Raincoast Field School
“The goal of the Raincoast Field School is to increase outdoor learning opportunities for students in our local public schools.”
Raincoast Field School is an outdoor education program designed to meet BC curricular outcomes while providing hands-on learning opportunities for students in our local public schools. It is a collaborative program developed by the Raincoast Education Society (RES) and the teachers at the Tofino and Ucluelet elementary schools.
Field trips and activities are led by a qualified full-time instructor with extensive experience as a science educator, and encompass multiple aspects of curricular outcomes including science, numeracy and literacy. Many outings also feature traditional Aboriginal knowledge provided by a First Nations Cultural Educator. The program is constantly evolving, with lessons being built or recycled to best fit with the unique themes of each class as determined by the teacher.
Progress
Full programming is provided to the Wickaninnish Community School in Tofino (since 2014) and the Ucluelet Elementary School (since 2018) through Raincoast Field School. Each and every student from K to grade 7 gets to participate in at least one field trip per month during the school year – that’s over 200 Raincoast Field School trips delivered per year!
Follow along
Raincoast Field School programs are currently being run in Tofino and Ucluelet elementary schools (K-7). Follow along with our programs below.
#tofinofieldschool
Nov 12th Ocean Acidification Lab
The grade 7 students have been working on the scientific method in class and reviewing chemical reactions. We show the kids how chemical reactions constantly take place in the environment!
The students trekked down to Tonquin beach to first explore the carbon cycle, later creating it out of collected materials found around the beach. We explored how excess amounts of CO2 are entering the atmosphere and how the ocean acts as a huge carbon sink.
Back in the classroom we performed a chemical reactions lab involving an acid (vinegar) and base (seashells) to understand the consequences of an increasing ocean acidity.
#outdooreducation #stem #stemeducation #tofinofieldschool #raincoastfieldschool #naturekids #natureschool #learningoutside #tipsforteachers #lessonplans #experientiallearning #exploreoutdoors #getoutside #optoutdoors #optoutside #theoutdoors #outdoorclassroom #fieldtrips
Nov 7th Hatchery
Once again Raincoast Field School and the kindergartens from Wickinninish school explored @thorntoncreek Hatchery.
During our visit the students were taught all about the various life stages of a salmon. We began by holding unfertilized salmon eggs, observing their size and texture. We then acted out growing into an alevin with our yolks sacks attached to our stomachs! The students learnt about the changes in a salmon's physical appearance based on its life stage and camouflage requirements.
We were fortunate enough to even encounter a few salmon predators. The students watched as a black bear fished a salmon from the creek and carried it up into the forest. This transportation of nutrients from creek to forest is an essential part of ensuring overall forest health.
What a cool day!
#tofinofieldschool #kindergarten #thorntoncreekhatchery #bears #salmon #learnoutside #fieldtrip #handsonlearning #predatorandprey #ecology #streamecology #blackbear #elementaryschool #tofino #raincoastfieldschool
Oct 29th
Today we hopped on the Raincoast Bus and headed to Thornton Creek Hatchery! The students learned all about a salmon's life cycle. They learnt about the 6 life stages of salmon and how this species migrates from freshwater environments to the ocean, and then back to their original stream to spawn. We took a close look at some of the predator species that prey on salmon, we even got a visit from one of them- a very large balck bear! Thank you Thornton Creek Hatchery for welcoming us on your grounds and making us feel very safe during our visit!
Bear and animal viewing at Thornton Creek Hatchery is done along a boardwalk with electric fencing on the 'outside' to prevent negative animal-human interactions. The bears are able to focus on being bears when the humans are safely contained on the inside of the railing. A unique animal viewing experience for sure with reduced risk of habituation for the bears.
#salmon #bears #tofinofieldschool #thortoncreekhatchery #outdoors #fieldtrip #outddoreducation #getoutside #explorenature #classroom #outdoorclassroom #hatchery #salmonspawning #hibernation #westcoast #raincoastbus #salmonenhancement #coexistingwithwildlife
Oct 28th
We expanded on our previous plant lesson and reviewed the things plants need to survive. We then looked at the requirements all living things need and compared and contrasted between plants, humans, and bears.
Then we focused all of our attention on bears! Their needs, diet, and habitat. The students got to touch a real bear hide and explore some of their physical features used to help them survive. We headed outside along tonquin trail to search for berries, salmon and bear dens. The forest was great to explore but we continued on. We made it all the way down to the beach where we talked about the importance of ocean health for our local bears.
