No matter where you live in Canada, you are connected to the ocean.
As water flows toward the sea it passes through a network of streams, ponds, marshes, lakes and rivers.
Rivers to Oceans Week, celebrated from June 8 to 14, recognizes this connectedness and reminds us that taking care of our water is a shared responsibility.
With the videos, lesson plans and projects provided below, parents and educators can help kids discover their connection to the ocean and find ways to “make a splash” for wildlife conservation at home!
Watch
With help from Hinterland Who’s Who, kids will learn about the negative impact human activities, toxins and waste have on watery wildlife, including crab, orcas and seabirds.
Learn
Ready to dive in? With these interactive lesson plans, kids will learn about the water cycle, navigate their local watershed and drainage basin and explore their personal connection with water.
- Discover Your Path to the Ocean – By learning about drainage basins, kids will be able to describe the path water takes from their community to the ocean.
- Ocean Connections – Through this activity, kids create a mind map of personal ocean values and talk about how their lives are affected by and connected to oceans.
- Create an Underwater Display – Kids will learn more about watery wildlife by planning, preparing and presenting a display on an ocean or watershed theme.
- Rivers to Oceans Activity Kit – Get kids talking about how to protect watersheds and minimize the damaging effects of human activities through this interactive role-playing activity.
Do
The actions you take at home and in your community have a big impact on rivers and oceans! You can have a positive impact by trying out these DIY projects.
Get Outside
Stay cool this summer while learning more about water with these playful outdoor activities!
- Paint with water. Grab some house paintbrushes and rollers and go to town painting the sidewalk!
- Go with the flow! Build a watery obstacle course with different materials, such as funnels, cups, sponges or pipes. When it’s ready, fill it with water and watch it flow! Experiment with different angles and materials. How do they impact the flow?
- Encourage creativity through pretend play by making “Garden Soup”! After collecting leaves, flower petals and grasses to add to their “soup,” kids can use spoons, ladles and other kitchen utensils to mix it all together!
Don’t miss a Weekly Wild update! Sign up for free at the Canadian Wildlife Federation’s Reconnecting Canadians.
How did these activities go? Do you have your own activities to share? Connect with us in the comments below or on social media using #WeeklyWILD.
Kailey Setter
Kailey is the Experiential Education Manager at the Canadian Wildlife Federation. With over 10 years of experience in conservation and environmental education, she still geeks-out when people ask, “how can I get involved and learn more?”
