Outdoor Learning Through the Seasons Educators' Guide
The Mission StatementWe put environment first.
What? The TNCC was started in March 2020 to explore options for greater support for, and collaboration among, groups doing conservation work in the Thompson-Nicola (T-N) region, including the possibility of a regional conservation partnership, similar to others in BC.
Who? It was initiated by the BC Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development (FLNRORD), with start-up funding from Environment and Climate Change Canada – Canadian Wildlife Service (ECCC-CWS). In April 2021, the TNCC will be launched as a member-driven collaborative organization, independent of government.
Why? ECCC has identified 11 Priority Places for biodiversity conservation in Canada, including the BC Dry Interior. The T-N region comprises 45% of the Dry Interior and contains provincially, nationally and globally significant biodiversity values, including many species and ecosystems at risk. For example, the grassland ecosystem covers only 1% of the province but has over 30% of the species at risk.
When? In Phase 1, March 2020 to March 2021, consultants conducted background research, directed by an ad hoc Working Group, including 80 interviews with over 60 organizations. Results from the interviews show overwhelming support for the idea of a conservation partnership!
Outdoor Learning Through the Seasons is a seasonal curriculum featuring outdoor learning with the incorporation of cultural knowledge and western science to help connect youth with the land. Curriculum content was developed in collaboration with Simpcw educators and environmental science educators to create a resource based around the Secwépemc seasonal round.
The content is under review during the month of May, 2024. Please contact us with any input or feedback on this resource.
The new resources is available for educators and youth leaders across the Thompson watershed, and beyond, to use and adapt for their communities.
Along with the downloadable PDF version of the curriculum, a MS Word version of the document is available for communities to adapt.
Secwépemc Seasonal Round
The seasonal round captures the cyclical nature of resource harvesting activities in the year which the Secwépemc people in the Skeetchestn area have historically done.
The two versions of the Secwépemc Seasonal Round are prepared to print out as 11x17 for use in the indoor or outdoor classroom:
- Version 1: A complex version of the round with graphics inside and seasonal activities outside of the round.
- Version 2: A simpler, graphic version of the round with no text.
Thanks to Wildlife Habitat Canada for supporting this project.
