Check out some of our other Education Programs
Kokanee Salmon Outing
During mid-September to mid-October join us at Coldstream Park for a Kokanee Salmon Outing! Students will learn about the life cycle of the kokanee salmon, as well as the important role they play in the ecosystem. They will observe a restored salmon habitat and spawning channels, and play a game that demonstrates the hazards faced by spawning salmon.
This program runs for ~1.5 hours at Coldstream Park. Due to the short running season of this program, dates book up quickly so book your spot now!
This program is offered in partnership with the Kingfisher Interpretive Centre. More information can be found here.
Stream Science Program
Allan Brooks Nature Centre is working with the Okanagan Basin Water Board (OBWB) and its Okanagan WaterWise program to provide a hands-on learning experience for youth to connect with their waterways through the new Stream Science program.
The Stream Science program is a water quality monitoring program for local high school students. Get your students out of the classroom and to a local stream to gain a better understanding of the streams overall health. The guiding questions of the program are: what is the health of my local river? What is the cause of its health? And what can we do in our community to improve the health of the local river? Students will gain a hands-on experience, while using scientific protocols to collect benthic macroinvertebrates (i.e. water bugs), conduct water quality and quantity tests and then analyze their findings. Throughout the program ABNC staff and participants will discuss the importance of the tests and possible explanations for the results.
This program runs for ~2.5 hours at a local stream. It is offered for grade 8- 12 students in September and October.
View the Stream Science program Overview
Cost: $10 per student (minimum 15 students or $150). More information can be found here.
Nature in the Classroom
Allan Brooks Nature Centre now offers visits to your classroom from September through March. These programs have been designed to suit each grade level from pre-k to grade 7, are curriculum based and mostly focus on the ecosystems and wildlife of the North Okanagan. Each consists of a presentation, an opportunity for students to see and touch wildlife furs and bones, and an activity (time allowing). The Pre-K and K-1 programs run approximately 45 minutes while programs for older students run 60 minutes.
See our Nature In the Classroom Overview for the full list of Nature in the Classroom programs and their descriptions.
Pricing:
In Town: $35 base fee plus $65 per class.
Out of Town: $50 base fee plus $65 per class. Mileage is charged at $0.70/ km.
More information can be found here.
Field Trips at the Nature Centre
Get hands on with your natural environment with Allan Brooks Nature Centre!
Field Trips at the Nature Centre are offered April through November and are designed to fit the new BC curriculum for students in grades pre-K to 7. We are able to provide programming for 1 class at a time (max. 30 students), however larger groups may be considered depending on the time of year.
During your program, your class will experience four engaging activity stations of your choosing in a 2.5 hour session of outdoor and/or indoor fun! When your classes arrive, you’ll be greeted by a Nature Interpreter who will guide your group to your lunch spot where students may leave their bags. After a brief introduction, your class will be divided into 2 groups, each going to a separate station led by one of our enthusiastic staff and/or volunteers. Each group will partake in two stations before having an ~20 minute snack and play break on our Outdoor Nature Play Area. Afterwards, you’ll round off your day with the remaining two stations.
Classes are more than welcome to enjoy an outdoor lunch at the Nature Centre given advance notice to the Education Coordinator.
Suggested Morning session is from 9:00-11:30 am. Suggested Afternoon session is from 12:00 – 2:30 pm.
FIELD TRIP REVIEWS:
Activity Options
For your program you get to choose 4 activities for your students to participate. You can view the available activities here:
Cost
Cost: $10 per student (minimum 12 students or $120).*Teachers and teaching assistants are free. 1 parent for every 10 students is free. Payment is required a minimum of 2 weeks before your program date.
Required: 1 chaperone per 10 students.
Maximum group size is 30 students.
Covid-19 Health and Safety Policies
- Group sizes are being reduced. Only 1 school program will run onsite at a time.
- ABNC Interpreters will perform a daily health check. They will not work if they have any symptoms of Covid-19 or are sick.
- ABNC Interpreters will follow proper handwashing, sanitizing and hygiene protocols. Hand sanitizer will be used before touching classroom equipment.
- Frequent and supervised hand washing for all students with warm water and soap, and paper towels. Hand Sanitizer will be available when hand washing is not.
- Hand-hygiene stations (including an outdoor hand-washing station) will be set up so that children/ teachers can clean their hands easily.
- ABNC has increased Covid-19 Cleaning Protocols.
- Our Natural Wood Playground will be open, and used at your own risk. It will not be cleaned.
Our Facilities
- Washrooms available (2)
- Wheelchair accessible
- Covered picnic tables
- Bus parking
- First aid kit on site
Expectations At The Centre
- Supervision is the responsibility of the teacher and parent chaperones. 1 chaperone is required for every 10 students.
- We are guests in the home of the plants and animals living around the Nature Centre. Before your visit, please remind your students that we are welcome to admire this home and study it – and then leave it as we found it.
- Stay on the trails
- Do not pull (or eat!) plants unless told otherwise
- No smoking on the site