Our Programs
Grades 5 to 9 Field-Trip Program – Ocean Camp
We provide students in grades 5 to 9 in the Lower Mainland with an inspiring educational experience that culminates in our on-the-beach Ocean Camp program. Students learn to stand-up paddle, participate in a PickUp3 clean-up, discuss the ways ocean plastics impact marine life, and discover ways they can make a difference. Each grade will also take part in an information – based workshop (find details below).
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 marine pollution 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 including: social responsibility, personal awareness and responsibility, critical and creative thinking and communication.
Instructor/Student Ratios:
Our instructor student ratio is 1:6 for our Ocean Camp program.
Parent volunteers are not required for our programs.
Length: 4 hours
Cost: $40 per student
Maximum 30 students
*Additional information:
Your group will be met at the beach by our TideRider van, a mobile learning center equipped with wetsuits, 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.
What people are saying about Ocean Camps:
“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
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
“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