Educational Programs
We offer interactive, nature-based educational programming for preschool – grade 12 students. Choose your preferred theme from the list below and use the contact form at the bottom of this page to book with us!
We deliver programming in all weather; however, we cannot control the tide, and a number of our programs are tide-dependent. We will do our best to find a time and tide that suit your needs, but some adaptability may be required.
Our program availability during COVID-19 is reduced, and we are following appropriate physical distancing and safety measures. Large groups may not be permitted during this time. Please contact our Coordinator to learn more about whether we can accommodate you.
Estuary Explorers
Ages: Preschool – Grade 12
Program description: Students will explore the intertidal mudflats in front of the Nature Centre and become familiar with local fauna. A clam dig and touch tank exploration will familiarize students with sandy and rocky intertidal creatures, both native and non-native, as well as rudimentary sampling methodologies. An interactive watershed modelling activity, scaled for different age groups, introduces students to principles of watershed function and health. A bird walk (seasonal) introduces students to local shorebirds and observational tools such as binoculars, telescopes, and field guides. A nature walk along the shore replaces the bird walk during shorebird migration.
Students of Kindergarten-age and younger will explore the estuary and intertidal zones through songs, stories, crafts, and a scavenger hunt. In addition, students will learn to identify intertidal life and understand the role of the tides in determining what lives where.
A specialized program exists for students of Grade 10-age and older. A key theme of this program is understanding how to study natural phenomena we can’t observe with our eyes. Students will learn about the human and natural history of the Cowichan Estuary and understand the ecological importance and defining characteristics of estuaries. Students will apply this knowledge and generate graphical representations of estuarine water properties using data collected right here in Cowichan Bay; in addition, they will make and test predictions about water properties in our touch tank. Students will draw conclusions about particular vulnerabilities of estuaries to climate-related impacts and brainstorm strategies for mitigation.
Human Impacts: Discovering Microplastics
Ages: Kindergarten – Grade 12
Program description: What are microplastics? Why are they problematic? This program introduces, defines, and explores microplastics as they are found ‘in nature’. Students will undertake a rigorous quadrat survey to quantify and qualify microplastics on the beaches adjacent to the CENC. Students will then discuss sources and environmental consequences of microplastics and collaboratively brainstorm creative solutions to the ‘plastic problem’ our oceans presently face through interactive, age-appropriate activities.
Watershed Wonders
Ages: Kindergarten – Grade 12
Program description: In this program, students will explore the water cycle through interactive activities to understand arguably the most important feature of watersheds: water! The program opens with “Watershed Yoga”, allowing students to ‘travel’ through the Cowichan and Koksilah watersheds before grounding themselves at the Nature Centre. Students will then participate in “The Incredible Journey” to understand principles of water cycling and identify major reservoirs of water on Earth. Finally, students will explore a positive and negative (age-dependent) wonder of the Cowichan and Koksilah watersheds: The Lake Cowichan Lamprey and European Green Crab. The goal of this program is to increase students’ awareness of interconnection between water and life and inspire their curiosity through introductions to unique creatures in their home watershed.
Immersed in Nature: Ecological Restoration
Ages: Grades 5 – 12
Program description: Students will participate in hands-on ecological restoration of selected sites around the Cowichan Valley. Students will become familiar with native plant species, planting requirements and techniques. Grounding activities will elucidate the importance of restoration work and help students connect themes of environmental conservation, habitat restoration, biodiversity and ecosystem health. To learn more about our Restoration Progress in the Cowichan Valley visit here.
To Preregister for our upcoming spring sessions head here:
Covid Policy for School Programs 2020
May 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunday May 1
1
|
Monday May 2
2
|
Tuesday May 3
3
|
Wednesday May 4
4
|
Thursday May 5
5
|
Friday May 6
6
|
Saturday May 7
7
|
Sunday May 8
8
|
Monday May 9
9
|
Tuesday May 10
10
|
Wednesday May 11
11
|
Thursday May 12
12
|
Friday May 13
13
|
Saturday May 14
14
|
Sunday May 15
15
|
Monday May 16
16
|
Tuesday May 17
17
|
Wednesday May 18
18
|
Thursday May 19
19
|
Friday May 20
20
|
Saturday May 21
21
|
Sunday May 22
22
|
Monday May 23
23
|
Tuesday May 24
24
|
Wednesday May 25
25
|
Thursday May 26
26
|
Friday May 27
27
|
Saturday May 28
28
|
Sunday May 29
29
|
Monday May 30
30
|
Tuesday May 31
31
|
No events.
June 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday June 1
1
|
Thursday June 2
2
|
Friday June 3
3
|
Saturday June 4
4
|
|||
Sunday June 5
5
|
Monday June 6
6
|
Tuesday June 7
7
|
Wednesday June 8
8
|
Thursday June 9
9
|
Friday June 10
10
|
Saturday June 11
11
|
Sunday June 12
12
|
Monday June 13
13
|
Tuesday June 14
14
|
Wednesday June 15
15
|
Thursday June 16
16
|
Friday June 17
17
|
Saturday June 18
18
|
Sunday June 19
19
|
Monday June 20
20
|
Tuesday June 21
21
|
Wednesday June 22
22
|
Thursday June 23
23
|
Friday June 24
24
|
Saturday June 25
25
|
Sunday June 26
26
|
Monday June 27
27
|
Tuesday June 28
28
|
Wednesday June 29
29
|
Thursday June 30
30
|
No events.
