Outdoor Education

School Workshops & Field Trips


Quality School Programming That Connects Kids to Nature

 
CPAWS Manitoba offers outdoor learning workshops and field trips to help children get outside and appreciate the wonders of nature.


The scaffolded programs were developed by a certified teacher and are tied to Manitoba curriculum outcomes for grades K-8.

More than 13,000 children and students were connected to nature through over 750 CPAWS Manitoba outdoor education workshops and activities  from May 2021 to August 2023.

We hope to reach many more in the years to come. 
 
For more information about the program - including feedback from teachers -- please view our outdoor education brochure or contact Environmental Educator Carly Gray at [email protected].

 

 
School Workshops
We’ve developed fresh, new programs for the 2023-24 school year to help students discover the wonder of Manitoba’s natural environment.
 
Get your students excited about prairie pollinators, Manitoba's North, the boreal forest or the Lake Winnipeg Wateshed with these engaging and inquiry-led outdoor education workshops. (Scroll down for more details on the programs.)
 
The 45-minute workshops are ideally delivered in the school yard or a nearby greenspace but can be held inside during extreme weather.
 
An action plan and classroom extension materials are provided to help teachers extend the learning beyond the workshop.
 
We encourage educators to partner with their fellow teachers to bring multiple workshops to their school on the same day. The first workshop will cost $75 (plus tax) while additional workshops will cost $25 (plus tax) thanks to the generous support of our donors. 

 


Nature Discovery Field Trips
 

Nature Discovery Field Trips are tailored for students in Grades 2-8 and are tied to Manitoba curriculum objectives for each grade.

The 3.5 hour excursion includes instruction on basic wilderness safety, movement games, a guided hike with plant and tree identification, a scavenger hunt, self-guided activities, 30 minutes of free play, and group reflections.

Our Nature Discovery Backpacks - which are filled with great teaching tools like binoculars, a magifying glass and field guides - will be used to enhance the learning experience.

Each student will also receive a take-home workbook that is filled with activities to use alongside the backpacks during the field trip and beyond!

Field Trips will be offered at the following locations:
- Bird's Hill Provincial Park
- Beaudry Provincial Park
- La Barriere Park
- Assiniboine Park

We can accommodate 2 classes per field trip. Field trip cost is $150.00 (plus tax) for 3.5 hours of instruction time. Please provide your own transportation to and from the site of your choosing. Students will be required to bring their own lunch.



 

 


 

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Program Offerings 2023-24


Prairie Pollinators

In this interactive workshop, students will explore the aspects of the tall grass prairie ecosystem, as there's 1% of this ecosystem left in Manitoba! Students will learn the deep interconnectivity between native prairie plants and pollinators.

Program includes group games, and experiential learning activities.

To deepen the learning experience, teachers receive a ready-made classroom extension activity and environmental action plan for the class.

Grades K to 8:
45 minutes in person

Boreal Bonanza

Canada’s Boreal Forest is one of the world’s last remaining intact forest landscapes. Here in Manitoba, the boreal forest covers 80% of our province! In this interactive workshop, students explore the species and habitats within Manitoba’s Boreal Forest and the importance of protecting this natural space!

Program includes group games, and experiential learning activities.

To deepen the learning experience, teachers receive a ready-made classroom extension activity and environmental action plan for the class.

Grades K to 8:
45 minutes in person.

Manitoba's North

In this workshop, students will be looking at two species that call Manitoba's north home: polar bears and beluga whales. Students will learn about ecological pyramids and how fragile arctic ecosystems are. They will examine things like habitat loss, migration, and the physical impacts of climate change in Manitoba's north.

Program includes group games, and experiential learning activities.

To deepen the learning experience, teachers receive a ready-made classroom extension activity and environmental action plan for the class.

Grades 2 to 8:
45 minutes in person

Join the Fun

Summer 2021 daycare offerings included scavenger hunts, nature mindfulness, and learning about Manitoba plants and animals. Watch this video to see how much fun everyone had!


How Does Spending Time Outdoors Improve Our Well-Being?

There is a wide array of evidence that shows spending time in nature improves mental and physical health, boosts immunity, and reduces risk of disease.


Connecting with the natural world has also been shown to improve sleep and augment vitamin D levels. And it boosts endorphin levels and dopamine production, which promotes happiness.

Healthy forests, lakes, and wetlands are also working to protect our physical health even when we’re not out in nature. They clean our air, filter our water, and act as a protective shield against the worsening impacts of climate change.



Safety Protocols

CPAWS Manitoba takes the safety of all program participants seriously.
 

All CPAWS Manitoba staff members have cleared a criminal record and vulnerable sector background check with the Winnipeg Police Department.

CPAWS policy requires that at least one person leading programming which may involve children must be certified in first aid. This applies to staff or to volunteers. 


Supporters

This programming was made possible thanks to the generous support of: The Province of Manitoba’s Building Sustainable Communities Program; The Conservation Trust, a Manitoba Climate and Green Plan Initiative delivered by the Manitoba Habitat Heritage Corporation; Eco Canada; The Winnipeg Foundation; TD Friends of the Environment Foundation; Telus Friendly Future Foundation. 

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