Events & Workshops
Events & Workshops
Check out our event calendar for all upcoming Take Me Outside Events! To learn more or see other partner events continue scrolling.
On this page:
Outdoor Learning Seasonal Virtual Workshop Series
Presented in partnership with the Outdoor Learning School and Store, alongside our Outdoor Learning Partners, this popular online series continues with more engaging expert presenters on a wide variety of topics.
- Registration is free and there are always draw prizes for attendees!
- All registrants receive a discount code to access outdoor learning resources when they register.
- Workshops are 60 minutes and take place on Tuesdays at 4pm Pacific time / 7pm Eastern time.
- For those who can’t attend live, each session is recorded and posted here.
- Following the workshop, participants will receive a link through which they can access a certificate of attendance.
- If you can’t attend the live workshop you can still request a certificate of attendance after you watch the recording.
- Make sure you’re subscribed to our newsletter so you don’t miss any updates and announcements!
Disability Justice in Outdoor Learning with accessibility consultants & educators Kristie Cabrera and Julie Nowak
February 11th – 4pm PT/ 7pm ET
Join Julie and Kristie, two accessibility consultants, as they provide a foundation on what Disability Justice is and how it can be used to create accessible and inclusive learning experiences in nature. Disability Justice is a movement and a framework that can guide educators on how to assess and create inclusive nature experiences, as well as how to support disabled and neurodivergent learners. This virtual workshop will review one of the disability justice principles and show you step-by-step how to incorporate the principle into your work. Audience members are encouraged to come with all of their accessibility and inclusion questions! Julie and Kristie’s favorite part of presenting is providing support during Q&A.
Julie Nowak (she/they) is a multiply-disabled and neuroqueer educator, consultant, and writer with an M.Ed. in Adult Education and Community Development. Through their project “The Seasonal Body”, Julie explores the intersection of disability justice, nature connection, food justice, and body liberation. She helps institutions and individuals learn how to make nature connection more accessible. Julie is a white person with Celtic and Germanic ancestry, based near Tkaronto (Toronto, Canada). They view both the #LandBack movement and ancestral connection as important for nature-related work. You can follow Julie at SeasonalBody.org and @TheSeasonalBody on social media.
Kristie Cabrera (they/them) is a queer, non-binary, Latine, disabled and neurodivergent, accessibility and inclusivity consultant with a background in occupational therapy. Kristie guides organizations on how to improve their internal practices around accessibility and inclusivity. Kristie is primarily passionate about working with nature and food based spaces. Having access to land and food can promote healing, wellness, and ancestral connection and it is important that everyone, including disabled and neurodivergent people, have equal opportunities to these benefits. Kristie’s work is centered around unpacking ableism, helping others to understand accessibility and inclusivity practices, and creating improvements to a site’s physical design, educational programs/curriculums, and work culture. You can follow Kristie’s work through their website KristieCabrera.com.
Explore how Nature can be ‘Naturally Inclusive’ with Dr. Ruth Wilson’s book, Naturally Inclusive: Engaging Children of All Abilities Outdoors.
To register and learn more about the presenters click here!
Indigenous Resources for Early & Elementary Years
February 18th – 4pm PT/ 7pm ET
Explore the plethora of Indigenous resources available to support all youth in developing core skills in reading, writing, science all while nurturing social and emotional wellness skills. This workshop will share with educators how authentic Indigenous resources can connect students to place through evidence based literacy, numeracy and science curriculums. The new Decodables series, developed in conjunction with Dyslexia Canada also specially supports those will challenges like dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. Join to get inspired on how to embed Indigenous resources into your Early and Elementary education practice.
Presenters:
- Qwultultun (Robert) Goldsmith is from Quw’utsun First Nation (Cowichan Tribes). He was born in Vancouver but has lived on Vancouver Island, in Nanaimo, for most of his life. Robert is the father of two children, Melainee and Rylan. Robert joined Strong Nations as a shipper/receiver in 2018. Since then, his role has expanded to include warehouse management and customer service, and Director of Publishing. Robert is now the Manager of Sales.
- Emma Metallic (she/her) is from the Mi’gmaq community, Listuguj, Quebec, located in the seventh district Gespe’gewa’gi, Mi’gma’gi. Emma holds a BA in Contemporary studies and Law, Justice, & Society with a minor in Indigenous Studies from the University of King’s College. Emma is passionate about writing stories that reflect her community’s knowledge, needs, and desires. While a learner of the Mi’gmaw language, Emma strives to use the language as much as she can in her day-to-day life. Nipugtug is her debut book.
