Inspire your Students with the Great Outdoors!
The BCWF offers a variety of classroom education programs for children and youth of all ages to introduce students to the world of conservation and the great outdoors. With all our programs aligned with B.C. curriculum with hands-on activities, your students will feel impassioned to protect and restore the natural world.
Discover our range of lessons along with rates and curriculum guides below. To book a course, email us at youth@bcwf.bc.ca with your school group/class name, number of students, age of students, and lesson(s) desired. If cost is a barrier to your school or youth group, we will try to work with you to negotiate an accessible rate.
Program Guide
Join us for some outdoor fun and learning! We offer 26 programs across 7 themes to bring hands-on learning experiences to your students. Our Classroom Education Program Guide will provide more information on program pricing, available lesson themes, and links to all Curriculum Guides.
Download our Classroom Education Program Guide today!
Program Pricing
Give your students an immersive and hands-on experience in conservation. Our youth educators supplement curriculum-aligned lessons with engaging activities that inspire youth with the spirit of the great outdoors.
Rates:
$10-15 per student + travel fees (exact rate determined when booking)
Lessons Offered
Click a theme and discover what lessons we have available!
Environmental Conservation
Ocean Waste
Did you know a truckload of waste enters our oceans every minute? Find out more about the problem with plastic in our oceans and what you can do to help.
Dragonfly Pond
This hands-on, challenge-style lesson puts your students in the shoes of a city planner who has to design a city while protecting wildlife habitats.
Geology
This program introduces students to the fascinating world of rocks, landforms and other geological processes through interactive activities and exciting experiments.
Waterbodies
This program allows students the opportunity to learn about the various types of waterbodies, conduct hands-on water quality assessments, and embark on a wildlife survey with the purpose of fostering a deeper understanding of aquatic ecosystems in a fun and interactive way.
Leadership
Introduction to Leadership
Learn the basics of what it means to be a leader and get on your way to becoming an environmental leader!
Communication
It truly is key! We all communicate differently, and this lesson will teach you how to improve your unique communication skills.
No Curriculum Guide available at this time
Team Building
What makes a good team? Learn how to effective foster a healthy team dynamic in this lesson.
No Curriculum Guide available at this time
Outdoor Survival
Fire Building
If you want to keep warm or roast marshmallows, this program focuses on the steps needed to create a safe fire and reduce the risk of forest fires.
First Aid
Feeling confident outdoors sometimes means preparing for and responding to basic first aid situations. From non-life threatening cuts to hypothermia, learn strategies to address common outdoor hazards.
Hug-a-Tree
Hug-a-Tree teaches children how not to become lost in the woods, and what to do should they become lost. BCWF is an AdventureSmart registered presenter of the Hug-a-Tree program.
Survive Outside
Statistics show that each year across Canada there are approximately 5,000 ground Search and Rescue incidents. BCWF is an AdventureSmart registered presenter of Survive Outside to help you be informed and prepared before you head out.
Shelter Building
In emergency situations, shelter is important for survival! Building structures to stay warm and dry is the focus of this program.
Wayfinding
Knowing how to find your way is crucial to staying safe outdoors. Our educators teach students the basics of wayfinding and how to use a compass.
Oceans
Fishing 101
Fishing is a useful skill in survival situations or as time to connect with people and place. The tools, licenses and regulations in B.C. are important to know before heading out.
Fishing & Crabbing (in-person only)
Join us to learn the basics of fishing and crabbing! Students will learn how to cast fishing rods and crab traps, as well as some tips for practically handling what they catch. Activities will vary depending on location, and licenses will be required for intertidal fishing.
Cetaceans
Who doesn’t love whales and dolphins? Learn all about the different types of cetaceans, the cool adaptions they’ve developed and their ecological and cultural significance.
Pollinators
Butterflies & Birds
Bees shouldn’t get all the buzz, birds and butterflies are important pollinators too! Meet some of B.C.’s butterflies and birds from around the world who help pollinate plants.
Pollination Basics
What is pollination and why is it so important? Learn about how plants and pollinators interact, why they need each other and why we need them.
Types of Pollination
Most plants can’t pollinate themselves and need a little help. From insect and birds to wind and people, learn about the many relationships plants have to continue their life cycles.
Wetlands
Invasive Species
Why is stopping the spread of invasive species so important? Learn the differences between indigenous and invasive plants here in B.C. and how their balance affects both the environment and economy.
Invertebrates
This hands-on program allows students the opportunity to interact with some of the smaller inhabitants of our wetlands. After learning about what invertebrates are and the important role that they play, we will be casting ours nets to see who we can find living in our wetland!
Intro To Wetlands
Learn about the five types of wetlands and what makes these ecosystems important in this lesson.
Wildlife
Cervids
Never heard of a cervid? Learn to identify this familiar family of deer species and about the threats they are facing here in B.C.
Bats
Get to know a bit more about these exciting, winged creatures! We dive deeper into the different kinds of bats and the important role they play in our ecosystems.
Raptors
These birds of prey are important for our ecosystems. Learn how to identify raptors, and about the treats they face.
Migration
Wetlands are basically hotels for migratory birds. In this lesson, we talk about birds, cervids, and even fish whose life cycles involve migration. Then we bring it all together with an exciting game Migration Madness!
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