Our Programs
School Field Trips
Ocean Ambassadors Canada is a not-for-profit company that is turning the tide of marine pollution by getting students into the ocean, educating them about the threat of plastics, and empowering them to make real change. We provide grade 2 and grade 5-8 students in the Lower Mainland with inspiring educational experiences in our on-the-beach programs. Our programs are receiving rave reviews from teachers and students.
Grades 5 to 8 Field-Trip Program – Ocean Camp
We provide students in grades 5 to 8 in the Lower Mainland and on Vancouver Island with an inspiring educational experience that culminates in our on-the-beach Ocean Camp program. Students learn to stand-up paddle, participate in a clean-up, discuss the ways ocean plastics impact marine life, and discover ways they can make a difference.
Cost: $30 + GST per student
Instructor/Student Ratios:
Our instructor student ratio is 1:6 for our Ocean Camp program.
Parent volunteers are not required for our programs.
In the four-hour Ocean Camp program, students enjoy learning to stand-up paddleboard with certified instructors, with the workshop portion taking place in tents on the beach. Students identify how they can reduce plastic use and leave inspired to take action.
Our Ocean Camp program links to the new BC Curriculum focus on flexible learning environments. Our materials correlate to the BC Curriculum “Big Ideas” in Social Studies, Career Education and Physical and Health Education—and to the core competencies listed below.
Your group will be met at the beach by our TideRider van, a mobile learning centre equipped with drysuits, SUP boards, and other gear. All students need to bring is a lunch, some basic clothing and beach items (we provide a list), and a willingness to participate.
Grade 2 Field-trip Program: Gumboots – Water and our Relationship with the Environment
In this 2.5 hour workshop, students explore the ecology of the shoreline and take part in a hands-on educational workshop on the beach. The Gumboots workshop links to the new BC Curriculum focus on flexible learning environments and developing a sense of place. Our materials correlate to the BC Curriculum “Big Ideas” in Science, Social Studies and Career Education – and to the core competencies.
Instructor/Student Ratios:
Our instructor to student ratio is 1:8 for our Gumboots workshop.
Parent volunteers are not required for our programs.
Cost:
$18 + GST per student
Students, equipped with knee-high gumboots and rain coats provided by Ocean Ambassadors, explore tidepools and the shoreline. Students find, touch and learn about the life cycles and adaptations of the plants and animals they find.
Student explore the cultural significance of water for our local First Nations. Students learn about First Nations’ rich history of living in harmony with the environment.
Students participate in a hands-on water column activity that has them predict where animals feed in the column and explore what plastics are, how they break down and how they are affecting all animals in the ocean.
Students explore their personal and community values regarding the environment through a small group activity that has them imagine themselves as adults who are tackling marine pollution and then consider how they can make a difference as grade 2 students.
Recent samples taken off the B.C. coast contained up to 25,000 plastic particles in just one cubic metre of seawater.
Core COMPETENCIES COVERED:
What people are saying about Ocean Camps:
“Our students have become ambassadors and are leading workshops for the younger kids at our school. The kids loved the paddle boarding! We had eight classes go through the program and each class had a very different and amazing experience. The Ocean Ambassadors crew were positive, engaging and made the kids feel very important. The kids wanted to learn – they knew that this was important.”
Alison Dixon and Rachel Grudman
Kerrisdale Elementary
“The Ocean Ambassadors program provided an enriching, fun, placed-based educational experience for our grade seven class. The staff engaged our students while educating them about different stewardship practices. The students loved paddle boarding, despite the fact that it was a torrential downpour, they learned that it doesn’t have to be summer for us to play in the ocean! This is a field trip we will do again in the future.”
Amanda Botteselle and Amy Wright
Highlands Elementary
“The sign of a truly impactful learning experience is when students continue to discuss, and take action afterwards. In the past three months since our visit with Ocean Ambassadors, our learners have created prototypes in the Maker lab to share their ideas about how to decrease the presence of micro plastics and connected their learning about evolution and endangerment to ocean ecosystems. The Ocean Ambassador’s well-balanced approach was hands-on, and offered a unique experience of connecting a sense of place through paddling. They demonstrated why we need to care, showed us first-hand how plastics are polluting our waterways and provided concrete ways to share our knowledge with others. This was a field trip that enabled students to engage in the world and feel empowered to share in the action of making a difference.”
Charity Cantlie
Grades 6/7 Teacher
“This was the best day ever! The paddleboarding and jumping in was the best. I’m going to tell my family we should use less single-use plastics.”
Josie
Grade 7 Student