Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) offers fun, interactive programs that bring nature education to you at NO COST.
Watershed On Wheels (WOW) strives to provide students (and teachers!) with environmental education opportunities to complement the learning taking place in class.
WOW IN-SCHOOL PROGRAMS
Watershed on Wheels brings all the necessary equipment to your classroom to engage students in a variety of fun, half-day nature learning experiences.
Is my school eligible for WOW programs?
If your school is publicly funded, you are welcome to request a WOW program.
Peel Region Bookings
| 80-minute program (Outdoor)Book up to 3 classes | REGISTER NOW |
| 80-minute program (Outdoor)Book up to 6 classes | REGISTER NOW |
| Questions? Please contact peel.education@trca.ca. | |
Peel Region Programs
WATERSHED ON WHEELS PEEL: IN-PERSON PROGRAMS
Is my school eligible for WOW programs?
If your school is publicly funded, you are welcome to request a WOW program. If you are a private school, please contact peel.education@trca.ca to learn about other opportunities.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:
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KINDER SEASONS – Kindergarten Students will have fun playing outdoors while engaging with their natural surroundings. |
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A SEASON OF CHANGE – Grade 1 Students get outdoors and learn how plants and animals change and adapt to each season. |
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NEEDS OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 1 Sensory games and hands-on activities deepen students’ understanding of their senses and the many ways in which animals use theirs to meet their own needs. |
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CHANGING CREATURES – Grade 2 Animal furs, skulls, and interactive games teach students about local wildlife, adaptations, and growth cycles. |
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WATER WONDER – Grade 2 Students learn about the importance of water through an interactive model and a fun outdoor water cycle game. |
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LEAF LINKS – Grade 3 Simple identification keys are used to learn about characteristics of different tree species and their importance. |
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*NEW* SOIL – Grade 3 Students will have the opportunity to learn about the importance and characteristics of soils. They will touch and observe soil samples, and by participating in games and discussion, learn about the relationship between soil, food, animals, and people. |
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WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS – Grades 4, 7 Through a variety of fun activities students learn about the importance of wetlands and the interactions between species that call them home. |
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LISTENING TO LICHEN – Grades 3, 4, 5, 6 Get to know what lichen is, where you can find it, and how this small organism can tell us a lot about the health of the air around us! |
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INSTINCTS FOR SURVIVAL – Grades 4, 7 Your students will explore predator-prey relationships by playing this fun outdoor game. |
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CLIMATE CALAMITY – Grades 5, 7 Your students will learn to separate fact from fiction by playing an interactive greenhouse gas activity and explore human activities that are accelerating the Earth’s change in climate. |
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MICROPLASTICS – Grades 5, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 Your students will explore the impacts of plastics on our environment through hands-on exploration of real microplastics sand samples from one of our conservation areas in the GTA. |
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DIVERSITY OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 6 Through engaging tools like animal furs and skulls, students will learn about the importance of biodiversity. |
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*NEW* LICHEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT – Grades 7, 8 Explore how bio-indicators interact with the environment around them to tell us more about the health of our environment and learn how to monitor lichen in your school yard to get clues about air quality. |
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POND OR STREAM STUDY – Grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 Students will visit a nearby pond or stream and test the water using a variety of field instruments. (Booked in September-October or May-June) |
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CLEAN WATER, CLEAR CHOICES – Grades 8, 11 Working in teams, students will participate in a practical science experiment that will require them to clean polluted water with miniature filtration tools. |
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VIRTUAL WATER – Grades 9, 11, 12 Students will learn about the hidden cost of water in the products, energy, and food they consume. |
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COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE – Grade 10 Students investigate the science and politics of climate change by participating in an exciting Cap and Trade game. |
York Region Bookings
| 2 hour program for YRDSB2 classes – 1 a.m. program, 1 p.m. program | BOOKINGS FULL |
| 2 hour program for YCDSB2 classes – 1 a.m. program, 1 p.m. program | BOOKINGS FULL |
| To receive notification when registration for York Region becomes available, please contact simone.granieri@trca.ca. | |
York Region Programs
WATERSHED ON WHEELS YORK: IN-PERSON PROGRAMS
Is my school eligible for WOW programs?
