WILD Education Programs

Explore professional learning that empowers educators to take teaching beyond the traditional and into the natural world. The Canadian Wildlife Federation’s hands-on, interdisciplinary training equips you with the tools to bring nature-based, experiential education into any learning environment. Connect students to the world around them while meeting curriculum goals in meaningful, memorable ways.

• All of our programs are designed to help learners develop the awareness, knowledge, skills and commitment needed to make informed decisions and to take constructive action for wildlife, habitat and the environment.
• Activities are designed to be infused into mandated curriculum subjects such as art, health, language arts, math, music, physical education, science and social studies.
• The guides can be used by both classroom teachers and non-formal educators, including resource specialists, conservation officers, camp counsellors and Scout and Guide leaders.
• The guides contain all the information needed to successfully plan and run each activity (objectives, method, background, list of materials, procedures, evaluation suggestions, activity extensions, key vocabulary, etc.).

Since 1984, Project WILD has been a model for WILD Education programs in Canada. The guide has been adapted for a Canadian context by CWF and brought to you under a joint agreement with the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies in the U.S.

Project WILD is based on educational standards, developed by scientists, and reviewed and field-tested by educators. The interdisciplinary Canadian Project WILD guide features 146 complete lesson plans about wildlife and the environment that can each be adapted for any age, grade level or subject.

With the Project WILD activity guide, you’ll explore topics and concepts such as:

• Adaptation
• Carrying capacity
• Food webs
• Habitat
• Life stages and life cycles
• Migration
• Renewable and non-renewable resources
• Succession
• Symbiosis, commensalism, mutualism and parasitism
• And much more!

Where do dragonflies go when the snow flies? What keeps wood frogs from croaking in the winter? Most Canadians live with snow and ice for at least five months of the year, yet we know surprisingly little about life in frozen environments. Put on your long johns and join us on an amazing sub-zero safari into the winter world of wildlife!

Below Zero is an educational program designed to promote understanding of wildlife under winter conditions. It features 46 complete lesson plans that can each be adapted for any age, grade or subject.

With the Below Zero activity guide, you’ll explore topics and concepts such as:

• Adaptation
• Climate change
• Hibernation
• Insulation
• Migration
• Snowflake formation
• Subnivean zone (under the snow)
• Temperature
• Winter wildlife
• And much more!

WILD About Sports encourages Canadians to get outside and enjoy Canada’s waterways, coastline and oceans by providing training, resources and opportunities for them to get involved and take action. The program uses watersports and related activities to increase Canadians’ awareness of the environment and wildlife habitat.

The WILD About Sports guide features 20 activities that will build your confidence in using conservation messaging as they work with groups and individuals outdoors and in, on and around the water.

With the WILD About Sports activity guide, you’ll explore topics and concepts such as:

• Aquatic wildlife
• Charting and navigation
• Food webs
• Invasive species
• Migration
• Tides
• Plastics and ocean garbage
• Water cycle
• Watersheds
• And much more!

Learn about upcoming professional development opportunities and receive access to resources specifically designed to complement and build on CWF’s suite of WILD Education programs.