The Connection Between Outdoor Education, the Power of Words and Fighting Climate Change
Grant Linney
Long-time COEO member, veteran Climate Change presenter (now over 1,000 presentations in 14 years), and newly-minted author Grant Linney will take you on a journey through the following: The existential climate crisis we are now facing and what must be done about it; The role of outdoor educators in addressing climate change; The power of stories that spark and nurture ongoing connections with nature, the fundamental groundwork for climate advocacy. Grant will read stories from his book, Outdoor Magic: The Power of Nature
Imitating Animals to Imagine Their Stories
Pierre Elrick
Participants will engage in a warm-up, then delve into principles of tai-chi. Part of the fundamentals of tai-chi came from observing animals. The goal here is to move in an imaginative way. Participants will be led in a narrative story and will act out animals in the story. Then, participants will be asked to reflect and write a quick short story about an animal of their choosing while trying to imagine how that animal moves. What are instincts? Do animals seek only food and shelter, or do some play? What does that tell us about how they communicate?
TDSB’s Get Outside Month – Using Literature to Get Outside
David Hawker-Budlovsky & Julie Ellis
Every year the TDSB’s Outdoor Education Department creates a month of lessons to support classroom teachers to take learning outside. In May 2024 the theme was to use picture books, vetted through the TDSB’s Outdoor Education Equity Toolkit, as the instigator to take learning outside. The books chosen highlighted indigenous and racialized characters, authors and experiences. See how we are intentionally ensuring that our students see themselves in the outdoors!
The Voices of Play: Exploring Children’s and Adults’ Perspectives of the Outdoors
Kim Squires & Kim Barton
In this workshop, we will play with the idea of what counts as language and draw attention to several less-recognized languages that children and adults can, and do, use while engaging with the outdoors. We will share findings from a recent research study that investigated children’s use of the voices of drawing and photo in outdoor play environments within an early childhood education and care setting. Our hope is that you will be able to learn from the children’s voices and perspectives and reflect on how their knowledge may relate to your own experiences and settings. We will also engage with the voices of drawing and photo as adults to reflect on our own connections with the outdoors.
Gneiss to Meet You – An Introduction to the Rocks of the Area the Decodes the Jargon
Val Freemantle
Have you ever wanted to learn more about rocks, but found that all the resources out there were full of jargon and diagrams that you didn’t have a clue how to decode? Then this workshop is for you! We will be learning how to use basic rock testing kits and going for a short walk to look for geologic features in the area. Participants will also have the opportunity to learn how to read geologic maps and learn more about how to read the story of the landscape by the rocks and soils all around us. Chances are that after this presentation, you will be that person who stops to look at a cool rock on the hike (if you aren’t already that person). The presentation will be offered in English, but will have printed resources in both English and French. The presenter has some proficiency in French and will do her best to answer questions in French. Please dress to be outdoors.
Using Indigenous Language Learning Tools on the Land
Emily Verhoek
Learn about how we developed and now deliver language learning tools at Elbow Lake as part of our QUILLS (Queen’s University Indigenous Land-based Learning STEM) program. Since our centre is located on shared territory, we created resources to highlight both local Indigenous groups and languages. Use digital tools to hear the names of plants and animals in Anishinaabemowin and Kanyen’kéha. Please bring a phone or tablet to the workshop (but not required).
Taking Learning Outdoors
Laura McGahey
“Taking Learning Outdoors” ignites a love for nature by transforming any outdoor space into an important learning space. This approach empowers educators to break free from traditional methods, fostering a healthier, more connected generation of Earth Stewards through hands-on experiences and thus creating deeper relationship with the natural world. TLO aims to incite more teachers to take their learners outdoors on a regular basis, in a public-school setting.
Building Positive Change Through Building Positive Relationships
Jeff Sephton & Jason Blair
What makes outdoor education special and different from other forms of education? It’s not the place, it’s not the plants, –it’s the people. There is nothing more powerful about outdoor learning than its power to build positive relationships. That is how outdoor education and educators change the world. In this play-based workshop, we will explore how we can become more intentional about building relationships and how we can build upon the great work we already do. Participants will leave this workshop with the tools to add some intentional relationship building into their program, and hopefully you will learn some new activities to use to this effect.
Lashing Connection Sustainably
Zabe MacEachren
Lashing a branch into a circle is a form of embodied sustainability. Limits can be hard to put into words yet they can be experienced and communicated to the body through the hands. And wouldn’t you like others to understand limits by breaking branches instead of surpassing safe CO2 limits in the atmosphere for Earth? In this workshop we will learn to bend branches and lash them together to communicate shelter building, art, letters and words. Lashing was once a common and widespread experience in Ontario. It is a safe, inexpensive and an amazing bush craft activity. Let your hands and sticks communicate.
