2022 Manitoba Nature Summit

In the early months of the pandemic, time spent outdoors decreased for many as public health restrictions affected access to outdoor spaces. Over time, as our world slowly opened up again, families may have found a new appreciation of the outdoors for physical health (including lower risk of viral transmission) and mental health; for enjoyment, fun and relaxation; and for a way to feel a sense of normalcy in this strange time. This rediscovery of the outdoors has great potential to be an accelerator for ensuring active outdoor play is a priority, and subsequently for educators and families to integrate the organic, natural learning opportunities that occur when we play outside. This workshop focuses on providing early literacy resources, tools and strategies that encourage young children and their caregivers to get active outdoors. Using children’s picture books as a framework, we will look at how we can extend concepts in a natural setting, focusing on inquiry-based learning while enhancing children’s early literacy skills and overall healthy development.

Ultimately the hope is that this will increase our ability to experience the joys of learning together outdoors,  while fostering a connection to nature and the environment. 

Participants will gain hands-on experience working with sled dogs, learn about the equipment, and have the opportunity to harness the dogs to scooters or bikes to take them out for a run. The workshop will also explore some of the challenges in working with dogs in an educational setting, how to get students involved in day to day dog care, and the benefits of including dogs in land-based education.

Are you looking to add some new songs into your catalogue? Perhaps you need some fun action songs to help ease transitions and make your day a little smoother? Come join us around the campfire for a sing-a-long! Share your favourite songs and learn some new ones. You will make your own props to bring back and share with your centre.

This workshop will provide educators with information, skills and tools on how to create outdoor learning opportunities for students anywhere on the planet, but most practically in their own home ranges or urban or rural ecosystems. Topics covered include adaptations of plants and animals to the changing seasons, especially the transition from Summer to Fall to Winter.
Opportunities to engage students in ways that make meaningful contributions to the conservation of biological diversity at local, national and international levels can be empowering, helping them deal with climate and environmental related despair arising from exposure to media reports on the real challenges facing our planet.
Participants will explore the grounds where the Summit is held and learn about ways in which students of different ages can learn about and appreciate wild species through art and science. They will be provided with information in advance of the workshop about a Manitoba-specific smartphone app called Go Wild Manitoba and its more generic parent app called iNaturalist. These apps facilitate learning and the identification of species through immediate feedback and longer-term validation by taxonomic experts, enabling students and naturalists to participate in Citizen Science in a non-intimidating manner. A demonstration of how to use these apps will support their use that day and beyond the Summit. Participants who are able will need to download them before hand, whereas those that cannot will be able to observe them in use.
https://www.inaturalist.org/ or Go Wild Manitoba app https://residents.gov.mb.ca/apps/go_wild.html