Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) education programs are developed by Ontario Certified Teachers and are designed to engage and inspire, while making curriculum connections.
Our outdoor, nature-based programs are delivered at TRCA Education Centres by Ontario Certified Teachers as well as skilled environmental educators and heritage professionals.
From science to social studies, physical education to the arts, we bring S.T.E.A.M learning to life in authentic and inspiring environments.
TRCA EDUCATION CENTRES
Click on the TRCA icons to see more information about each of the Education Centres.
Day Field Trips
Single-day field trips meeting a variety of curriculum expectations, as well as recreation and group or team-building experiences, for kindergarten through grade 12, are available at all TRCA Education Centres.
Overnight Field Trips
Bring your class for an immersive overnight nature-based experience at Albion Hills Field Centre, Claremont Nature Centre or Lake St. George Field Centre.
Our overnight school programs are designed to meet elementary and secondary level Ontario curriculum expectations and provide your students with engaging, hands-on learning opportunities in safe and supportive outdoor environments.
DOWNLOAD OUR SCHOOL FIELD TRIP GUIDES:
In-Class Visits
TRCA offers interactive programs that bring nature education to your classroom.
NATIVE PLANTS PROGRAM
The Native Plants Program (NPP) is a curriculum-linked stewardship experience for students. The goal of the program is to help students recognize the importance of native plant species in habitat health and to encourage habitat stewardship.
Participating classes will have an opportunity to grow native plants from seeds in their classrooms.
This program is offered at no cost to classes.
Available options vary by region. Please select the applicable region below for more information.
Teachers in Peel
The Native Plants Program (NPP) in Peel is a curriculum-linked stewardship experience for students in grades 2-12.
In this hybrid program, TRCA staff will deliver a native plant growing kit, complete with a growing container, soil, and native plant seeds, to participating classes. Classes will then have an opportunity to participate in a Virtual NPP Orientation to learn more about native plants and how to care for their seeds.
Next, classes will grow their seeds in preparation for the planting program. Schools can choose between a field trip to a restoration site in Peel Region or choose to plant at an established garden in their school yard.
During the planting program, students will have the opportunity to plant what they have grown along with other native plants brought by our staff and take part in interactive activities to learn more about local ecosystems.
Field trips to a restoration site are half-day trips (roughly two hours) and can accommodate a minimum of 40 students (or two classes), and a maximum of 100 students (or four classes).
School yard plantings are 80-minute programs per session (multiple sessions can happen during each booking) and can accommodate a minimum of four classes and a maximum of six classes.
Select the button below to book a planting date.
Planting dates are available between the end of April and June. Grow kit drop-off and virtual orientation will be coordinated with teachers after booking.
This program and the materials are free. However, schools will be responsible for booking and covering the costs of transportation to the field trip sites.
If you have questions about this process, or if bussing is a barrier for your school to participate, please contact peel.education@trca.ca.
Teachers in Toronto
The Native Plants Program in Toronto is available with either a seeding in-school workshop or a transplanting in-school workshop. Detailed information about these two options can be found by selecting the button below..
For more information about NPP in Toronto, please contact raja.raudsepp@trca.ca.
Teachers in York
Details coming soon! For more information about NPP in York, please contact alex.payne@trca.ca.
GIANT FLOOR MAP:
Indigenous Peoples of Canada
We are excited to offer a new educational experience using our Indigenous People of Canada Giant Floor Map created by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society.


In this two-hour interactive workshop, our educators will use your gym or an outdoor space at the school to teach about Indigenous languages and territories in Canada, the movement of people, plants, animals, and water on these lands, and the impact of climate change – all as we engage your Grade 2-12 students on our giant (11m x 8m) floor map!
All programs will be adapted according to the participating grade.
Please note: Priority will be given to schools in Peel Region. If you are interested in this opportunity but are located outside of Peel, please contact peel.education@trca.ca.
Program Costs:
Flat fees for up to 30 students
- Single program (two classes at a time): $500 + HST (if applicable)
- Two programs on the same day (Up to four classes; up to two classes in the morning, up to 2 in the afternoon): $650 + HST (if applicable)
Programs:
Seasonal Cycles
Grades 2-8
How have the first inhabitants of these lands, including plants, animals, and the Indigenous communities that called these lands home, adapted and worked in harmony with the changing seasons we experience in Canada?
In this workshop, we will explore different Indigenous languages and how they can be used to learn more about animals, plants and places.
We will explore migration routes of animals across Canada and learn where we can find certain plants based on their life histories and adaptations. And we will take a closer look at some of the life we can find around your school and what some traditional uses of these species are.
