The Centre offers customized programs to fit your group needs. They specialize in team building and leadership programs.
Whether you have an elementary class that needs some adventure, a university leadership class that needs a challenge, or a senior’s group that would like to mix outdoor education with a special interest such as photography or painting – we can create a program for you!
Activities and camping are included in our base fee, we can arrange indoor accommodation as well as catered meals.
Cumberland Lake Park Society (formerly CLWS) offers full-day outdoor education programs in the spring and fall.
There are two program options: “Forest Friends” and “Water Keepers”. These programs are aligned with the BC Curriculum for Science and Social Science, both programs aim to nurture curiosity, environmental literacy, and connection to place.
We are committed to providing experiential programs that are rooted in concept-based and competency-driven stories, games, and awareness activities. It is our goal that this day of programming can foster deep, transferable learning back into the classroom, and inspire further inquiry and stewardship. Please see our website for more details.
We aim to make our programs accessible and inclusive. Our subsidized registration fee for each session is $100 per class. If this creates a financial barrier, please email programs@clws.ca for further grants.
The Power of R program includes teacher resource kits, as well as a variety of classroom workshops that are designed to be either stand-alone or presented as a part of the Inquiry Units. The information and delivery formats of the program are continually re-worked to engage different learning styles and stay current with emerging issues.
Solid Waste Programs and Presentations
Grades K-5 – Where Does It Go?
Grades 4 – 12 – Audit Your Waste
Grades 4-7 – Landfill Tours
Grades 6-12 – Linear vs Circular Economies
Grades 6-12 – Community Mentorship and waste diversion project
Grades 7-12 Sewing classes
Grade 7-12 Foods Classes
CUSTOM SESSIONS AND SUPPORT ARE ALSO AVAILABLE TO ALL SCHOOLS – PLEASE FEEL FREE TO REACH OUT WITH YOUR IDEAS!
Email willstepcoaching@shaw.ca to reserve your spot. We look forward to working with you!
CVRD- Connected by Water
New! The Comox Valley Regional District has developed materials to support students in learning about their connections to the watershed, learning what makes a watershed healthy and how to conserve water by using it efficiently at home.
The resources are written as inquiry units (one primary k-3, intermediate 4-7, and High School 8-9), and are designed to support answering the driving question: What allows me to have safe water that I can drink? They can be used in their entirety, or the activities within each unit can stand alone. They include a long list of additional links and resources connecting educators to many ideas and projects in the community, including options for field trips.
CVRD Environmental Educator Tina Willard-Stepan is available to come in to speak to you staff about the resources and to help you implement them. She is available by email at willstepcoaching@shaw.ca
- Why riding public transit is good for the planet
- How to ride the bus step by step
- Tips on how to be a courteous, safe and kind transit rider
- What is affordable transportation?
- What are the true costs of driving a car?
- How to plan transit trips
- What are other low cost ways to get around?
- Tips on how to become a courteous, safe and kind transit rider
If 6 or more classrooms from one school want to participate, there is also an option to book a BC Transit bus to accompany the presentation for a more hands-on learning experience.
***Please note, scheduling a bus to come to the school will be dependent on availability***.
Local Programmer
DV8 Education aims to create an alternative to the classroom by utilizing the school yard or community parks and forests. Programs focus on environmental education and building relationships between self, others, and nature. Using games, singing, storytelling, outdoor adventures, field studies, stewardship, and play. Programs are offered in both English and French and are run by one of our local BC Teacher Certified Teachers spreading her enthusiasm and compassion for the environment and the outdoors.
Please submit your requests within min. of 30 days of your requested date
SD71 and the Courtney Fish and Game Club are excited to announce the partnership between the two groups. The Fish & Game Club is available for SD71 use between Sept. – June. They are currently working on a first come first serve bases. The Club is exclusively run by volunteers therefore all activities are teacher lead with support from a CFG guide.
Teacher planning, programming and support is paramount to the success of your trip. Consider this new space as an extension of your classroom.
All requests must be submitted using the fillable booking request form and emailed to the CFG office, the-office@courtenayfishandgame.org . (See form button on the right)
Please view the calendar to see available dates for booking, there is capacity to support one group request a week.
This is a temporary process as we build a more solid online infrastructure to support registration. Thank you for your patience as we build support for Youth Engagement in the outdoors with School District 71-Comox Valley.
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Hosts field trips for Scientists on a variety of marine science related themes ages K to grade 9. NEW! Inquiry based programs offered for grades 10-12.
Fianna Wilderness School and Outdoor Leaning Programming
Opportunities for SD71 Schools
School onsite full day programming:
- All grades- onsite full day or single class programming available between 10am-3pm
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Fianna Forest Program (Cumberland or forest local to the school)We would build our day around the current season or by request (possible requests: animal tracking, plant foods and medicines, bird language, shelter-building and survival, navigation and mapping). Every program will include circle councils, singing, storytelling, awareness games, sit spots, and lots of exploring.
