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PUBLIC EDUCATION PROGRAMS
The Lagoon Society delivers The Iris Griffith Nature Centre is open to the general public and available for
top quality outdoor-focused special visits by school, college, university, and community groups. The Centre
programming, partnering has welcomed over 80,000 visitors since 2001, and many families visit with
in education, to provide the purpose of exploring and reconnecting with nature. Interpretive displays
inside the Centre highlight the importance of wetlands purified in the Caren
experiential learning Range, and a 3D topographic map highlights the freshwater lakes of the region
in a rich and diverse and traces the path of water through the 10-lake watershed system and out to
environment. the marine environment. Elementary and secondary school students from the
Sunshine Coast and beyond can visit the facility, and local teachers have the
opportunity to move classrooms to the Centre for 1, 3, or 5 days to participate
in our special Nature School Program. Adults can take advantage of the many
lectures and workshops offered.
The Iris Griffith Centre Public Education Program was launched in July 2005,
with the grand opening of the Iris Griffith Centre, and includes the following
components:
Nature School
With teachers and parents recognizing that today’s children benefit so much
by spending more time outside exploring nature, the Lagoon Society’s Nature
School Program is in high demand each spring. Nature School gives Sunshine
Coast teachers the opportunity to move their classrooms to the Iris Griffith
Centre for hands-on exploration, which is a catalyst for longer integrated study
at school. Students spend time at the Iris Griffith Centre exploring the Ruby
Lake Lagoon, wetland restoration area, and the network of trails and parks
in the area. By participating in such activities as nature walks, pond studies,
and nature journaling, children learn first-hand about their local ecology, form
lasting emotional connections with the natural world, and develop their innate
sense of environmental responsibility and stewardship.
Pre-trip planning is done individually with teachers and programs are tailored
to fit the new BC curriculum and learning outcomes. Professional development
workshops are held for teachers, incorporating scientific inquiry; hands-on
learning; place-based programming; and Science, Engineering, Technology, and
Mathematics (STEM) literacy.
Between May and June of 2018, classes from different elementary and
secondary schools from the entire Sunshine Coast Region had the opportunity to
enjoy the Nature School experience, including:
• Davis Bay Elementary School NEST Program
• Halfmoon Bay Elementary School (Parent and Tot Program)
• L’École du Pacifique (Francophone program)
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