Vulnerability through Communication in Wilderness Therapy
Mel Fowler
In the wilderness program at PRI, we invite the students into vulnerability and growth through sharing their experiences, as well as engaging with others. We also use very specific language to “hold the container” (ie, keep the space safe), and assist in group cohesion. Common language also helps our students address conflict and facilitate discussions in a productive and empowering way. This workshop will explain what this looks like and the impact on group dynamic. This workshop will also discuss the ‘stage work’ our students do and how sharing these assignments with their peers and staff facilitates empathy, understanding, and compassion.
Wildlife Communication: Understanding Nature’s Language
Michelle MacMillan
Every animal has its own form of language that is very different from our own. Join Michelle MacMillan in learning how to recognize and interpret signs of wildlife communication. In this workshop we will go over some basics for identifying bird species and their types of calls by sound as well as the use of mneumonics to recognize distinct bird calls. We will also discuss other ways that animals communicate with one another through movement and scent. Workshop participants will learn hands-on activities that they can do with their students to experience the different ways that animals communicate.
How Young is too Young for Scientific Terms?
Fiona Tunmer
A curated series of lesson for preschoolers to grade 3s that taps into student’s natural curiosity in weather. Participants will be furnished with research to support the use of scientific names. They will be led through the creation of cloud cameras and experience the joy of identifying their stratosphere. Participants will leave with a ready to implement package in English, French, and Ojibway Anishnaabemowin.
Changing Channels: Altering the Dis-course of “Invasive” Species Education
Marleine Gelineau
Mystery on Lake Superior is an interpretive activity I designed based on my learnings from my MEd. Whether an educator is a classroom teacher or a park interpreter, they can facilitate a unique experience that is both fun and informative where learners can learn about “invasive” species and habitats in Lake Superior. The game is inspired by the métissage framework of highlighting various narratives, without any one story becoming dominant or submissive to another. The narratives explored in Mystery on Lake Superior are the stories of nine aquatic animals who live in or around a fictional bay on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Some of them are species long-established in the area, while others are newcomers to the Little Bay habitat. By exploring their backstories, participants will be guided to reflect on the subjectivities of non-human animals.
Soundtellers’ Circle: Telling Stories with Sound
Tamara Cottle
Spin a phonic tale together with a circle of soundtellers in this interactive, inclusive and immersive playshop. The concept of Soundtelling emerges from the Story Circle which was developed by the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee during the American Civil Rights Movement for racial justice in the 1960s. It emphasizes democratic participation and an agreement to respect and listen to all voices. The soundtellers’ circle extends the idea of a story circle as it asks participants to use sounds to interpret and express selected texts in an imaginative and collaborative process. Participants will use found and provided instruments to engage with diverse stories and authors that will inspire an appreciation for all people and our shared world.
Nature Journaling meets European Buckthorn
Billie Jo Reid & Erin Farrow
Over the past 20 years, community groups have been invited to aid in the restoration of Riverwood—a 150ha green space nestled in the heart of Mississauga. In its early conservation efforts, The Riverwood Conservancy (TRC), a land stewardship and nature-connection charity, diligently worked to reclaim old farm pastures overrun by European Buckthorn, an invasive shrub. TRC removed tons of this plant, disposing of it in landfills, thus halting its spread. However, inspired by the 94 calls to action, two of which emphasize reconciling with the land and incorporating Indigenous perspectives into education, TRC’s staff, stirred by the words of Elder Peter Schuler, reconsidered their relationship with this plant. Rather than simply discarding the material and contributing to landfill accumulation, TRC sought to repurpose it for positive ends. Now, the plant material serves as garden stakes, camper hiking sticks, and barriers to close off unsanctioned trails and protect sensitive naturalized areas. Additionally, TRC utilizes the berries to create ink. Billie Jo and I would like to acquaint you with this green interloper—the European Buckthorn—through a Nature Journaling experience. In this workshop, you will explore the three languages of words, pictures, and numbers, discovering how they can engage your brain in novel ways as we document observations, curiosity, and connections through Nature Journaling. This practice cultivates focus, tranquility, and the freedom to let curiosity roam.
Touch the Earth
Becky Vincent
Come discover ways to connect to the natural world through a variety of intentional, sensory experiences. Explore the forest with all five senses – sight, hearing, taste, touch, and smell – and use your creative side to describe all that you’re experiencing. The activities presented here are especially suited for children who have limited contact with nature, and also for English Language Learners and newcomers to Canada who may be less familiar with our natural spaces.
