Young Stewards of our Wetlands
Grade 4
This program introduces students to the importance of wetland ecosystems on the planet Earth.
Key concepts such as “food chain” and “food web” are explored, and kids get to dipnet in a local wetland to catch insects, fish and amphibians. Up-close inspection reveals the physical adaptations of these creatures for life in fresh water.
Contact us for more information about educational programs we can do for your group. Email our Outdoor Educator, Rowan Lalonde at rlalonde@hopemountain.org or call 416-809-7044.
Location: Thacker Marsh, Cheam Wetlands.
Grade: 4
Curriculum Overview: Pond Community Program: learning outcomes, pre-trip, field trip, post-trip.
Teacher Feedback:
“Such a great program! So well organized and executed and the staff did a great job to keep the kids engaged. The staff had all the materials and were setup and ready to go.”
“The program meets the needs of the students in a most excellent manner; talking with the kids and then doing a game related to the outcomes is excellent and sound educational practice.”
“I would like to thank you for an absolutely wonderful experience. Everyone was so gracious and helpful. The learning curve went well above that of any in house classroom experience. We thoroughly enjoyed the trip, and the parents were thrilled with the opportunity for their children. (We had a meet-the-teacher night shortly after the field trip and they wanted to share how excited their children were about the day.)”
“We had a wonderful time at the pond. The students loved it and wished they could have stayed longer to find more things. The team that came up were terrific and did a wonderful job!”
“All I can say is ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you,’ for this experience for my class. So many parents approve of this sort of learning, where the kids go out and ‘do,’ and for me, as a professional, there is something in the kids going out and experiencing wetlands first hand that strikes a chord with me. It is my fervent hope that as these kids are learning to love their environment – through things like wetland visits – they will in turn be inspired as adults of the future to care for the environment . . . The marsh visit is a highlight of my school year. I find it incredible – and to think it is only a half hour walk from our school!”
“The kids really enjoyed the program, and I thought it was excellent! The classroom session and field trip were both fantastic. The kids loved the food web game, and on the field trip they loved collecting their organisms! Allowing the kids to collect and observe the organisms was so awesome! Being able to see some of them through the microscopes was really neat for them as well! . . . Everything was awesome!!! Thanks so much!”