In lieu of regular field trip programming, the Metro Vancouver Watershed Education Program is offering grade 4 and 5 teachers and students the opportunity to participate in a Virtual Watershed Field Trip.
The Virtual Field Trip was created to bring the highlights of the watersheds and water system to Metro Vancouver classrooms during COVID-19. The program began in the first week of November 2020 and will continue until June 2021. It is offered free of charge to schools in the Metro Vancouver region, and consists of an educator visiting classrooms on a video communication platform for a 1-hour active participation presentation. To accompany the presentation, four videos were recorded at important places in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve (LSCR) and the two Metro Vancouver Watersheds that students would usually visit on the regular programming tour route.
One significant benefit of moving the program online was the increased participation of school districts. Districts that are further from the watersheds have historically missed programming due to the logistical cost challenges and lengthy bus transportation. In 2020, we ran 135 programs and reached approximately 3,375 students across Metro Vancouver.
Teachers and educators who want their students to experience a virtual watershed field trip can book online now.
