LSRCA’s Education team was so excited for classes head back to the classroom in mid-February so they could resume outdoor learning in schoolyards but it was short-lived.  The third wave resulted in another round of school closures in early April but that didn’t stop our team of educators from finding fun ways to engage with students virtually and build nature connection.  The team even launched their very first virtual program for secondary students enrolled in the Specialist High Skills Major (SHSM) program in York Region District School Board!

Our virtual Map, Compass and GPS training course took place over three 1.5-hour sessions this May.  Participating students in grade 11 and 12 learned how to work with map features like scale, contour lines and coordinate systems, take compass bearings, and understand the uses and limitations of GPS technology.

Training experiences like this one are a graduation requirement of the SHSM program and we were thrilled to offer ours as a valued community partner.  The students liked it too:

I really enjoyed looking at the digital maps and determining stuff like bearing and UTM coordinates. It was very cool to be able to apply what we have learned.

The new Nature Centre at Scanlon Creek will serve a teaching tool that will open the door to many more exciting programs for secondary students in areas such as climate change adaptation, sustainable building design, and green infrastructure.