Loading…
Welcome to the 2026 Outdoor Learning Conference
Venue: Snail clear filter
Thursday, May 7
 

3:15pm MDT

Designing a living corner: Where nature and learning thrive
Thursday May 7, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT
Imagine a schoolyard or campus where nature thrives, where a once overlooked corner becomes a space that sparks curiosity, supports local biodiversity, and inspires outdoor learning every day. Living corners are intentionally designed pockets of nature that transform underused areas into inviting outdoor learning spaces that promote and support biodiversity. In this hands-on workshop, participants step into the role of designer, working in teams to sketch and create their own living corner for nature using concepts learned from the conference and ideas shared during the workshop’s guided storytelling activity. This workshop will be organized as a friendly design challenge, with opportunity for teams to share back designs, sparking ideas for small-scale restoration at schools and in communities. Participants will leave with practical tools and resources to bring their design to life, and a design challenge framework they can implement with youth to foster nature connection.
Speakers
avatar for Samantha Casey

Samantha Casey

Specialist, Community Action, World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada)
Samantha Casey is a Specialist, Community Action at WWF-Canada, where she co-manages operations, outreach, and stewardship for the national, bilingual Living Planet @ Campus and Living Planet @ School programs. She works to foster community involvement in conservation and empower... Read More →
Thursday May 7, 2026 3:15pm - 4:30pm MDT
Snail
 
Friday, May 8
 

11:00am MDT

Sensory explorations in the forest
Friday May 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
This hands-on, outdoor workshop invites participants to explore the forest through sight, smell, touch, and sound. We’ll take part in a series of simple, adaptable sensory activities that help students slow down, notice details and connect with the natural world.
Each activity encourages observation, curiosity and a sense of wonder—skills that are at the heart of meaningful outdoor learning. We’ve played these games and activities with people of all ages, from young students to adults, and they never fail to engage learners.
Come ready to participate and gather practical ideas you can easily bring back to your own outdoor programs or classrooms. These activities are low-prep, flexible, and designed to help learners build stronger connections with nature—one sense at a time.
Speakers
avatar for Braidi Locke

Braidi Locke

Boreal Educator, Lesser Slave Forest Education Society
Braidi Locke is the shared Boreal Educator for the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society and the Lesser Slave Lake Bird Observatory. She studied environmental science at Lakeland College and after graduating knew that she wanted a career where she could work outside teaching about... Read More →
avatar for Cori Klassen

Cori Klassen

Executive Director, Lesser Slave Forest Education Society
Cori has been teaching in the boreal forest for over 15 years, sharing her passion for connecting youth and learners of all ages with nature. As the Executive Director of the Lesser Slave Forest Education Society—a small non-profit, charitable organization—she balances leading... Read More →
Friday May 8, 2026 11:00am - 12:15pm MDT
Snail

2:00pm MDT

Seasonal Storytelling: Building Early Literacy Through Nature-Based Play
Friday May 8, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Join Wildsight educator Jill Jennings to learn practical ways to connect early literacy with outdoor, play-based learning by using the seasons as a natural guide. We’ll look at how simple props, storytelling routines, and seasonal books can bring nature into your program and support language development in meaningful, engaging ways. Through hands-on activities and examples from outdoor practice, participants will learn strategies for creating consistent outdoor learning routines that nurture curiosity, care, and connection to place. You’ll leave with adaptable ideas for weaving story, play, and seasonal exploration into everyday learning, along with the confidence to follow children’s interests as they engage with their “wild backyards” throughout the year.
Speakers
avatar for Jill Jennings

Jill Jennings

Education Coordinator, Wildsight
Jill Jennings is an environmental educator with more than 15 years of experience creating and leading place-based, outdoor learning programs across Alberta and British Columbia. As Education Coordinator with Wildsight, she designs and delivers engaging environmental education programs... Read More →
Friday May 8, 2026 2:00pm - 3:15pm MDT
Snail

3:30pm MDT

Climate Change Learning: Moving from Anxiety to Agency
Friday May 8, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm MDT
Join Wildsight Education for a hands-on, hope-filled workshop that brings climate learning to life outdoors. Explore classroom-tested activities from the FutureMakers and Beyond Recycling programs that help students understand climate indicators, the greenhouse effect, and real-world solutions through local, place-based learning. Discover how sustainable design challenges and storytelling can empower students to move from climate anxiety to agency and action. Participants will gain practical tools to integrate climate and sustainability learning across Science, Social Studies, and Applied Design, Skills, and Technologies. Leave inspired—with ready-to-use resources and a complimentary two-year subscription to the FutureMakers online teacher program.
Speakers
avatar for Dawn Deydey

Dawn Deydey

Beyond Recycling & FutureMakers - Developer & Coordinator, Wildsight Education
Dawn is a passionate changemaker with Wildsight Education, building environmental education programming to support teachers and lead students in hands-on, place-based environmental learning. Over the past 20-years she has led the development and management of the Beyond Recycling... Read More →
Friday May 8, 2026 3:30pm - 4:45pm MDT
Snail
 


Share Modal

Share this link via

Or copy link

Filter sessions
Apply filters to sessions.