Full Day Field Excursions:
- Day programs at Black Creek farm location.
- Our day will involve some time on the farm and some in the forest. We will participate together on one brief farm activity that will vary seasonally (harvesting from the garden, feeding the animals, stacking firewood etc.), and we will spend the rest of the time in the fields and forest shelter-building, playing awareness games and practicing fire making. The day will include circle councils, singing, storytelling, games, sit spots, and exploring.
Full Day– Cost $450 for up to 20 kids (2 instructors) or $650 for up to 30 kids (3 instructors)
Local Program
Project Water shed has not only an incredible amount of local information on the Comox Valley Watershed but will also come to your class and support you in water cycle and watershed lessons. There lessons are informative, hands on, interactive, with local examples and relevance. They also offer supported day filed excursions to Comox Valley watershed locations with lessons and activities linked to current curriculum K-7.
AdventureSmart is a national program dedicated to encouraging Canadians and visitors to Canada to “Get informed and go outdoors”. AdventureSmart combines online and on-site awareness with targeted outreach to try and reduce the number and severity of Search and Rescue Incidents.
NOTE: Comox Valley’s local rep. is available all year round on Fridays, presentations usually run 40 min at no cost. Program delivery is in French or English on request, please specify on program request form.
Hug a Tree & Survive
AdventureSmart program that helps lost children survive in the woods. It teaches children how not to become lost in the woods, and what to do should they become lost. Geared to Grades 2-7
Survive Outside
Statistics show that each year across Canada there are approximately 5,000 ground Search and Rescue incidents. They involve all types of outdoor enthusiasts, from hikers and skiers to back country travelers and boaters. Geared towards Grades 7-12
Snow Safety
AdventureSmart encourages you to have fun and play, but always be informed and prepared before you set out. Time spent gaining this extra knowledge and skills can help reverse the SAR incident trend.
Comox Valley- Naturalists Society
The Comox Valley Naturalist Society is made up of dedicated volunteers from scientists, stream-keepers to educators. They are committed to restoration and rehabilitation of our natural environmental around the Valley.
The CVNS often holds events for the public to help with planting or removal of invasive species projects on weekends. They are excited to include SD71’s schools in this invitation and are happy to help support any groups interested in their own projects. Most recently they have opened up some space for classroom and school site supported programs.
Please click the above link to find out more information about Comox Valley Naturalists and their contact information to have them support outdoor and environmental learning in your classroom.
Comox Valley Broom Busters
The Comox Valley Broombusters work in the areas of Courtenay, Cumberland, Comox and the CVRD. If you would like to find out more about Broombusting in the Comox Valley, please contact Bev at cvbroombusters@gmail.com
To conserve and protect native wildlife and its natural habitat through education and rehabilitation.
MARS has now opened an onsite visitor and education centre. Please considering going on sight to learn directly from these amazing volunteers putting so much energy into protecting our local wild life. MARS is still available for their ambassador bird program, please contact with ample time and link it to your in class studies to get the most out of the experience.
Educational Class Tours
Cumberland’s fascinating history lends itself to engaging learning experiences for youth.
The Cumberland Museum and Archives offers Guided Museum and Walking Tours for classes and learning groups. Rates vary depending on class sizes.
There are a handful of field trip opportunities available with the Courtenay Museum, from fossil and geology tours to historical walks. The staff are very knowledgeable, enthusiastic and great with kids.
Comox Valley Fossil Adventures
Contact: 250 650 7069 / 250 703 3444 comoxvalleyfossiladventures@hotmail.com
Adventures that take you back to the time of the dinosaurs! Husband and wife fossil hunters, Russ and Lori Ball, have combined their teaching skills, educational backgrounds and passions into an educational adventure for ages 8 to 88.
What we offer:
Elementary / Secondary level: based on ages
Classroom: up to three hours of hands on show and tell with slide shows, physical specimens, question period and discussion on fossils, rocks and geology. This can include a word search/crossword/drawing activity for a marking component.
Outdoor: follow up the classroom discussion with a hike, geology lesson, flora and fauna chat, and a fossil hunt. Students would leave the classroom and participate in a short hike and a chance to dig for dead critters.
The Tsolum River Restoration Society has a long history of engaging children and youth in stream stewardship. In the spring and fall we offer FREE field trips to Tsolum River Spirit Park or Comox Exhibition Grounds along the banks for the Tsolum River to elementary school kids. Full or half day field trips are available. We also can extend the field trip learning by spending half a day in your classroom after the morning field trip. If you are interested in booking a field trip, contact Caroline at 250-897-4670. trrs.educationoutreach@gmail.com
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The Vancouver Island Mountain Centre
The Centre offers custom programming for day trips and over night trips. A great way to bring students into the Mountains in their back yard, with the warmth and convenience of a world class facility.
Consider linking same “below zero” nature based educational programs to your time at the mountain centre, it will help with GoGrant funding if you are looking for a little extra help.