5 results for author: Shawn Wernig

Take Me Outside: Changing A School Focus & Culture One Outdoor Activity At A Time

My name is Dayna Landry and I am a Grade 4 teacher from Drayton Valley who is passionate about purposeful learning and getting outside. I have been at Wild Rose School Division for 17 years, and Aurora Elementary School for 8. As the Wellness Champion at my school, I wanted to do more to get kids outside in meaningful ways. I wanted to be purposeful in our learning and in our focus on the benefits of nature and the outdoors for students. With support from my Admin team, this is how the Take Me Outside Pilot Project was created.    Step 1: Getting Outside In Meaningful Ways Each month, classes are challenged to get outside for different ...

Akachi Farms

"Food is health.  Health is happiness.  Happiness is strong community."  "We've gone so far away from nature, but nature is medicine". These are powerful words Buchi Onakufe (owner of Akachi Farms) expressed to me when I recently visited her organic farm. Her farm is a self-sustained agricultural business.  They grow organic crops for the community and its surroundings. Agriculture has many curriculum connections related to Outdoor Learning.  For example, here are some connections to the Ontario Curriculum:   Grade 2 Science: Growth and Changes in Animals Identify constant traits and changing traits in animals as they ...

Hope for Diversity in Outdoor Learning

      I have loved the outdoors for my entire life. Both of my parents were born in Guyana. My mother in the capital city of Georgetown and my dad in the countryside (Land of Canaan). They grew up spending a lot of their time outdoors. My father is an avid outdoorsman (fishing, camping, etc.). Their love of nature and the outdoors definitely influenced me.  Now, as a teacher, I share this passion with my students and their families. There are so many opportunities for learning when you take your class outside. Not just outside in the paved schoolyard. But venturing further to explore the neighbourhood and other nearby natural areas. ...

Take Me Outside Day 2021 video

https://youtu.be/WkI9B1xx6d4 Take Me Outside Day 2021 had 9,000 educators and 400,000 students across Canada participate - a commitment to heading outside to help advocate for outdoor learning. This video highlights the week's events and the work we're doing with partners.

2021 Video Contest Winners

A huge congrats to Colin Fearing from Canmore, Alberta for being this year's grand prize winner! And congrats to all the winners in other categories who worked hard to make some great short films about our backyard in Canada and the importance of spending time outside. All of these winners will receive gift cards from MEC to help get them out there even more! And Colin's winning short film will be part of the internationally acclaimed Banff Mountain Book and Film Festival for 2021! Congratulations to the 2021 Contest Winners! Here are the winning videos from each category. Stay tuned for details for the 2022 Contest... coming soon! Scroll ...