July 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Friday July 1
1
|
Saturday July 2
2
|
|||||
Sunday July 3
3
|
Monday July 4
4
|
Tuesday July 5
5
|
Wednesday July 6
6
|
Thursday July 7
7
|
Friday July 8
8
|
Saturday July 9
9
|
Sunday July 10
10
|
Monday July 11
11
|
Tuesday July 12
12
|
Wednesday July 13
13
|
Thursday July 14
14
|
Friday July 15
15
|
Saturday July 16
16
|
Sunday July 17
17
|
Monday July 18
18
|
Tuesday July 19
19
|
Wednesday July 20
20
|
Thursday July 21
21
|
Friday July 22
22
|
Saturday July 23
23
|
Sunday July 24
24
|
Monday July 25
25
|
Tuesday July 26
26
|
Wednesday July 27
27
|
Thursday July 28
28
|
Friday July 29
29
|
Saturday July 30
30
|
Sunday July 31
31
|
No events.
August 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Monday August 1
1
|
Tuesday August 2
2
|
Wednesday August 3
3
|
Thursday August 4
4
|
Friday August 5
5
|
Saturday August 6
6
|
|
Sunday August 7
7
|
Monday August 8
8
|
Tuesday August 9
9
|
Wednesday August 10
10
|
Thursday August 11
11
|
Friday August 12
12
|
Saturday August 13
13
|
Sunday August 14
14
|
Monday August 15
15
|
Tuesday August 16
16
|
Wednesday August 17
17
|
Thursday August 18
18
|
Friday August 19
19
|
Saturday August 20
20
|
Sunday August 21
21
|
Monday August 22
22
|
Tuesday August 23
23
|
Wednesday August 24
24
|
Thursday August 25
25
|
Friday August 26
26
|
Saturday August 27
27
|
Sunday August 28
28
|
Monday August 29
29
|
Tuesday August 30
30
|
Wednesday August 31
31
|
No events.
September 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday September 1
1
|
Friday September 2
2
|
Saturday September 3
3
|
||||
Sunday September 4
4
|
Monday September 5
5
|
Tuesday September 6
6
|
Wednesday September 7
7
|
Thursday September 8
8
|
Friday September 9
9
|
Saturday September 10
10
|
Sunday September 11
11
|
Monday September 12
12
|
Tuesday September 13
13
|
Wednesday September 14
14
|
Thursday September 15
15
|
Friday September 16
16
|
Saturday September 17
17
|
Sunday September 18
18
|
Monday September 19
19
|
Tuesday September 20
20
|
Wednesday September 21
21
|
Thursday September 22
22
|
Friday September 23
23
|
Saturday September 24
24
|
Sunday September 25
25
|
Monday September 26
26
|
Tuesday September 27
27
|
Wednesday September 28
28
|
Thursday September 29
29
|
Friday September 30
30
|
No events.
October 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday October 1
1
|
||||||
Sunday October 2
2
|
Monday October 3
3
|
Tuesday October 4
4
|
Wednesday October 5
5
|
Thursday October 6
6
|
Friday October 7
7
|
Saturday October 8
8
|
Sunday October 9
9
|
Monday October 10
10
|
Tuesday October 11
11
|
Wednesday October 12
12
|
Thursday October 13
13
|
Friday October 14
14
|
Saturday October 15
15
|
Sunday October 16
16
|
Monday October 17
17
|
Tuesday October 18
18
|
Wednesday October 19
19
|
Thursday October 20
20
|
Friday October 21
21
|
Saturday October 22
22
|
Sunday October 23
23
|
Monday October 24
24
|
Tuesday October 25
25
|
Wednesday October 26
26
|
Thursday October 27
27
|
Friday October 28
28
|
Saturday October 29
29
|
Sunday October 30
30
|
Monday October 31
31
|
No events.
November 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tuesday November 1
1
|
Wednesday November 2
2
|
Thursday November 3
3
|
Friday November 4
4
|
Saturday November 5
5
|
||
Sunday November 6
6
|
Monday November 7
7
|
Tuesday November 8
8
|
Wednesday November 9
9
|
Thursday November 10
10
|
Friday November 11
11
|
Saturday November 12
12
|
Sunday November 13
13
|
Monday November 14
14
|
Tuesday November 15
15
|
Wednesday November 16
16
|
Thursday November 17
17
|
Friday November 18
18
|
Saturday November 19
19
|
Sunday November 20
20
|
Monday November 21
21
|
Tuesday November 22
22
|
Wednesday November 23
23
|
Thursday November 24
24
|
Friday November 25
25
|
Saturday November 26
26
|
Sunday November 27
27
|
Monday November 28
28
|
Tuesday November 29
29
|
Wednesday November 30
30
|
No events.