#tofinofieldschool #bears #learning #outdoorclassroom #fieldtrips #education #educational #outdoored #environmentaleducation #ecology #tofino
Oct 21 Expanding on our bug knowledge.
Last school outing we explored the forest trying to find as many bugs as possible. This time round we focused our attention on the physical and behavioral traits of ants and spiders. We crawled around the classroom hiding out from the rain exploring differences in how spiders and ants look, feed, and protect their homes! The students created some beautiful drawings incorporating their newly gained knowledge of animal anatomy and habitat. We wrapped up with a quick overview of how important these two species are to their environment.
#bugs #spiders #ants #learning #arthropods #spookycreatures #tofinofieldschool #tofino #rainydays #classroom #teaching #science #scienceteachers
#ukeefieldschool
Nov 8th Bats
Did you know that bats can be almost as large as an eagle and as small as a bumblebee? There at least eight different species of bats that can be found on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. Students learned all about bats and bat adaptations. Then students took flight outside to learn how bats find their prey using echolocation and how mamma bats find their babies in their roost. You bat-ter believe it!
#ukeefieldschool #raincoastfieldschool #outdooreducation #outdoored #experientiallearning #activelearning #naturebasedlearning #stemforkids #steamed #stemlearning #teachingtips #handsonlearning #stem #fieldtrips #theworldisourclassroom #natureplay #learningoutside #natureschool #ucluelet #raincoast #education
Nov 4th Streams and Salmon
Today Willamina the water drop took a class on an adventure to find Willamina in as many places as possible. Students were amazed to find Willamina hiding in so many places. We ended our trip at the stream and learned about why streams and trees are so important to both the ocean and the terrestrial ecosystems. Students enacted the salmon lifecycle and found that it was very difficult for young fry to find suitable habitat on a gravel beach. When students played the game again in the forest with many logs and branches they had an easier time hiding from their predators. Willamina sure made a splash today!
#WillaminaTheWaterDrop #ukeefieldschool #ucluelet #watercycle #outdooreducation #getoutside #learning #fieldtrip #explore #nature #learninnature #fieldschool #streams #elementaryschool
Nov 4th Bats
Did you know that bats are more closely related to humans than they are to mice and birds? Bats are mammals in the family Chiroptera which means "hand fly". Bats have bones similar to humans but their wings are made up of finger like projections covered with skin. Kindergarten students learned all about the amazing world of bats. We learned where they live, how they find food in the dark using echolocation, how they find their babies in their caves and even what types of special adaptations or tools they have to help them survive. The kids "batted" this one out of the park today!
#Ukeefieldschool #ucluelet #raincoastfieldschool #bats #learningoutside #handson #experiential #learning #schoolprograms #fieldtrips #adventure #getoutside #gooutside #batmask #kidsactivities #educationalactivities
Nov 1st
Willamina flows down a stream.
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Students were on the lookout for Willamina today inside and outside of the school. Students made a prediction of where they might find her hiding. On our way to Big Beach students found Willamina hiding in the trees, leaves, grass, clouds, in baby deer and even saw Willamina evaporating right in front of our eyes out of the soil!
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Students then compared a stream at two different points, one covered by trees and plants and one where the stream was exposed to sunlight. Students learned that trees and plants play an important role in the stream ecosystem to keep the water cool, clean and to provide habitat for little fish and other organisms living in the stream. It was an ex-stream-ly fun morning!
#ucluelet #ukeefieldschool #Raincoastfieldschool #elementaryschool #fieldtrips #learningoutdoors #getoutsideandplay #getoutdoors #streams #watercycle
Oct 29th
Water Cycle
Willamina the water drop, dropped into the Grade 2 class to teach the students all about the movement of water through the water cycle. After reading a story about Willamina, students discussed why water was important and some of the places that Willamina likes to hide. Outside, students played a game on the playground to show the different stages of the water cycle.
#ukeefieldschool #outdooreducation #outdoorclassroom #watercycle #raincoastfieldschool #getoutside #learning #learningoutdoors #teachers #lessons #ucluelet #vancouverisland
Support
Raincoast Field School is made possible with the support of the administration and teaching staff at local schools, and the generosity of organizations, businesses, and individuals within the community. The curriculum is designed to build upon itself each year, representing a long-term commitment to the students. Our instructors are highly skilled educators in a full-time position with the RES, committed to the program, and the community they teach in.
Need help?
If you have any questions about our courses, our events, or just us in general – we’re here to help!
Raincoast Education Society
Shaping an environmentally sustainable future for the Clayoquot and Barkley Sound region through education and community stewardship
