Tag: education
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Virtual programs: nature gone digital!
Today’s blog comes from Jessica Stillman, Discovery program project coordinator. (She’s pretty much famous among Ontario’s elementary students tuning in for virtual field trips!) Virtual field trips are AWESOME! No forms, school buses, or headcounts! Once you log in, our knowledgeable and engaging Discovery staff do the rest.
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Canadian Geographic’s Ontario Parks Giant Floor Map: bringing parks to the classroom
Calling all teachers… Ontario is one huge place. Most of us spend the majority of our time in one small section of the province. But there is a vast expanse waiting to be explored. We’ve partnered with Canadian Geographic for something big. GIANT, you could say. We’re excited to unfold the Ontario Parks Giant Floor Map, and…
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5 reasons to join Ontario Parks on Flip
Teachers: get ready to meet your new best friend. Flip is an educator’s dream. It’s the perfect space for students to take part in meaningful discussions that will inspire your learners to share their voice and creativity. Ontario Parks is excited to be a content partner with Flip to help you meet curriculum expectations in…
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A Colorado snake fight made my life easier
Today’s post comes from Alistair MacKenzie, Discovery Supervisor at Pinery Provincial Park. Have you ever thrown a tangle of rope to the ground in a frustrated fit? I used to, but then I was lucky enough to be exposed to the sport of rock climbing. In short order, I learned a few essential knots that…
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Join us for Science Literacy Week!
Today’s post comes from Jessica Stillman, school outreach coordinator at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. What do a Polar Bear, a Prickly Pear Cactus, a Five-lined Skink, and a Bobolink all have in common? Aside from their snazzy names, they’re plants and animals that require unique environments to survive. Some of these special spaces have been…
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Dressing up like it's 1900!
Today’s post comes from Nicole Bucik, a Senior Park Interpreter at Bronte Creek Provincial Park. Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live in the Victorian era? When walking around Spruce Lane Farm at Bronte Creek Provincial Park, you might think to yourself: have I stepped back in time? Seeing park staff…
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The Ontario Parks Discovery Program: 75+ years in the making
In 1944, Algonquin Provincial Park decided to try something new. They hired Professor J.R. Dymond, Director of the Royal Ontario Museum of Zoology, to deliver guided hikes for park visitors. Those first interpretive programs were a success and what would become the Ontario Parks Discovery Program was born. More than seventy-five years later, roughly 300…
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Learning in the forest at MacGregor Point
When you think back to your childhood, what are some of your best memories? Likely a lot of them involved playing and exploring in the outdoors. Unfortunately, many children today don’t get this opportunity. Kids are often kept indoors by electronics and other distractions. They miss out on the developmental benefits of outdoor play. This…
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Pinery goes to battle for bats
Today’s post comes from Natural Heritage Education Supervisor Alistair MacKenzie and Bat Stewardship Technician Heather Sanders. Did you know Pinery Provincial Park has been a bat research hot spot for more than four decades? We’ve collaborated with research groups at York University, Western University and the University of Waterloo. Much of what we know about Ontario…