Adapting Winter Wonder to a warmer winter

Biggest year ever for classes, warmest year for weather

TMTV/BCTV Kootenays Feb 24, 2010 - Columbia Basin, B.C. — Teaching the importance of winter adaptation is one of the goals of Wildsight’s Winter Wonder program. Of all the Wildsight education programs, Winter Wonder reaches the youngest students, taking Kindergarten to Grade 3 classes on learning adventures in the outdoors around their schools.

This year, it’s been a bit of a challenge for educators, as group after group of kids have been heading out in sunny, near-snowless days to seek the signs of winter.

“Although it has been rather ‘un-winter-like’ in recent weeks, Winter Wonder is still going strong,” said Monica Nissen, Wildsight’s Education in the Wild program manager.

“The weather isn’t the snowiest, but nevertheless, we’re able to host exciting field trip adventures and lessons in winter ecology for these students.”

Wildsight delivers Winter Wonder programs to primary students throughout the Columbia Basin. The environmental education program provides winter ecology lessons and engages children in hands-on, experiential activities.

“The response to Winter Wonder programs this year has been amazing,” Nissen said. “We’ve far exceeded our original target number of classes requesting field trips: from 75 to 101. We still have two weeks of field trips to do all around the Basin.”

Nissen said that teachers and students love getting outdoors. “It’s all about experiencing outside in winter through the lenses of ecological literacy,” she said. “We once again gratefully acknowledge Columbia basin Trust for supporting this program. Snow or shine, there is something valuable for students to learn.”