VNHS School Project - Connecting Children with Nature

Connecting Children with Nature

Learn about our Connecting Children with Nature program. We will provide volunteer naturalists to accompany your class on field trips, or to come to your school and give a presentation. We have experienced volunteers, knowledgeable in a wide variety of fields. Best of all, we will do this free of charge! We know your schools are struggling with budgets, and we are here to help!

Resources

Volunteer Naturalist Brochure (pdf version)

Victoria Natural History Society Volunteer Request Form

School Program Feedback Form and Participant Survey--Please help us improve and inform our funders of the value of this program!

Resources for Volunteers/Field Trip Leaders

Watch a 3 1/2 minute video about our program

(published with permission from Shaw Cable)

Free Programs,
Free Field Trip Co-Leaders,
and Free Resource People for
Greater Victoria Schools and Youth Organizations

Book through the Habitat Acquisition Trust office
250-995-2428
or
using this form

What is the Victoria Natural History Society?

The Victoria Natural History Society has been an active, completely volunteer-run organization in our region for more than sixty years; involved in literally hundreds of different projects whose goals have been to further natural history knowledge, preserve regional habitats, and to encourage other
organizations and individuals to do the same.

What are we trying to accomplish?

The Victoria Natural History Society is excited to be launching a renewed effort to involve school-aged children in activities and events that expose them to the incredible diversity of the natural world. Our goal is to instil a sense of wonder and a respect for nature through outdoor experiences with living organisms. This effort will involve volunteer naturalists, students, teachers, and our regional parks and greenspaces. We would like to provide nature-themed educational opportunities to school-aged children in our region at no cost to them or their school. Because we have a wealth of natural history knowledge contained within the membership of our Society, members have agreed to volunteer their time and be available (free of charge) to interested teachers or group leaders in a variety of ways. They could be a phone call away with information a teacher or group leader may need, come to the classroom and give a slideshow, or help with leading a field trip.

Resource People

These people want to offer their services as resource people on a variety of topics. They would be happy to answer your questions, and are only a phone call away.

Cam and Joy Finlay - 479-9833 - Birds, Native Plants, and Nature Study
Claudia Copley - 952-0696 - Insects

Field Trip Co-leaders

Going on a field trip? We have more than 40 volunteers willing to accompany your group
and offer assistance with identification. These adventures can take place on your school grounds, at a nearby greenspace, or a local protected area. With a naturalist along, you’ll see how easy it is for you and your class to experience nature. Just telephone the Goldstream Nature House and they will help you find you a volunteer that suits your needs. Leave your name and telephone number where
you can be reached– at school and in the evening— and say where and when you want to
go. We may send out several volunteers in order to keep adult/student ratios low. Alternatively,
you can fill out a form on our website

Possible Topics For Your Field Trip:

In Class Presentations

Some members of our society are interested in going into classrooms and providing natural history themed programs school-aged children.

Vancouver Island Regional Science Fair

Children's Art Perpetual Calendar

Our Perpetual Calendar has been delivered to all public elementary schools in Greater Victoria in September. Download a pdf version now!

VNHS Perpetual Calendar is now available! Thanks to the generosity of the TD Friends of the Environment Fund and Frances Hunter of Beacon Hill Communications Group, the artistic contributions of students from the Victoria school districts, and the efforts of Claudia Copley, we now have a perpetual nature calendar to help teachers remember special environmental events.