Elementary Programs

Kindergarten to Grade 4

Living Lightly

FallWinterSpring
Using the Environment Centre as a model, students investigate sustainable living practices and learn simple actions and things they can do to reduce their ecological footprint.
Grades 1, 3, 4 Go to Top

Hide and Seek

FallWinterSpring
I spy with my little eye something that looks like a stick? Come discover the many ways creatures hide and disguise themselves from predators. 
Grades K, 1 Go to Top

Is Anybody Home?

FallWinterSpring
What makes for a suitable home for animals?  Using the Nature Sanctuary, we'll explore various habitats and determine which animals live in the area. We’ll also find out why it is important to protect these natural spaces. We'll end off by offering practical ideas on how you can naturalize your schoolyard and your neighbourhood.
Grades 3, 4 Go to Top

Sensorama: A Nature Sensory Experience

FallWinterSpring
A series of interactive and tactile activities designed to engage students and heighten their awareness of their natural surroundings.
Grades K, 1 Go to Top

Every Drop Counts

FallSpring
Journey with us as we follow the water cycle and discover how the water we enjoy today has been recycled for millions of years.  Learn how our actions affect water and what we can do to protect this valuable resource.
Grade 2 Go to Top

A Day in the Life of a Squirrel

FallWinterSpring
Students live the life of a squirrel. From camouflaging to building nests, students participate in a variety of interactive games and role-playing activities.
Grades K-4 Go to Top

Nature Music

FallSpring
Using found natural objects, students make homemade instruments and experiment with rhythm, melody and composition.
Grades K-4 Go to Top

Nature Sculpting

FallWinterSpring
Based on the inspiring work of Andy Goldsworthy, students use natural materials to create eye-catching sculptures while learning about the use of colour, texture and shape.
Grades K-4 Go to Top

A Breath of Fresh Air – The Wonder of Trees   

FallSpring
Watch in amazement as your whole class becomes a tree!  Discover the variety and diversity of tree species that can be found at the Trent Nature Sanctuary.  Participate in interactive tree games that highlight how trees produce oxygen, provide habitat, and help out our climate!
Grades K-4 Go to Top

A is for Adaptation

FallWinterSpring
Full of games, stories and exploration.  Understand the complex concept of adaptation in a fun and simple way.
Grade 4 Go to Top

Tracking and Trailing

FallWinterSpring
Everywhere animals go, they leave subtle signs of their presence. Follow or mystery trails and find out about the various tracks animals leave behind.  This is an interactive, hands-on program that requires students to use problem solving and observation skills.
Grades K-4 Go to Top

It’s a Bug’s Life

FallSpring
Our insect program capitalizes on the student’s enthusiasm for invertebrates of all kinds, from centipedes to cicadas.  Through exploration and interactive play, students discover the fascinating world of our six-legged friends.
Grades 1, 2, 4 Go to Top

Mom, it’s not Dirt, it’s Soil!

FallSpring
One cubic centimeter of soil contains more life than people on earth! Learn all about the creation of soil, the critters that inhabit it, and its importance in terrestrial ecosystems.
Grade 3 Go to Top

Rock On! (rocks, minerals and fossils)

FallWinterSpring
“What kind of rock is this?” a child will often ask. Give them plenty of answers in this hands-on program. Learn how rocks are formed, what minerals have in common with rocks and how fossils are created.
Grade 4 Go to Top

Small Beginnings (seeds and seed dispersal)

FallSpring
Some pop, some glide, some stick and many float in the air and on the water. In this program, students collect and classify seeds, simulate seed dispersal, and participate in activities designed to familiarize students with local plant species.
Grade 3 Go to Top

Web of Life

FallWinterSpring
John Muir wrote, “When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.”  In this program, students trace food chains, from the sun’s energy to nutrient rich soil, and discover the importance of food webs in various ecosystems.  Students also learn how our everyday actions influence the intricate web of life.
Grade 4 Go to Top

First Nations Awareness

FallWinterSpring
Various First Nations peoples have lived in the Peterborough area for thousands of years. Build a traditional wigwam, watch a bow and drill fire being started, learn traditional uses of plants and play traditional games. Learn about First Nation people today through our interactive “myth busting game.”
Grades K-4 Go to Top

Diamonds of Water

Winter
A program about Snow. Unravel some of the mysteries of Canada’s most ubiquitous substances – snow! Capture snow flakes and examine their crystalline structure up close. Discover the many different types of snow and how animals use the insulating qualities of snow to survive.
Grade 2 Go to Top

Be a bird Brain

FallWinterSpring
All about birds. Learn how birds protect themselves from danger, participate in some interactive bird dances and sing with the birds. We’ll watch birds forage at the feeders and we’ll stalk song birds in the woods with binoculars.
Grades K-4 Go to Top

Unwelcome friends – Invasive Species

FallWinterSpring
What happens when a new species is accidentally introduced to an ecosystem? How do we manage our unwelcome guests?
Grade 4 Go to Top

Taming the Wildflower

FallSpring
By becoming detectives, students discover the beauty and diversity of our local wildflowers. Students also learn how flowers are pollinated and the fascinating dance honeybees use to locate flowers.
Grades 3-4 Go to Top

Teaching Sustainable Living
and Alternative Living

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