Eco-Education Programs

Students will learn about air quality, how it is measured, and how our actions can help to make it better or worse.

• Included activity: Students will participate in a Jeopardy style game to learn more about air quality, pollution, and how to keep our air clean.
• Length: 1 hour
• Curriculum grade level: 4, 6 (Can be adapted to any grade above grade 4)

Students will engage with the scientific facts about climate change, and participate in discussions on how they can make a positive impact for our planet.

Length: 45 minutes - 1 hour

Grade Level: 8-12

Learn about what compost is and the great impact that compost has on garden soil and plants!

• Included activity: Make a compost tea bag for plant fertilizer or beginning a classroom experiment with compost infused soil and observing its impact on plant growth (Class to please provide several yogurt containers for pots); Play a game to recognize important roles in the composting cycle. 
• Length: 45 minutes to 1 hour 
• Curriculum grade level: 1, 3, 4 (Can be adapted to any grade level)

Did you know that the water you drink comes from the river? Did you also know that the water that goes down your drains ends up back in the river? Learn how our water is cleaned before and after you use it in a virtual step by step walk-through of the water and waste water treatment facilities. 

• Included activity:  Students will test their knowledge about water conservation through various games played as a single group.
• Length: 1 hour  
• Curriculum grade level: 4 (Can be adapted to any grade level)

Learn all about Okotoks' urban and natural forests as we explore the urban tree canopy, native trees in the river valley, and how trees and climate change impact each other. 

• Included activity: Students will engage in a scavenger hunt to find various types of leaves and to find and describe 5 native tree species characteristics. Activity can be adapted to all seasons.
• Length: 1 hour
• Curriculum grade level: 6 (Can be adapted to any grade above grade 4)

Learn about the importance of pollinators in local ecological communities and in food production.

• Activity: Learn about native flower species as you plant a seed in an egg carton to grow at home.
• Length: 1 hour 
• Grade level: K-12

BEE FRIENDLY PLANTS

This program has kids look at the actions in their yards and the impact those actions have on the river.

How do lawn fertilizer, dog poop, and car leakages affect plants and animals in the river?  How does our storm drain system work in Okotoks?

• Included activity: Using a model, kids will follow Frankie the Fish down a stream as it becomes polluted from storm water runoff. Students observe how everyday activities can pollute the stream, change the water quality and eventually make Frankie and the other animals and plants in the water sick. 
• Length: 1 hour 
• Grade level: 2, 4, 5 (Can be adapted to any grade level)

Do you know where the waste from Okotoks ends up and what it get turned into? This is your chance to learn how efficient waste disposal can help the environment by reducing landfill use and the exploitation of natural resources.  When things can’t be recycled or composted, they go to the landfill! Landfills are specially designed to prevent pollution of the environment. Learn about how landfills are designed and managed to make sure the environment is kept safe!

• Included activity: Students will participate in a virtual waste sorting game specific to Okotoks waste streams to learn where to put their waste. Students are challenged to organize and conduct a similar audit in their classroom and calculate how they are offsetting their environmental footprint! In-person programs include discovering the inner workings of a landfill by observing a 3D model.
• Length: 1 hour 
• Curriculum grade level: 4 (Can be adapted to any grade level)

In partnership with Trout Unlimited, this program explores the topics of aquatic species who are vulnerable to contaminants in our water supply, and the importance of keeping lawns and roads free of chemicals. Students will learn from 'Frankie the Fish' as he demonstrates the effects of chemicals washing down storm drains and polluting surrounding bodies of water. 

• Included activity: A presentation is offered before the Yellow Fish Road activity. The activity includes students painting a yellow fish next to storm drains in local neighbourhoods to raise awareness about the dangers of pollution in storm water runoff into the Sheep River.  Please allow a full 3 hours for the presentation and painting of storm drains. Extra adult volunteers may be needed depending on the group size. 
• Please note that this is offered only in spring/summer/early fall due to weather conditions.
• Grade level: 3 -12 or any community group ages 9+

Tour the Okotoks Eco Centre and learn about our waste diversion facility.  This field trip is in combination with the Waste in our World presentation which takes approximately 1 hour.

• Visit the centre to learn about our watershed, our Living Soils Filtration project, invasive species and more!
• Book your program choice above.

Learn more about the Environmental Education Centre!

• Learn how a landfill operates and what happens to things that we throw in the garbage.
• Contact: Foothills Regional Landfill (403) 938-5224 or http://foothillslrrc.com/contact/