Educator Workshops
These workshops are suitable for teachers, early childhood educators, youth group and recreation leaders, environmental educators, parents, and anyone who would like to incorporate nature and gardening into their programs and play. Each program will include activities, songs, games, stories, a package of resources and of course, a nature hike. All programs will include indoor and outdoor activities and will proceed rain or shine, so please dress appropriately for the weather.
Programs are available upon request.
Please contact the Memorial University Botanical Garden education staff for more information at:
Telephone: (709) 864-8590
Email: bgprograms@mun.ca
Fee: $35 per person, for each 2.5 hour session. Special rate ($25) for full-time students, including Memorial University, & CNA, and AECENL members (please provide your student or membership number).
Instructors: Botanical Garden Education Staff.
Program Descriptions:
Program #1: Neighborhood Nature Hikes
The Botanical Garden has been integrating nature hikes into its programming for over 40 years. Go on a nature hike and learn some tips on incorporating this healthy, fun activity into your programs and play.
Program #2: Feathered Friends
We live with birds in our towns and cities; why not incorporate them into our programs and play? Learn some bird basics, how to lead a bird watch, create a feeder station and how to be a duck's best friend.
Program #3: Grocery Store Botany
When we have our daily meals, do we think of where our food comes from or what exactly we are eating? Did you know that we eat flowers, seeds and roots every day? With the Grocery Store Botany program, we get creative with our food: we'll make some crafts using food, trace the journey our food travels to reach us and even learn to grow it in our kitchens and classrooms.
Program #4: Three Cheers for Composting
Nature is the great recycler and at the Botanical Garden we have been composting since we were created in 1971. Learn all the tricks and tips from our award-winning compost program, including how to get worms to eat our garbage (vermicomposting), outdoor composting, the compost game and how to get composting in your garden.
Program #5: Halloween Howl - offered during October
Did you know that many Halloween traditions and superstitions are connected to nature and the fall season, particularly the harvest? Discover why bats, owls, crows, spiders, and even witches' brooms are not all that scary once you get to know them. The exhibit area at the "BOO-tanical" Garden will feature special Halloween displays and all activities and stories will have a natural Halloween theme.
Program #6: Get Growing Without a Greenhouse
Get a garden growing in your classroom, kitchen or playground! Learn how to create a terrarium, use recycled materials to create a flowerpot, and learn how to sprout seeds of all kinds.
Program #7: Trees are Terrific
We live in a province with plenty of trees! So, let's get outside and get to know some of our native trees. Trees can be incorporated into programs and play 12 months of the year. Activities will include: 'Springing into Leaf', leafy crafts, 'Let's be a Tree', tree math, hug-a-tree, leafy arts and crafts and more.
Program #8: Winter Woods Walk
Winter is a fabulous time of year to explore nature and to bring it indoors. Learn to identify animal tracks, create nature crafts and bring spring indoors all winter long.
All program information and resource materials are based on the From Garden to Classroom and Breaking Ground educational resource manuals, which are available free of charge on the Botanical Garden's resource webpage.