How to Speak Out!
Pam Miller & Bonnie Anderson
Do you have an idea, passion, or gift to share with others but are not sure how to start? Designing workshops that resonate with participants and achieve tangible outcomes is both an art and a science. We have been facilitating hundreds of workshops and programs for over four decades. We’d like to share with you some of our learning, and provide a toolkit of best practices. During this workshop you will have an opportunity to outline and plan your next workshop so you can “Speak Out” with confidence.
Mindful Minutes: Fostering Student Voice, Emotional Intelligence and Self-Regulation Using Meditation
Tyler Boyle & Kylie Olmsted
Join National and Provincial award winning teacher and entertainer, Tyler Boyle in this interactive workshop where we will explore: The science of meditation, including its impact on the brain and its relevance to any learning environment; step-by-step instructions for implementing The 5 S’s of Meditation – including the fifth ’S’, Share, where we enrich student experience through community Share circles; accommodations and modifications for students with special needs; a participatory Mindful Minute experience; and a dedicated section for personal adult wellness: A mini training for workshop participants on becoming meditators themselves!
The Original Instructions Given to us by the Creator: The Thanksgiving Address (the Ohen:ton Karihwatehkwen): Words that Come Before all Else
Holly Groome & Elder Christopher Stock
The presentation highlights the original instructions given to the human beings by the Creator. In these instructions, are reminders of how our relationship with the natural world is intended to be, including our roles and responsibilities with them. Using the Mohawk Language to gather our minds together as one mind, one heart, one voice, this interactive approach helps to explain what the words mean. We will follow with some teachings, songs and dances that connect everything together. By the end of our presentation, participants will regard the natural world in a more connected way.
After the Canoe Trip Ends: Using Shared Moral Language to Bring the Values of the Wilderness Home with us
Devin Mutić
Outdoor and environmental education programs pretty much all share a common feature: they are time-limited; they end, often just as the most transformative part of the experience has begun to set in. As such, an overlooked yet essential component to any program seeking to make education wild – seeking to teach the values of the wilderness – is the question of how to bring those teachings home. While canoeing on a remote lake or sleeping under the stars, the inherent teachings appear obvious. But how do we maintain those teachings while back home, sitting in traffic on the 401 or standing in line at the coffee shop? Through group activities and discussions, we will wade in these murky waters, discovering how the use of a shared moral language (established at the outset of our programs) enables us to bring home – to the cities and our domesticated places – the teachings of the wilderness, nature, and the nonhuman.
Augmentative Alternative Communication Partner Training
Linda McCutcheon & Laura Flett
Participants will have the opportunity to take a basic communication partner training for working with individuals with alternative communication devices. An opportunity to play with assistive technology, learn about risk management in the field for AAC users, and best practices for supporting them will be provided.
Reconnecting with Nature thru Foraging for Wild Edibles!
David Arama
A 45-minute informative nature walk, identifying edible plants and trees, by common names, Latin names, or make up a name…as long as you remember the usage, and if edible versus poisonous. Example, wood sorrel also named the lemon plant. Foraging for Wild Edibles is named by Richard Louv as a top activity for treating and preventing nature deficit disorder.
Worms Speak with ‘Grunting’
Hannah Riding
Using vibrations in the ground to attract earthworms is an activity known as worm charming, worm fiddling, or worm grunting. A beloved pastime, and also an international competitive sport, worm grunting involves wittlin’ to get those worms wigglin’. You may just be thinking to yourself, ‘I love worms – but how do I speak to them; how can I see them?’. To make your own grunting stick, you are encouraged to bring a carving utensil that you are comfortable with using for easy-to-medium difficulty woodworking.
Building Healthy Relationships: Team Building Initiatives
William Egan
Working together to solve problems, focusing on communication and teamwork. Participants will work collaboratively and participate in games to achieve tasks and debrief about different challenges that were faced. The games include: Team Ski, Web n’ Ring, Tallest Tower. The workshop includes a conversation on how to assess Ontario Health Curriculum and Social-Emotional Learning Skills.
The Other Pronoun Conversation
Nathan Mantey & Nancy Williams
How do we, as settler and Indigenous educators, better integrate animate language for non-human beings into our teaching practice? Can this be done with integrity, without tokenizing or trivializing cultures that grant animacy to the Land and its beings? What would this sound like? Nathan and Nancy will offer some examples from our programs: “What can we learn from chickadee?”; “How can we thank the maple trees for giving us some of their sap?”; “Thank you for rescuing the snail people!” This workshop will showcase some of what can be achieved through Indigenous leadership in public education. Suggested pre-reading: “Learning the Grammar of Animacy” in Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer.