If your school is publicly funded, you are welcome to request a WOW program. If you are a private school, please contact ian.rodhouse@trca.ca to learn about other opportunities.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:
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KINDER SEASONS – Kindergarten Students will have fun playing outdoors while engaging with their natural surroundings. |
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A SEASON OF CHANGE – Grade 1 Students get outdoors and learn how plants and animals change and adapt to each season. |
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NEEDS OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 1 Sensory games and hands-on activities deepen students’ understanding of their senses and the many ways in which animals use theirs to meet their own needs. |
|
CHANGING CREATURES – Grade 2 Animal furs, skulls and interactive games teach students about local wildlife, adaptations and growth cycles. |
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WATER WONDER – Grade 2 Students learn about the importance of water through an interactive model and a fun outdoor water cycle game. |
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LEAF LINKS – Grade 3 Simple identification keys are used to learn about characteristics of different tree species and their importance. |
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WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS – Grades 3, 4, 7 Through a variety of fun activities students learn about the importance of wetlands and the interactions between species that call them home. |
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INSTINCTS FOR SURVIVAL – Grades 4, 7 Your students will explore predator-prey relationships by playing this fun outdoor game. |
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CLIMATE CALAMITY – Grades 5, 7 Your students will learn to separate fact from fiction by playing an interactive greenhouse gas activity and explore human activities that are accelerating the Earth’s change in climate. |
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DIVERSITY OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 6 Through engaging tools like animal furs and skulls, students will learn about the importance of biodiversity. |
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POND OR STREAM STUDY – Grades 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, 12 Students will visit a nearby pond or stream and test the water using a variety of field instruments. |
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CLEAN WATER, CLEAR CHOICES – Grades 8, 11 Working in teams, students will participate in a practical science experiment that will require them to clean polluted water with miniature filtration tools. |
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MORAINE MATTERS – Grades 9, 11, 12 Students will learn about the importance of the Oak Ridges Moraine as a critical habitat, diverse ecosystem and valuable resource for many human activities. |
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COPING WITH CLIMATE CHANGE – Grade 10 Students investigate the science and politics of climate change by participating in an exciting Cap and Trade game. |
City of Toronto Bookings
| 2 hour program (indoor and outdoor)2 classes – 1 a.m. program, 1 p.m. program | BOOKINGS FULL |
| Kindergarten classes – 1 hour programBook up to 4 classes | BOOKINGS FULL |
| To receive notification when registration for Toronto becomes available, please contact raja.raudsepp@trca.ca. | |
PLEASE NOTE: In Toronto, each school is limited to ONE date per year with a morning WOW program and an afternoon WOW program (for different classes within the school). This reflects the limited number of spots available, and our efforts to ensure that these opportunities are available to schools throughout Toronto.
City of Toronto Programs
WATERSHED ON WHEELS TORONTO: IN-PERSON PROGRAMS
Is my school eligible for WOW programs?
If your school is publicly funded, you are welcome to request a WOW program. If you are a private school, please contact raja.raudsepp@trca.ca to learn about other opportunities.
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:
Unless otherwise noted, programs begin in the classroom and move to the schoolyard.
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KINDER SEASONS – Kindergarten Students will engage with their natural surroundings while learning about Ontario wildlife. This is a one-hour program taking place entirely outdoors in your school yard or local greenspace. |
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SEASONS OF CHANGE – Grade 1 Through engaging games and activities, students will learn how plants and animals prepare for the four seasons in Canada. Participants will have the opportunity to handle animal fur and skull specimens. |
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NEEDS OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 1 Students immerse themselves in play exploring topics of animal movement, sounds, and growth. Through sensory activities, students will also explore the five senses and their function. |
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CHANGING CREATURES – Grade 2 Students learn about local wildlife, adaptations, classifications, and growth cycles through interactive games and hands-on exploration of animal fur and skull specimens. |
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WATER WONDER – Grade 2 Students learn about the importance of water and the water cycle through interactive games and activities. |
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LEAF LINKS – Grade 3 Students learn about characteristics of various tree species and the importance of plants. Each student creates their own simple tree identification guide and uses it to identify schoolyard trees. How trees grow and interact with animal wildlife will also be covered. |
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WETLAND ECOSYSTEMS – Grades 4, 7 Through a variety of engaging activities, students will learn about the importance of Ontario wetlands. Topics include types of wetlands, species interactions in wetlands, diversity of plant and animal wildlife, and invasive species that can decrease aquatic ecosystem health. |
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INSTINCTS FOR SURVIVAL – Grades 4, 7 The best way to teach your class about food chains is to immerse them in one! In an exciting and active simulation game, students are designated as a specific animal within an Ontario food chain and attempt to survive against a number of different challenges that animals actually face. We will explore predator-prey relationships, energy pyramids, producers, consumers, decomposers, and food chains. NOTE: This program requires a large outdoor area such as a soccer field or school yard. |
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CLIMATE CALAMITY – Grade 5 Students will learn about the science of climate change and better understand their own environmental footprint. Students will also explore how we can all be solution-oriented in addressing this environmental reality. |
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DIVERSITY OF LIVING THINGS – Grade 6 Students will learn about biological classification systems in a simplified and engaging way. Through games and hands-on exploration of fur and skull specimens, students will also learn about the importance of biodiversity. |
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OAK RIDGES MORAINE – Grades 6, 7, 8 Students learn about the critical habitats and diverse ecosystems found on the Oak Ridges Moraine – a significant local geological landform. This program uses a variety of media, including games and a PowerPoint presentation, to focus on habitats, biodiversity, ecosystems, and the moraine as an important feature for water filtration. NOTE: please prepare a screen for the PowerPoint presentation and LCD projector set-up if possible. |
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CLEAN WATER, CLEAR CHOICES – Grade 8 Students learn how everyday household actions can impact aquatic ecosystem health and how water moves through natural cycles and human-created systems. Students work in small groups to clean “polluted” water, providing insight into the value of clean water along with issues associated with cleaning it. This program takes place entirely in the classroom. NOTE: Access to a sink is needed. |
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MORAINE MATTERS – Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Students will learn about the importance of the Oak Ridges Moraine as a critical habitat, diverse ecosystem and valuable resource for many human activities. This program takes place entirely in the classroom. NOTE: please prepare a screen for PowerPoint presentation and LCD projector set-up if possible. |
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VIRTUAL WATER – Grades 9, 10, 11, 12 Students will learn about the hidden cost of water in the products, energy, and food they consume. This program takes place entirely in the classroom. |
ARE YOU A TEACHER IN YORK REGION? PLEASE READ:
Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) delivers programs in the following municipalities of York Region: City of Markham, City of Vaughan, King Township, Town of Richmond Hill and Whitchurch-Stouffville. However, please note that some parts of York Region fall under the jurisdiction of Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority (LSRCA). If you are unsure whether your school falls within TRCA’s jurisdiction, you can use the map below to find out. For information on LSRCA education programs, please visit www.lsrca.on.ca/education.