A Changing Land
Grades 5-12
Climate change is profoundly altering the land, water, and air systems around us – but are all places equally affected?
In this workshop, students will identify different ecozones and landforms on our map of Canada, explore how these spaces and their inhabitants are being impacted by a changing climate, and work together to think about solutions, adaptations and actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change!
Water Connects Us
Grades 2-12
Water doesn’t know the boundaries that we have made between towns, cities, provinces, or even countries. It simply connects all the lands that it flows through!
In this workshop we will explore our connections to the land, how Indigenous communities have connected to the land for generations, and the importance of water in connecting the spaces that we call home.
BEYOND THE PARK
Programs for Groups in the Greater Toronto Area
We bring the experience to you!
For groups in the GTA that want to learn about environmental and nature-themed topics, but can’t make it to one of our Outdoor Education Centres, we will send an environmental educator to your school, recreation centre, community group, or camp!
Beyond The Park programs are two hours in length and take place in your space at school or in your neighbourhood!
Program Costs:
Flat fees for up to 30 students
- Single Program: $280 + HST (if applicable) | Additional students (up to five): $9.35 per student
- Two Programs on the Same Day (one in the morning, one in the afternoon): $475 + HST (if applicable) | Additional students (up to five): $18.70 per student
Programs:
What’s the Word, Urban Bird
Ages 6-14 / Grades 1-8
Birds are all around us – but how well do you know them? In this session, participants will find out just how fascinating our feathered friends are. Focusing on bird species found in and around the GTA, participants will explore the world of birds through sight and sound, discovering what make them unique.
Nature in the City
Ages 6-12 / Grades 1-6
Learn about the wildlife we share our cities with! Participants’ understanding of local urban wildlife will grow through activities, games, and an opportunity to explore fur and skull replica specimens. An emphasis will be placed on the concept of sharing the city space with wildlife, ensuring their needs are met alongside ours.
Wetlands Matter (Toronto Only)
Ages 6-12 / Grades 1-6
Why are wetland habitats so important? Through games and activities, participants will learn what a wetland is, why it matters, and how we can be part of wetland conservation. Let’s discover the world of wetlands together!
Microplastics in Lake Ontario (Toronto Only)
Ages 13+ / Grades 8 and up
Discover microplastics, a significant environmental issue affecting aquatic ecosystems across the globe. Participants will analyze terrestrial samples from Tommy Thompson Park and aquatic samples from the Toronto harbour. Through an in-depth presentation and hands-on exploration, participants will gain an appreciation of the impacts of our daily plastics use and discuss approaches to being part of the solution. Microscopes and sediment sorting sieves provided.
Turtle Talks (Peel Only)
Ages 6-12 / Grades 1-6
Did you know that eight native species of turtles call southern Ontario home? That’s the highest diversity of turtles in all of Canada – but almost all of them are considered a species at risk. Let’s talk turtles and learn more about the habitats they need to be happy and healthy while exploring what makes them unique. Students will have opportunty to interact with our life-size 3D-printed models of local turtles.
Urban Adaptations (Peel Only)
Ages 14+ / Grades 9 and up
The urban ecosystem is a unique space where humans and our structures are closely linked to the air, water, land, and animals that also call these cities home! How have plants and animals adapted to these urban landscapes and how can we adapt to a changing climate, ensuring these spaces are healthy for generations to come!
Get Active (Peel Only)
Ages 6-12 / Grades 1-6
Learn about how active transportation methods, like walking or cycling, can contribute to a healthy environment while exploring how organisms like lichen offer clues about the air quality around your school. Schools participating in this program will also receive a free set of pavement stencils to make your walk or bike to school even more fun! This is a limited program, while supplies last.
Custom Programs
If you’d like our environmental educators to come to your school, centre, community group, or camp, but want a specific topic covered, let us know. We’d love to work with you to create a hands-on environmental education program unique to your group!
Contact to book in Peel Region Contact to book in Toronto
SPECIALIST HIGH SKILLS MAJOR CERTIFICATES
Ontario’s Specialist High Skills Major Certificate (SHSM) program allows students to focus their learning on a specific economic sector, while meeting the requirements of the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).
SHSM programs enable students to gain sector-specific skills and knowledge in engaging, career-related learning environments, and to prepare in a focused way for graduation and post-secondary education, training or employment.
SHSM students can complete a wide variety of sector-recognized certifications through TRCA. Elective and compulsory certifications are available in authentic, real-world environments.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE SHSM PROGRAM