H.O.P.E. in Storytelling
Sabrina Chiefari
Healing on Purpose Exercises (H.O.P.E.) in Storytelling invites participants to think on the wholeness of the words they use to convey their ideas, their feelings, their hopes, and their concerns. Specific focus will be given to how we’re using and seeing the word “hope”, especially as it pertains to ecological grief and anxiety. Participants can expect time to brainstorm their thoughts and play with words in whatever language they wish. (la traduction française est en attente)
Queer Ecology and 2SLGBTQI+ Inclusion in Outdoor Education
Julie Read
Nature is queer! There is a multitude of diversity in the natural world, from fungi with over 23,000 sex types to 1500+ different animals who engage in same-sex sexual behaviour. Why is queer ecology so important? Queer people have been and continue to be oppressed and discriminated against, often with an argument that being queer “isn’t natural”, which couldn’t be further from the truth. Queer ecology has long been omitted from science because of human bias, but it’s time to celebrate the full beauty of nature! In this workshop, we’ll go on a wander and explore diversity in sex, reproduction, same-sex sexual and social relationships, and behaviour outside of stereotypical gender roles and family structures. Julie will provide resources to help support you in incorporating queer ecology into your teaching. We’ll also explore ways to be more inclusive to members of the 2SLGBTQI+ community in outdoor education.
Bird Migration: Empowering Immigrants and Newcomers’ Voices Through Feathered Journeys
Angel Suarez & Mia Maceasik
Inspired by birds and their migratory journeys, this workshop entails a mix of birdwatching and reflective arts to empower the voices of immigrants and newcomers. We will challenge the idea of crossing borders, and we will reflect on the meaning of adapting to new surroundings and building a new home. The session will culminate with a personal art piece made with responsibly sourced natural materials that reflect our discussions. Why birds? Every spring and fall, birds take inspiring flights from and to Mexico, Central America and even South America! Canada welcomes millions of birds that come from many different places. Those feathered journeys have empowered many of us as those birds will have made our same journeys. Join us in this guided birdwatch and art session. We will explore themes of migration, identity and belonging while connecting with the beauty of RKY Camp. Whether you are a seasonal birder or this is your first time, you belong here! Sign up, and let your creativity take flight!
Risky Play
Diana Clements
The importance of allowing children to engage in risky play has recently been highlighted in the media, by several leading authors, and the Canadian Paediatric Society. As mentors and educators work with children in these settings, they need to use language that enables the participants to learn to assess risk, to understand the difference between risk and hazard and to communicate how they are feeling both verbally and non-verbally. This workshop is an introduction to supporting children as they navigate play that involves risk. The work of Ellen Sandseter will be part of the presentation. The “whys” of risky play, as well as the “hows” to support it well.
The Importance of Invitational Language
Jennifer Blender
As educators, many of us develop expectations in regard to what we intend to share and present, and how we envision our programs/curriculum to unfold. Not only do students all learn and develop in unique ways – not all activities/offerings provided by instructors spark interest/desire in engagement equally for all participants. With Nature & Forest Therapy, the Inner Wisdom of each person is trusted, believed in and encouraged. When invited to connect with Nature and one’s self, our unique inner wisdom for what our needs and truest desires are can come to the surface for us to notice, acknowledge, and then benefit from. As educators, it is important at times to let go of our own expectations and desires for the outcome of our students, and to encourage each person to have their own unique experience and gain their own unique benefits from our offerings. We do this by learning how to avoid prescriptive language, and instead, intentionally using Invitational Language.
“That Wasn’t my Intent”, Now What? Learning Through Conflict when Identity is Involved
Julie Bremner
Outdoor educators all over are working hard to create more inclusive, diverse and equitable learning spaces, and as my experience and research suggests many feel alone in that journey. Outdoor education presents unique challenges and opportunities when it comes to implementing DEI goals and policies. Using an open space workshop model, I’d like to foster a collaborative discussion and knowledge sharing around the theme of working through conflicts where our intersectional identities increase the risk and potential harm. Workshop framing will take a “what’s working well?” approach to foster knowledge sharing and support communities of practice. The format lends itself to emergent outcomes, but framing will nudge towards potential outcomes that share strategies, effective practices, and areas in need of more supports. Very often DEI work in OE can be siloed, this is a cool opportunity to bring a lot of different educators together to problem solve and knowledge share across different experiences and organizations.
…And much, much more!