Publications

Coal mining : life & times

Description

This publication is part of a series of field study programs produced by the Environmental Education Program of Natural Resources Service in Kananaskis Country and Fish Creek Provincial Park. The... More ≫

Description

This publication is part of a series of field study programs produced by the Environmental Education Program of Natural Resources Service in Kananaskis Country and Fish Creek Provincial Park. The publications have been written to address the mission of Alberta Environment and increase students’ environmental awareness, understanding, interaction and responsibility for the natural world in which they live. The publications are developed in a close working relationship with teachers, community educators and program writers. Programs focus on the areas of environmental education, science, social studies and language arts. They are also developed to emphasize elements of environmental literacy, lifestyle, and citizenship.

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Treelympics

Description

During the Treelympics program, students will gain an understanding of the functions of trees. The Olympic-style events demonstrate to students that the seemingly ordinary processes of a tree are... More ≫

Description

During the Treelympics program, students will gain an understanding of the functions of trees. The Olympic-style events demonstrate to students that the seemingly ordinary processes of a tree are indeed wonders of the natural environment. This program can take place in the school yard or as part of a day long field study.

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Welcome to my home

Description

Welcome to My Home is a field study focusing on the concept of basic needs. The program helps students discover how animals meet their needs within the environment. For the field study, beavers... More ≫

Description

Welcome to My Home is a field study focusing on the concept of basic needs. The program helps students discover how animals meet their needs within the environment. For the field study, beavers have been chosen as the animal to investigate. A Student Booklet has been provided to guide students in a variety of on-site activities investigating the beaver’s basic needs. A Volunteer Booklet has also been provided to assist volunteers in directing the students' activities. With little preparation, volunteers will be able to assist the students and teacher in conducting the activities. The activities are designed to stimulate interest and encourage experiential learning through observation, comparison, contrast, and identification tasks. The program focuses on Grade One students but can also be used at other grade levels.

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Pond pals

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The Pond Pals field study is designed to encourage students to explore a pond community and find out how the different plants and animals meet their basic needs in this community. A pre-field... More ≫

Description

The Pond Pals field study is designed to encourage students to explore a pond community and find out how the different plants and animals meet their basic needs in this community. A pre-field study activity introduces students to the needs of plants and animals living in a pond community. A Student Booklet has been written to guide students in a variety of on-site activities pertaining to the basic needs of plants and animals living in a pond. Through observations made during the field study, students will become aware of the similarities and differences between their community and a pond community. A Volunteer Booklet has also been provided to assist volunteers in directing the students' discoveries. With little preparation, volunteers will be able to assist the students and teacher in conducting the activities.

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A guide to planning successful field studies

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This guide has been written to help educators, in all subject areas, plan and implement successful field studies. Although it has been written primarily for teachers new to the area of field... More ≫

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This guide has been written to help educators, in all subject areas, plan and implement successful field studies. Although it has been written primarily for teachers new to the area of field studies, experienced teachers will also find areas of interest and assistance. For the purposes of this guide, field studies have been defined as curriculum-related studies conducted anywhere outside the classroom. This includes field studies carried out in the school yard, in a nearby city park, or in the wilderness of Kananaskis Country. The guide is not a cookbook of precise recipes; instead, it offers guidance and suggestions to help in the planning of an effective, enjoyable, and educational field study. Change, compromise, and adaptation are necessities of the field study planning process. These necessities, however, along with your willingness to give this opportunity to your students, can lead to some of the most rewarding and memorable educational experiences for both you and your...

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Lost and found

Description

The program Lost and Found has been developed to help prepare children for a situation we all hope will never happen - becoming lost in the outdoors. Through participation in this program,... More ≫

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The program Lost and Found has been developed to help prepare children for a situation we all hope will never happen - becoming lost in the outdoors. Through participation in this program, children will become aware of five basic skills that will help them to survive and be found should they ever become lost in an outdoor environment. In addition, the program stresses preventative actions children can take to avoid becoming lost in the first place. As well as providing the child with concrete behaviours, the program deals with attitudes and emotions. People who are comfortable in the outdoors, alert to its inherent dangers and prepared for them are also better able to enjoy natural settings. Being prepared for the unexpected makes the actual experience of being lost less frightening and easier to cope with.

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Living and loving the life of a beaver

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The program, Living and Loving the Life of a Beaver, is a story and activity guide about a beaver community; a community which is explored through the adventures of two children named Jennifer and... More ≫

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The program, Living and Loving the Life of a Beaver, is a story and activity guide about a beaver community; a community which is explored through the adventures of two children named Jennifer and Tyler. The children's class go on a field study to visit a beaver pond. On the way, the two children get side-tracked and they meet a beaver named Jedediah. Jedediah shrinks them down in size and takes them back in time to a beaver community where they learn about the life of a beaver. Two introductory activities provide a “warm-up” for the story. In addition, each chapter of the story is followed by one or more activities which reinforce the concepts learned in the story.

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Our world : a special place

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The program Our World - A Special Place has been designed to allow students to use their senses in an exploration of the natural environment. In the classroom, students discover how useful their... More ≫

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The program Our World - A Special Place has been designed to allow students to use their senses in an exploration of the natural environment. In the classroom, students discover how useful their five senses are by listening to a story about the senses. Students then focus on a special place of their own and use their sensory recollection of the place to describe it either verbally or by drawing a picture. The in-class exploration is followed by a field study of Planet "E", where the students use their senses and observation skills to explore an outdoor setting. As observation skills are sharpened, the participants have an opportunity to gain a greater awareness of how interesting the world is.

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Friends of the forest

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The program, Friends of the Forest, is a story and activity guide about a forest community, a community which is explored through the adventures of two boys named Derek and Ben. The story begins... More ≫

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The program, Friends of the Forest, is a story and activity guide about a forest community, a community which is explored through the adventures of two boys named Derek and Ben. The story begins with the discovery of an old photograph of Derek’s grandfather taken when he was a lumberjack. From this, the boys decide that they would like to build a fort under a giant tree like the one in the photograph. After much searching, they find a large tree and build their fort underneath it so they won’t injure the tree itself. Over the course of a year the boys visit the tree and fort frequently. During each visit they meet many of the occupants of the forest community and find out about their lives and their connections with other members of the forest community. Each chapter of the story has page-sized illustrations that can be shown to the class, and each chapter is followed by one or more activities which reinforce the concepts explored in the story.

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World of wolves

Description

World of Wolves is a teacher’s activity guide for the Wolf Edukit, developed to assist educators in introducing students from grades seven through ten to wolves and wolf ecology. Although the... More ≫

Description

World of Wolves is a teacher’s activity guide for the Wolf Edukit, developed to assist educators in introducing students from grades seven through ten to wolves and wolf ecology. Although the program has been developed for these grades, it can be modified for use in other grades. A separate program called Wolves and Me has been developed for students in grades three to six. This student-directed program provides the opportunity for students to: • examine their own attitudes and opinions about wolves • identify the issues involving wolves • study wolf biology, behaviour, and ecology • investigate at least one of these issues • present their research findings in one of four formats • complete an action plan and act upon it.

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