Raincoast Field School
The goal of the Raincoast Field School is to increase outdoor learning opportunities for students in our local public schools.
Overview
Raincoast Field School is an outdoor education program designed to meet BC curricular outcomes while providing hands-on, place-based learning opportunities for students in local public schools. Developed in partnership with the Raincoast Education Society (RES) and teachers in Tofino and Ucluelet, the program integrates classroom learning with experiences in local ecosystems.
Field trips are led by a full-time instructor with extensive experience in science education and support learning across science, literacy, and numeracy. Lessons are adapted to reflect the themes and needs of each class.
Get outside!
Most students in Canada learn about nature in a classroom. Here on the west coast of Vancouver Island, learning happens in one of the most intact and dynamic ecosystems in the world—where rubber boots are often more useful than a textbook.
Students explore forests, beaches, bogs, and shorelines, engaging directly with the environments they are studying.
Making Connections
Raincoast Field School works closely with classroom teachers to design lessons that extend and enrich classroom learning. Activities are tailored to teacher requests and connect directly to ongoing topics across subject areas.
Progress
Full programming is provided to Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino (since 2014) and Ucluelet Elementary School (since 2018). Every student from Kindergarten to Grade 7 participates in at least one field trip per month—over 200 trips delivered each year.