- Natalie Laurin (she/her) is a Métis and settler illustrator and interdisciplinary designer, with family roots in the Georgian Bay Métis community. Natalie holds a Bachelor of Design from NSCAD University, where she majored in Interdisciplinary Design and minored in Illustration. A central goal of her work is to create with a respectful, informed, and collaborative approach – especially when designing for communities other than her own. By using her talents to illustrate books for Indigenous children, she hopes to inspire youth to engage in our collective revitalization journey through themes of community and relationship-building.
- Dr Valdine Bjornson has completed a Doctor of Education focusing on adults with Dyslexia in Manitoba. She has founded the Reading and Learning Clinic Canada in order to provide Canadian educators evidence-based professional development as well as advocacy and intervention to students with dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. She is grateful to be part of Teachers for Reading Canada (as Director of Teacher Training) which offers FREE Accredited OGA courses to educators across Canada. She also works as a literacy specialist in a K-8 school in Winnipeg. At the University of Manitoba, she works as a Reading Strategist at the Indigenous Student Centre.
This workshop will feature authors and creators of excellent children’s resources such as:
- Cedar School Decodable Stories (20 book set)
- We Are All Connected Indigenous Biodiversity Book Bundle
- Strong Stories Bundle of 48 Indigenous Books for Elementary Students
- Strong Science Animals: Indigenous Resource Bundle
To register and learn more about the presenters click here!
Teaching Ideas and Activities for Using Sit Sports with Educator & Author Lauren MacLean
February 25h – 4pm PT/ 7pm ET
Sitting in nature with students is not just a way to pass the time. The sit spot pedagogy is grounded in educational research literature and proven to engage students, deepen their core subject and interpersonal skills and build relationships with themselves and the world around them.
In this workshop Lauren will build on her picture book work ‘Me and My Sit Spot’ to share her new educator’s guide on how to implement the sit spot pedagogy, whatever your experience level of outdoor learning is. Suitable for primary and intermediate level educators, Lauren will introduce the framework beneath sit spot pedagogy, how to get started, and how to build your practice including weekly sit spot activities and connections to the First Peoples’ Principles of Learning
Presenter Lauren MacLean is an accomplished author of multiple books. She serves as the host of the popular Teach Outdoors podcast, where she shares strategies for bringing the classroom into the great outdoors as well as interviews other inspiring educators who are passionate to discuss their outdoor classroom experiences. As an elementary school teacher and outdoor learning consultant, Lauren’s passion for nature exploration shines through, inspiring both children and adults alike to appreciate and learn from the natural world.
Take a moment to sit and enjoy these sit spot learning resources:
- Sitting With Nature: An Educator’s Guide to Sit Spots
- Me and My Sit Spot Children’s Book
- Me and My Sit Spot for Early Learners
- Moi et Mon Coin nature Où J’aime M’asseoir
- Basic Sit Pad
- Enhanced Sit Pad (recycled and more durable)
- Sit Spot Classroom Kit
To register and learn more about the presenters click here!
Did you miss one of our past workshops? No problem!
Check out the all recordings here.
Virtual Campfire Connections: Circling up with Educators from Coast to Coast to Coast //
Feu de camp virtuel : Connecter avec des éducateurs d’un bout à l’autre du canada
Le français suit
Next English Campfire: Stay tuned!
(https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87863579336)
Sign up for our newsletter and follow us on social media for all the updates.
& see below for campfires en français!
Pull up a log and come join us to learn, share and connect around all things related to outdoor learning. We would love to chat about all of the AMAZING things going on in and outside of your classrooms. Like most campfire chats, we are hoping to have a very open mic forum around outdoor education topics and format. As the school year continues, we want to facilitate chances to gather and connect you & other incredible educators!
There will be opportunities to play games, share stories, and brainstorm to discuss key topics on your mind. Whether you’re a seasoned outdoor learning educator, or someone taking their first steps outside the classroom, there will be some great takeaways as we build community nationwide. And of course, some prizes from both Take Me Outside and the Outdoor Learning Store!
Come join us for a few minutes or the entire campfire! We can guarantee you will leave the fire inspired. This is a free event, using the same link each time – register below to join or click the link above a few minutes before the fire begins. Please note these informal gatherings are not recorded at this time.
Joignez-vous à la boutique d’apprentissage en plein air et à nos partenaires canadiens d’apprentissage en plein air pour apprendre, partager et vous connecter autour de tout ce qui concerne l’apprentissage en plein air. Nous serions ravis de discuter avec vous de toutes les choses INCROYABLES qui se passent à l’intérieur et/ou à l’extérieur de vos salles de classe. Comme la plupart des discussions autour d’un feu de camp, nous espérons avoir un forum de micro très ouvert autour de sujets et de formats d’éducation en plein air. Nous voulons juste avoir la chance de vous connecter avec d’autres enseignants incroyables au Canada ! Veuillez noter que ces rencontres informelles ne sont PAS enregistrées.