TRCA Jurisdiction
WATERSHED ON WHEELS FOR
SUMMER CAMPS: Peel Region
Our Watershed on Wheels (WOW) program will come to your summer camp to get campers outside to explore nature! This is a free outdoor program offered to any child or youth-centered organization in Peel Region.
Our staff will come to your location with all materials needed to use the nearby greenspace to deliver programming. Programs can be modified according to age or other specifications to be engaging and relevant for participants.
Eligibility: If your camp is located within Peel Region, you are welcome to request a WOW summer camp program.
Program Information
- 60-minute program (outdoors)
- Book up to three programs in a day
- Questions? Please contact peel.education@trca.ca
Peel Region Programs
PROGRAM DESCRIPTIONS:
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AMAZING ANIMALS (Ages 4-7) Our local animal friends have a lot they can teach us! Learn more about some of the amazing animals we can find nearby, the incredible things they do to stay happy and healthy, and how we can help! |
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INCREDIBLE INSECTS (Ages 4-7) Take a closer look and explore the big world of some of our tiniest animals: insects! This program will include interactive games, demonstrations, and a bug hunt! |
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ROOTS & SHOOTS (Ages 4-7) From tiny mosses to huge trees, summer is an excellent time to get to know your plant neighbours! This program will lead participants through a hands-on plant identification and exploration activity, and also make native plant seed balls to take home or to enhance their local green space! |
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INSTINCTS FOR SURVIVAL (Ages 8-12) This game-based program leads participants to think about how animals get all the things they need to survive while trying to make sure they don’t get eaten in the process! |
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RAIN TO RUNOFF (Ages 8-12) Rain to Runoff: A Stormwater Story is a program designed to help students learn about the impacts of stormwater in a changing climate and discover how to take action to protect drinking water, wildlife habitat, and more. This program features your choice of a hands-on activity, such as a litter clean-up or stream study. |
WOW LIVESTREAM PROGRAMS:
Nature in Your Classroom
Bring us into your classroom — virtually!
Throughout the school year, our Watershed on Wheels educators are going live on YouTube with curriculum-connected lessons about the natural world!
As you tune in, along with other classes and learning communities across the Greater Toronto Area, you and your students can ask questions in real-time during the livestream lesson.
Nature in Your Classroom livestreams take place every two to three months, and the content will vary with every session depending on what grades we are addressing and the season of the year.
No registration is needed — just tune in to TRCA’s YouTube channel at the livestream date and time.
You can find out about upcoming WOW livestreams on the TRCA events calendar.
Watch Previous Livestream Sessions
WOW E-LEARNING RESOURCES
Watershed on Wheels now offers e-learning resources for teachers — available for grades 1-6 and 8.
These are FREE digital resources that teachers can use with students to explore a topic within the WOW standard program suite.
Please refer to the descriptions of our WOW programs to gain insight into the topics covered.
NOTE: E-learning resources for TRCA’s Rain to Runoff program are also now available for schools and community groups. LEARN MORE.
Register below! Help us effectively track the distribution of these free resources. Each teacher should sign up for resources separately.
Get e-Learning Resources
Select your region using the buttons below to request Watershed on Wheels e-learning resources. Upon registering, you will receive an email within 2 business days with resource access details.
| City of Toronto | REQUEST RESOURCES |
| Region of Peel | REQUEST RESOURCES |
| York Region | REQUEST RESOURCES |
| Other Regions | REQUEST RESOURCES |