Grade 6

Energy. A topic that can divide, puzzle, inspire. Future Energy Systems is a research program out of the University of Alberta studying all aspects of the energy transition. Future Energy Systems researchers, graduate students and post-doctoral fellows are making home-learning resources available for students of all grade levels, as well as for members of the public. Content includes lab tours, at home experiments and crafts, mini talks, full lectures, storytimes with associated worksheets, and The Energy Adventures of Tommy and Remi, an educational children's book series! Register for weekly notifications of new videos and access to all content. 

Earth School by TedEd is a collection of short videos and lessons organized by the following topics:

• The Nature of Our Stuff
• The Nature of Society
• The Nature of Nature
• The Nature of Change
• The Nature of Individual Action
• The Nature of Collective Action

The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley has downloadable lesson plans about wildlife, conservation, and climate change for Kindergarten to Grade 9 science and social studies curriculum. They continue to improve these plans, including an ongoing collaboration with the Nakoda Youth Council to weave together Indigenous and Western perspectives and will continue adding lessons to the page. The Biosphere Institute of the Bow Valley truly welcomes teacher input and feedback for improving these resources. 

Furthermore, the Biosphere Institute is excited to visit teachers' digital classroom through your preferred online platform. They are happy to deliver short presentations in topic areas related to climate change, sustainability, and human-wildlife coexistence and are happy to work with teachers on a one-on-one basis to meet their classroom needs. Explore the programs here. Teachers can email education@biosphereinstitute.org to book a program or to reach out with any questions.

Another program is WildSmart, which teaches residents and visitors to live smart with wildlife. Programs include bear spray training sessions, wildlife awareness talks, classroom programs and interactive booths for youth, families, outdoor educators, people employed in the recreation and tourism industry, and outdoor recreationalists.

Hands On Growing education programs are fun, hands-on and easily integrated into existing curriculum. Kids are taught to build and plant their own gardens, with an understanding of composting, vermiculture and the nutrient cycle.

Friends of Fish Creek Provincial Park Society has a program called TD Learning Naturally in which students from K-6 have the opportunity to go on a curriculum-linked field trip to Fish Creek park who otherwise would not be able to afford it. 

Nikka Yuko Japanese Garden field trips include a horticultural experience learning about the plants and trees of Nikka Yuko. 

Trout Unlimited Canada’s award-winning Yellow Fish Road™ program has been Canada’s premier water education program targeted to reduce water pollution. The program educates Canadians that storm drains are the doorways to our rivers, lakes and streams and anything other than rainwater can harm life in and around the water, as well as us as Canadians who need clean water. This science-based, curriculum linked, program links classroom learning to stewardship action, through videos, a presentation activity, program guide and storm drain painting supplies.

Classroom Resources includes online dissection alternatives, Animal Cams, and the Five Needs of animals video series. 

AnimalTales is a free book lending program with online resources and pre and post activities for Kindergarten to Grade 6. 

The following discussion questions and activities foster curiosity and link to Language Arts and Science curriculum for Kindergarten to Grade 7+. See past themes here, including kindness, respect, compassion, and responsibility. 

There are also Class Action Project ideas and guides to help animals, people, and the environment. Classes who complete projects can also end up on the Kindness Map. 

See CTS course offerings related to Equine, Animal Basics, and Animal Husbandry and Welfare. Teachers can complete the course as a class or a student can individually work through the course. 

The Seven Sacred/Grandfather Teachings include a teachers' guide and student activity booklet for Grades 1-2 and 3-6. 

WILD Outside is a new conservation-based youth leadership program run by the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF). Learning from CWF facilitators alongside their peers, youth who join the WILD Outside program will connect with other participants by exploring the outdoors and planning and carrying out community-based conservation action projects in their own community. We welcome young people from all communities and from many different walks of life and varying experiences.

Outside of our core group of youth (grades 10-12), our Youth Leadership Specialists can work with your school or class to plan and carry out a conservation project that your students are interested in. These projects are open to students from K-12 in all topics of study. We can also come into your class to talk about our programs and run some curriculum programming. 

There are over 700 scientifically credible resources in the CLEAN (Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network) collection. Every item in the CLEAN collection is rigorously peer-reviewed by teams of educators and scientists. Resources include information, lesson plans, and activities for teaching about climate change and energy. All resources are free and available online.