Il y aura des occasions de jouer à des jeux, de partager des histoires et d’avoir des groupes pour discuter de sujets clés qui vous préoccupent. Que vous soyez un éducateur chevronné en apprentissage en plein air ou quelqu’un qui fait ses premiers pas en dehors de la salle de classe, il y aura d’excellentes idées à emporter alors que nous construisons une communauté à l’échelle nationale. Et bien sûr, des prix Amène-moi dehors (Take Me Outside et de la boutique d’apprentissage en plein air (Outdoor Learning Store)!
Venez au feu de camp et repartez avec des idées plein la tête! Il s’agit d’un événement gratuit utilisant le même lien à chaque fois – inscrivez-vous ci-dessous pour vous joindre ou cliquez sur le lien ci-dessus quelques minutes avant le début du feu.
Prochain feu de camp : Restez à l’écoute ! (https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86135666016)
Inscrivez-vous à notre newsletter et suivez-nous sur les médias sociaux pour toutes les mises à jour.
Other upcoming workshops to support outdoor learning
Please check dates and time zones carefully! Most sessions are intended for educator professional development; however, grade level will be indicated if applicable.
Take Me Outside is not involved in the delivery or content of the following workshops. Please contact the organizations directly for more information.
Fall 2024 Opportunities:
- Kentucky Association for Environmental Education: Justice, Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (JEDI) Community of Practice
- Thurs Dec 19th / 12-1pm ET | Free
Winter 2025 Opportunities:
- Outdoor Learning School & Store: Braiding Sweetgrass for Educators Course
- Jan 8-29th 4pm PT/ 7pm ET / Zoom / Early Bird (ends Dec 17) – $120
- Outdoor Learning School & Store: Kanien’kéha (Mohawk) Introductory Online Language Course
- Jan 16-Mar 5th Wednesdays 5:30-7pm ET / Zoom / Early Bird (ends Dec 15) – $160 / Free for Indigenous Educators
- Natural Start Alliance: Reimagining The Role of Teachers
- Jan 22nd 1pm ET/ 10 am PT / Zoom/ FREE
- COEO Winter Conference: Make Peace with Winter
- Jan 24-26th / Camp Kawartha, ON / Early Bird – $280
- EverActive Schools: Shaping the Future Conference
- Jan 30-Feb 1 / Lake Louise, AB / $689+gst
Spring/Summer 2025 Opportuntiies:
- 2025 Outdoor Learning Conference – “Place and Pedagogy: Where Learning Happens”
- May 8-10th / Banff, AB / SOLD OUT
Fall 2025 Opportunities:
Check back for more updates!
Ongoing Opportunities:
- Room to Play & Play Outside UBC Lab & BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute: Online Teacher Tool for Outside Play
- Ongoing | Free
- Learning for a Sustainble Future / L’Éducation au service de la Terre: Youth Forums (Gr 5-12) / Forums Jeunesse (5e – 12e année)
- Ongoing through the school year / Virtual & in-person options | Free (+ all participating schools receive a $500 Action Project grant!)
- Wild Wonder Foundation: Nature Journaling Educator Program
- Ongoing | Sliding scale pricing
- Bee City Canada: Virtual Learning Sessions (Pre-K – Gr 6)
- Ongoing | Free
- Evergreen: Virtually Outdoors
- Ongoing through the 2023-24 school year | Free for educators in Ontario
- Child & Nature Alliance of Canada: Forest and Nature School Practitioners Course
- Throughout the year: Dates, times, and locations vary / 5 days in-person learning, followed by 11 months online study | $1750
- Exploring By The Seat of Your Pants: Virtual lessons happening every week! (Topics vary; English & French options)
- Ongoing throughout the school year | Free
- #NatureForAll: Storytelling Festival
- Ongoing | Free
- Child & Nature Alliance of Canada: Risky Play Workshop
- Ongoing | $65
- Child & Nature Alliance of Canada: How to Start a Forest/Nature School
- Ongoing | $100
- Forest School Teacher Institute: Introduction to Forest School and Teacher Training courses
- Ongoing / Hours and prices vary depending on course
- UNESCO: Climate Change & Emotions Course (Middle school educators & their learners)
- Ongoing / 20 hours self-paced | Free
- UNESCO: Climate Change in the Classroom (Secondary educators)
- Ongoing / 6 days of modules (asynchronous) | Free
- Eastern Region Association of Forest and Nature Schools: Emergency Response Preparedness for Nature-Based Programs
- Ongoing until Sept 2024 / 8 hours self-paced | $75 for members, $125 for non-members
- Project Learning Tree Canada: Creating Fun Nature-Based Learning Experiences for Little Learners (ages 1-6)
- Ongoing | Free
- Project Learning Tree Canada: Explore Your Environment with K-8 Students
- Ongoing | Free