705-444-5017 | ski@highlandsnordic.ca

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Outdoor Education

Grade Four

Grade 4 Programs

Bus Tour to Walker Aggregates Quarry

This is a half day program which complements the Rocks and Minerals program. Students will experience a working quarry while on a bus tour to nearby Walker Aggregates Quarry (3 minute drive away). The tour will end back at Highlands O.E.C. with hands-on samples of quarry product and equipment. Your school bus transportation is required to stay at Highlands in order to transport your class to and around the quarry. The tour guide will board the bus at the Quarry.

Cross Country Skiing

We will introduce students to the β€œClassic” technique in a group ski lesson with our professional ski instructors and will cover things such as how to go uphill, how to go downhill and the diagonal stride. If you are coming for multiple visits, we will build on these skills on each subsequent visit. Meets Health and Physical Education curriculum strands.Β 

ForestryΒ 

Rooted in Science, Branching into the Future.Β This outdoor education lesson introduces Kindergarten to Grade 8 students to the fundamentals of forestry through hands-on exploration, movement, and the use of real-world forestry tools. Designed for delivery in a forest, this lesson blends environmental science with physical activity, sensory exploration, and ecological literacy.
Students will engage in age-appropriate, inquiry-based activities that deepen their understanding of tree structure, forest ecosystems, and the role of forests in supporting life. The lesson fosters a sense of connection and stewardship by encouraging students to observe and reflect on their surroundings. It supports cross-curricular learning by integrating science, math, physical education, art, and language through experiential methods.

Habitats and CommunitiesΒ 

In this program students will analyze the effects of human activities on habitats and communities. Students will visit a farm, the forest floor, and our beaver pond. This will allow them to investigate the structural adaptations that allow plants and animals to survive in specific habitats. They will develop an understanding of a community as a group of interacting species sharing a common habitat. Students will also be reminded of safe and respectful conduct in nature.

Human SurvivalΒ 

Our Wilderness Survival Program is an exciting, hands-on experience designed for students in Kindergarten through to the 8th grade. Through age-appropriate outdoor activities, students will learn how to stay safe, think critically, and work togetherβ€”while building a lifelong appreciation for nature.
This program blends real-world survival skillsΒ with lessons from science, health, teamwork, and environmental education. Whether it’s building a shelter, learning how to stay warm and dry, or identifying local plants and animals, students gain practical knowledge in a fun, engaging way.

Materials Objects & Everyday Structures

From Wobbly to Wow: Mastering Strong Structures. Students will rotate through interactive stations where they design, build, and test different types of structures using everyday materials. The goal is to explore what makes structures strong and stableβ€”and apply these concepts through real problem-solving.

Rocks and Minerals

Students will: investigate, test, and compare the physical properties of rocks and minerals, investigate how rocks and minerals are used and disposed of in everyday life, and describe how igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks are formed.

Snowshoeing

Highlands Nordic offers a range of interactive Snowshoe Programs designed to give students a hands-on experience with winter survival and exploration. These programs provide an exciting mix of adventure and education, allowing students to learn valuable outdoor skills while enjoying the beauty of the winter landscape. Meets Health and Physical Education curriculum strands.

Survival on the Niagara Escarpment (Habitats and Communities)

Students will play a role in a food chain as a carnivore, omnivore or herbivore, as it may occur on the Niagara Escarpment. Our version of the survival game shows the interdependence of all organisms within a local forest community. It examines food chains, food webs, and shows the concept of energy flow within an ecosystem. Students will experience both the struggle all organisms on the escarpment must go through, and the impact humans can have on wildlife populations, food chains, and ecosystems.

Wayfaring (Map Work)

Students will participate in a map reading program building on skills learned as they venture through three progressively challenging levels of maps. Students will only advance after successful completion of each stage.

Wildlife Walk

While on a walk through the woods, concepts such as predator/prey, wildlife adaptations, wildlife populations, and human influence on wildlife are explored through a series of games. This is a fun, active, engaging program. This activity requires fewer adult leaders to be effective.

General Information

  • All Programs must be reserved in advance and are designed as half-day sessions for a minimum of 15 students per program. Two half-day programs make an exciting full-day program.
  • Program runs rain or shine (unless extreme weather conditions are forecasted).
  • Supervisors are expected to remain with their group throughout the visit (program/lunch) and are responsible for discipline.

    Note: Proper footwear, rubber boots or closed toed shoes, is essential for students, teachers and parent volunteers to maximize the learning potential and related enjoyment of these programs.

    PARENT VOLUNTEERS ARE REQUIRED FOR ALL PROGRAMS (1 adult for every 5 students).

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