It's a Bug's Life
Children’s “bug” hunting skills are put to work as they search for some local insect species in a hands-on forest exploration area in the Shaw Woods! Students will use insect collecting tools and techniques, while practicing respectful ways of handling bugs. Get a bug’s eye view of some additional specimens at the Creature Feature Table!
Bird Investigators
Begin a life-long hobby in the great outdoors! Go on a nature hike that will have you exploring birds in their habitats and identifying them by behaviour, sound and colours. Students will experiment with field guides, bird calls and binoculars, investigate bird artifacts and play games that will connect them with their new feathered friends.
Animal Tracking
Get to know all about local animals in all four seasons! WHO are they? WHAT are they up to? WHERE are they going? WHEN do they go? WHY??? Their tracks leave a story that tells the “tail”. Students use track guides & play games to test their new skills.
Experience an increased connection to wildlife. Discover what animal tracks can tell you about local animals in their habitat and how we can use this information to determine the health of an ecosystem. Identification and classification skills are practiced in activities and tested in challenges along the trails. Students walk away with the life-long hobby of reading the stories of the land.
Experience an increased connection to wildlife. Discover what animal tracks can tell you about local animals in their habitat and how we can use this information to determine the health of an ecosystem. Identification and classification skills are practiced in activities and tested in challenges along the trails. Students walk away with the life-long hobby of reading the stories of the land.
Animal Antics
Learn about the needs and characteristics of local fur bearing animals through unique games and fun facts that wow us and leave us wanting to know more. Examine animal pelts, river-side and forest habitats, and discuss food webs and various niches that different animals occupy in the ecosystem.
Team Building
There’s no I in team! Students become confident in themselves and each other as they work through progressively challenging activities that aim to promote teamwork, leadership, trust, communication and problem solving. Discuss the qualities of effective leadership, individual and group goals including different approaches as well as personal strengths, weaknesses, empathy and compassion for others.
Leadership
This program is a stepping stone to developing future leaders and team members of our community! Learn about being a positive role model, increasing social skills, and recognizing personal strengths, showing empathy, compassion for others and a embracing a sense of humour. Students develop and practice leadership skills, work on environment-based projects, activities and initiatives while fostering a connection to people and places in a fun and meaningful way.
Wetland Wonders
Uncover one of nature’s most fascinating wonders: wetlands! Students will engage in sensory activities, play games, and learn why wetlands are vital to humans, plants and animals alike
Learn about the effects of humans on our environment . Become introduced to a bioswale and uncover how humans can make a positive impact! Who lives here? Discover some of the local plant and animal species that make up unique wetland communities. Why are they important? What threatens them? How can you help?
Learn about the effects of humans on our environment . Become introduced to a bioswale and uncover how humans can make a positive impact! Who lives here? Discover some of the local plant and animal species that make up unique wetland communities. Why are they important? What threatens them? How can you help?
Wilderness Skills
Areas of focus are fire and shelter building techniques with an environmental stewardship attitude. Topics can be tailored to meet the interests of your students, but otherwise include: stress management techniques, survival kit creation, proper dress and staying warm and dry, use of forest resources and tea sampling, safety precautions, winter camping techniques and tips for coping with blackflies and mosquitos and more.
Winter Wilderness Skills
Areas of focus are fire and shelter building techniques with an environmental stewardship attitude. Topics can be tailored to meet the interests of your students, but otherwise include: stress management techniques, survival kit creation, proper dress and staying warm and dry, use of forest resources and tea sampling, safety precautions, winter camping techniques and tips for coping with blackflies and mosquitos and more.
Winter Option: FIRE BUILDING
Winter Option: FIRE BUILDING
Geocaching
Students will be taught the principles of geocaching. Using a GPS unit students will navigate to a number of waypoints on the Shaw Woods property. At each waypoint there will be caches that may have to identify an item or find letters to decipher a message. Students will use intermediate cardinal compass points, make connections between degree bearings and cardinal compass points, and use relative distance to describe measurement and relative location to describe location of person or object.
Navigation 101
This program will provide participants with basic navigation training reading and interpreting maps, learning compass components and functions, along with opportunities to apply practical navigation skills in a wilderness setting. Application of these skills will involve map reading, compass use, route planning and critical thinking exercises. Participants may also have an opportunity to test out nature-based navigation techniques and theories in wilderness settings
This program is well suited for students who enjoy problem solving and want to become more familiar with navigation, with an eye towards a career in an outdoor field such as: fishing & hunting guide, forestry technician, back country adventure guide, nature interpreter, camp counselor or anyone who enjoys recreating in the outdoors.
This program is well suited for students who enjoy problem solving and want to become more familiar with navigation, with an eye towards a career in an outdoor field such as: fishing & hunting guide, forestry technician, back country adventure guide, nature interpreter, camp counselor or anyone who enjoys recreating in the outdoors.
A Plant & Me
The seeds of knowledge will be planted as children begin to learn that each plant is unique by starting with a close study of the leaves and needles of some very special coniferous and deciduous species in Shaw Woods. They will learn stewardship techniques as they are busy making bark rubbings and collecting items using forest friendly approaches.
Plants & Soils
The seeds of knowledge will be planted as children begin to learn that each plant is unique by starting with a close study of the leaves and needles of some very special coniferous and deciduous species in Shaw Woods. They will learn stewardship techniques as they are busy making bark rubbings and collecting items using forest friendly approaches.
Forestry Management
This program lets you learn from the forestry experts! Come and learn about sustainable forestry management. Get some hands on experience and discover the ecological, economic and social values of forestry. Try your hand at tree identification and become familiar with forestry tools and techniques.
The Making of Liquid Gold
Enjoy a day at Shaw Woods touring and learning about maple syrup and hopefully enjoy a sweet treat at the same time. This full day guided program will discuss: the maple tree as a structure with crown and trunk, the biodiversity of a sugar bush, and science behind the process of how sap becomes syrup and syrup becomes taffy.
The history of how technology was used to advance the efficiency of maple syrup production will also be taught through examining First Nations methods as well as how early settlers in Upper Canada influenced maple syrup production.
The history of how technology was used to advance the efficiency of maple syrup production will also be taught through examining First Nations methods as well as how early settlers in Upper Canada influenced maple syrup production.
Snowshoeing
Come and enjoy winter games and activities with your class. Rotate through activity stations such as: snow snake games, making snow art, sculptures, shelters, animal tracking, snow science explorations, snowshoeing. Could include a campfire for your use during lunch hour (if you choose to bring hot chocolate, food etc, we can provide the fire but please supply your own water).
Climate Change
Students will discuss global climate change indicators and brainstorm local, creative solutions. They will develop team building strategies with a focus on climate change and will conduct a field study by measuring downed woody debris in one of our study plots to calculate the amount of carbon absorption of a local forest. Students will compare their results with the amount of carbon estimated to be released into the atmosphere from burning fossil fuels.
GPS Greencheck Certification
Ideal for SHSM Students. This course will teach participants how to navigate using nature, maps, compasses, and GPS units. Successful participants will be gaining their Green Check certification which includes a pocket Field Guide and plotter. Cost of course is $29.00 for materials/certifications and $25.00 Shaw Woods Instructional Fee. We offer the basic (1 day) and advanced courses (2day); we only charge extra $25.00 for second day of instruction.
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