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.
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.
Environmental Educator Tina Willard-Stepan from the CVRD is available to come to your Pro.D. staff meetings to speak about the new Environmental resources available for teachers in SD71. These are some very well-done, place-based inquiry units, and come with guest speaker support on the topics of waste reduction, as well as watershed protection and water conservation.
Please contact her at willstepcoaching@shaw.ca or call (250)703-1201 to book her for your staff meeting.
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 and one intermediate 4-7), 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
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.
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.
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.
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 Change I want to See
Permaculture is an innovative framework for creating sustainable systems. It is the philosophy of working with rather than against nature. The Change I want to See has four workshops they can bring to your school. They provide workshops that take a solutions based approach to the environmental crisis and the workshop empowers students to feel positive and take action. They will help to identify ways to make schools more sustainable, how they can become more active and healthier, to learning how to grow their own food.
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