon Creek property. The relationship of different organisms within a food chain will be studied using field guides and technology. Local species-at-risk and invasive species will be discussed and identified, along with their impacts on habitats. A final culminating game of web of life will keep your group moving and engaged as they assume the roles of herbivores, omnivores, or carnivores and exchange energy and try to survive!
Images in the Park
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Seasons: all
Nature has inspired famous works of art for centuries by providing beautiful textures, colours, and shapes. Dabble in the principles of art and elements of design by taking nature-inspired photographs or create ephemeral art using natural, found objects and document your masterpiece with our digital cameras. Photos will be shared electronically after the visit.
Introduction to GPS
Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Seasons: all
Explore the exciting sport of “geocaching” using handheld units to connect to and navigate with the Global Positioning System of orbiting satellites. After learning how GPS technology works and how to use a GPS device, groups will test their new skills by inputting coordinates for a series of waypoints hidden throughout Scanlon Creek and use their GPS units to find and record these locations. After successful completion of the course, they will have the opportunity to find one of Scanlon Creek’s hidden geocaches.
Kicksledding
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Season: winter (subject to snow conditions)
Discover a new way to enjoy a winter day while keeping active and warm outside. Kicksleds can be described as a chair on runners that is powered by the driver like a scooter. It’s a fun way to exercise and enjoy the many trails within the Scanlon Creek property. A quick stop during the program to feed chickadees will ensure this is a memory making experience.
Loose Parts Play
Grades: K, 1, 2
Seasons: spring and fall
Come for an unstructured journey, full of excitement, curiosity, imagination, and wonder. Using natural materials of all sorts, groups will play and guide themselves through stations that focus on art, music, math, literacy, physical education, and inquiry. Watch them wonder and be amazed! This program takes place at Scanlon Creek’s Discovery Play Garden, the home base for our Forest School program.
Lost!
Grades: 5, 6, 7
Seasons: all
Learn what to do when lost using the STOP method. Then, working in groups, shelters will be constructed to contain heat and cope with the elements. A lesson in fire building will lead into groups working together to start their own fires in a controlled setting. Emphasis is placed on group problem solving and cooperation skills.
Math Trails
Grades: 3
Seasons: spring and fall
Uncover math in the wondrous natural world around us through a combination of a scavenger hunt, forest exploration hike and team challenge that is designed to engage math learners at all stages. Being creative and working together to solve problems is the key to these challenges rather than getting the correct answer. This program takes place at Scanlon Creek’s Discovery Play Garden, the home base for our Forest School program.
Orienteering
Grades: 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9
Seasons: all
Sharpen your spatial sense and map-reading skills in our fun, competitive orienteering course. Students will learn essential skills like symbol recognition, estimation, map orientation, and problem-solving as they navigate the Scanlon Creek property to locate orienteering markers. Those who finish early can take on an additional challenge with our photo-orienteering course, putting their skills to the test in a creative twist on the classic activity.
Teambuilding 101
Grades: 6, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12
Season: all
Develop effective group relationships by working together to accomplish various activities and challenges. Emphasis is placed on listening, problem-solving, communication and cooperation skills to successfully accomplish each task. Group dynamics and character development are also key features that help build a positive learning community.
Tech for Nature
Grades: 6, 7, 9, 11
Length: half day
Seasons: all
Who says you can’t incorporate technology and the great outdoors? Use of traditional field guides will be introduced along with apps such as iNaturalist and Seek. Groups will use these tools to practice their plant and animal identification skills in various habitats while gaining a better understanding of biodiversity, species-at-risk, invasive species, human impacts, and the dynamic balance of interactions in the environment. Students will also contribute important data to various community science programs and leave with a greater appreciation of the natural world.
This program is proudly supported by the RBC Foundation.
Water Quality Indicators
Grades: 7, 8, 9, 10, 11
Seasons: fall, spring
The health of an aquatic ecosystem can be determined by the presence, absence and abundance of different types of benthic macroinvertebrates and certain chemicals. Samples of water will be collected from Scanlon Creek to perform both physical and biological tests. By referring to a benthic chart and chemical result sheet, the water quality of Scanlon Creek will be assessed. In doing so, a better understanding will be gained of the current threats and impacts to the Lake Simcoe watershed, including invasive species and climate change.
School Subjects:
Science and Technology Health & Physical Education Math Social Studies The Arts Kindergarten ProgramHelp Us Build a New Nature Centre!
Our partners at the Lake Simcoe Conservation Foundation have launched the Connect Campaign to build an incredible new Nature Centre at Scanlon Creek.
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Nature Centre
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Booking Request
(School and Community Programming or Nature Centre Rentals)
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Map to the Scanlon Creek Nature Centre