December 2022
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Thursday December 1
1
|
Friday December 2
2
|
Saturday December 3
3
|
||||
Sunday December 4
4
|
Monday December 5
5
|
Tuesday December 6
6
|
Wednesday December 7
7
|
Thursday December 8
8
|
Friday December 9
9
|
Saturday December 10
10
|
Sunday December 11
11
|
Monday December 12
12
|
Tuesday December 13
13
|
Wednesday December 14
14
|
Thursday December 15
15
|
Friday December 16
16
|
Saturday December 17
17
|
Sunday December 18
18
|
Monday December 19
19
|
Tuesday December 20
20
|
Wednesday December 21
21
|
Thursday December 22
22
|
Friday December 23
23
|
Saturday December 24
24
|
Sunday December 25
25
|
Monday December 26
26
|
Tuesday December 27
27
|
Wednesday December 28
28
|
Thursday December 29
29
|
Friday December 30
30
|
Saturday December 31
31
|
No events.
January 2023
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sunday January 1
1
|
Monday January 2
2
|
Tuesday January 3
3
|
Wednesday January 4
4
|
Thursday January 5
5
|
Friday January 6
6
|
Saturday January 7
7
|
Sunday January 8
8
|
Monday January 9
9
|
Tuesday January 10
10
|
Wednesday January 11
11
|
Thursday January 12
12
|
Friday January 13
13
|
Saturday January 14
14
|
Sunday January 15
15
|
Monday January 16
16
|
Tuesday January 17
17
|
Wednesday January 18
18
|
Thursday January 19
19
|
Friday January 20
20
|
Saturday January 21
21
|
Sunday January 22
22
|
Monday January 23
23
|
Tuesday January 24
24
|
Wednesday January 25
25
|
Thursday January 26
26
|
Friday January 27
27
|
Saturday January 28
28
|
Sunday January 29
29
|
Monday January 30
30
|
Tuesday January 31
31
|
No events.
February 2023
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday February 1
1
|
Thursday February 2
2
|
Friday February 3
3
|
Saturday February 4
4
|
|||
Sunday February 5
5
|
Monday February 6
6
|
Tuesday February 7
7
|
Wednesday February 8
8
|
Thursday February 9
9
|
Friday February 10
10
|
Saturday February 11
11
|
Sunday February 12
12
|
Monday February 13
13
|
Tuesday February 14
14
|
Wednesday February 15
15
|
Thursday February 16
16
|
Friday February 17
17
|
Saturday February 18
18
|
Sunday February 19
19
|
Monday February 20
20
|
Tuesday February 21
21
|
Wednesday February 22
22
|
Thursday February 23
23
|
Friday February 24
24
|
Saturday February 25
25
|
Sunday February 26
26
|
Monday February 27
27
|
Tuesday February 28
28
|
No events.
March 2023
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wednesday March 1
1
|
Thursday March 2
2
|
Friday March 3
3
|
Saturday March 4
4
|
|||
Sunday March 5
5
|
Monday March 6
6
|
Tuesday March 7
7
|
Wednesday March 8
8
|
Thursday March 9
9
|
Friday March 10
10
|
Saturday March 11
11
|
Sunday March 12
12
|
Monday March 13
13
|
Tuesday March 14
14
|
Wednesday March 15
15
|
Thursday March 16
16
|
Friday March 17
17
|
Saturday March 18
18
|
Sunday March 19
19
|
Monday March 20
20
|
Tuesday March 21
21
|
Wednesday March 22
22
|
Thursday March 23
23
|
Friday March 24
24
|
Saturday March 25
25
|
Sunday March 26
26
|
Monday March 27
27
|
Tuesday March 28
28
|
Wednesday March 29
29
|
Thursday March 30
30
|
Friday March 31
31
|
No events.
April 2023
Sunday | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | Saturday |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saturday April 1
1
|
||||||
Sunday April 2
2
|
Monday April 3
3
|
Tuesday April 4
4
|
Wednesday April 5
5
|
Thursday April 6
6
|
Friday April 7
7
|
Saturday April 8
8
|
Sunday April 9
9
|
Monday April 10
10
|
Tuesday April 11
11
|
Wednesday April 12
12
|
Thursday April 13
13
|
Friday April 14
14
|
Saturday April 15
15
|
Sunday April 16
16
|
Monday April 17
17
|
Tuesday April 18
18
|
Wednesday April 19
19
|
Thursday April 20
20
|
Friday April 21
21
|
Saturday April 22
22
|
Sunday April 23
23
|
Monday April 24
24
|
Tuesday April 25
25
|
Wednesday April 26
26
|
Thursday April 27
27
|
Friday April 28
28
|
Saturday April 29
29
|
Sunday April 30
30
|
No events.
Send us an inquiry
To learn about program fees and available dates please fill out the contact form above or give us a call at (250) 597-2288.