At Home With Nature: TRCA e-Learning

Toronto and Region Conservation Authority’s (TRCA) At Home With Nature e-Learning videos, activities, lesson plans, and additional resources are designed to help families, as well as teachers and their classes, deepen their knowledge of nature, ecology, the environment and their place in it.

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Resources: Families, Kids & General Interest

This is where you’ll find companion resources for our #AtHomeWithNature virtual and online learning presentations, along with ideas to continue your learning and create fun activities to keep everyone busy!

Check back regularly as we continue to add resources.

A COLOURFUL MEADOWAY WALK
For Ages 4 to 8
Meadoway Colours
e-Learning Resource

Kids! Explore The Meadoway with Raya Papaya and help her find all kinds of colours there! Will you spot purple petals or a red beetle? Will an orange-winged butterfly make an appearance? Can we find all the colours of the rainbow in a meadow? Also learn about how insects, like bees, see flowers differently than how we see them.
front page of Meadoway Colours At Home with Nature e-learning resource
INDOOR NATURE WALK
For Kids Only!
Indoor Nature Walk
Facebook Video

Stand up and get some exercise while staying indoors! Come along on a short nature walk with Raya Papaya and explore the outdoors right in your living room — using your imagination!

Watch the Video

Raya Papaya leads youngsters on an indoor nature walk
MEADOWAY SCAVENGER HUNT
For Ages 4 to 8
Meadoway Scavenger Hunt
e-Learning Resource

Let Raya Papaya take you on a virtual nature walk through The Meadoway. She’ll show you what there is to discover — and how to discover it in a way that doesn’t hurt the wildlife!

Watch the Video

front page of TRCA Meadoway Scavenger Hunt e-learning resource
ANIMAL DETECTIVE: WINTER CLUES
For Ages 6+
Animal Detective: Winter Clues
e-Learning Resource

Discover the wonders of winter wildlife! Learn how wildlife survive chilly weather and how to recognize their tracks and signs.
Animal Detective - Winter Clues - At Home with Nature worksheet
BIRD SOUNDS AT HOME
For Ages 6+
Bird Sounds at Home
e-Learning Resource

Listen to the sounds around you! Learn and discover the bird sounds around your
neighbourhood with these fun activities.

cover page of Bird Sounds e-learning resource
FROG WATCH: Webinar
For Ages 6+
Frog Watch:
e-Learning Resource

Listen to the sounds of spring! Learn about Ontario’s frogs and toads and how to identify them by their unique calls. Afterwards, try creating the calls at home and building a toad shelter for the garden!
cover page of Frog Watch e-learning worksheet
GERMINATION – IT’S IN THE BAG
For Ages 6+
Germination:
e-Learning Resource

Learn how to germinate seeds, in a fun and visual way, and find out how students have been helping to green up The Meadoway.

Watch the Video

cover page of The Meadoway germination e-learning worksheet
POLLINATORS AT HOME
For Ages 6+
Pollinators at Home
e-Learning Resource

What are pollinators? Why are they important? Learn all about butterflies, bees, and other pollinators, and find out how to attract and support these species at home with pollinator-friendly gardening tips.
cover page of TRCA pollinators at home e-learning worksheet
SIGNS OF SPRING
For Ages 6+
Signs of Spring:
e-Learning Resource

Check out the video, then fill out the worksheet to explore signs of spring and the changing seasons. Activities include: Word Scramble, Nature BINGO, ‘Signs of Spring’ Challenge, and more!

Watch the Video

cover page of Signs of Spring elearning worksheet
THE WONDERS OF WATER
For Ages 7+
The Wonders of Water:
e-Learning Resource

Did you know more then 70 percent of the earth is covered by water? Come learn with us about the wonders of water! Discover where we find water, and explore our planet’s water cycle.

Watch the Video

cover page of The Wonders of Water e-learning worksheet
GETTING TO KNOW YOUR BUDS!
For Ages 8+
Getting to Know Your Buds!:
e-Learning Resource

Get to know the buds of your local trees. Learn how to identify different trees by looking at their buds, and find out what makes these often overlooked parts of a plant different from each other.

Watch the Video

cover page of Know Your Buds e-learning worksheet
LEAFY LESSONS
For Ages 8+
Leafy Lessons:
e-Learning Resource

Did you know trees are the world’s largest plants, covering approximately one-third of the Earth’s land surface? Learn about their fascinating world! Identify the parts of a plant, discover the keys to photosynthesis, and more!

Watch the Video

cover page of Leafy Lessons e-learning worksheet
LICHENS
For Ages 8+
Learn About Lichens:
e-Learning Resource

Lichens are living creatures all around us, but where do we find them? This package will teach you about what a lichen is, the story they can tell us about the environment, and how to identify some of the most common types.

Watch the Video

cover page of lichens e-learning worksheet
RAIN TO RUNOFF: A Stormwater Story
For Ages 8+
Rain to Runoff: A Stormwater Story
e-Learning Resource

Where does the rain go? When rain falls, roughly half of the water soaks into absorbent soil — except in urban areas, where there are more hard, paved surfaces. Join us as we explore stormwater‘s story in the city using the Enviroscape model!

Watch the Video

Rain to Runoff stormwater e-learning resource
UNBELIEVABLE BEAVERS
For Ages 8+
Unbelievable Beavers
e-Learning Resource

Beavers are unique creatures with a very special role in our ecosystems! “Busy as a beaver,” they say — but busy doing what? Let’s find out!

Watch the Video

cover page of Unbelievable Beavers e-learning resource
MICROPLASTICS
For Ages 10+
Microplastics:
e-Learning Resource

Microplastics: tiny but dangerous! Fill out this worksheet to learn more about what microplastics are, and how they enter our environment.

Watch the Video

cover page of microplastics e-learning worksheet
MONITORING ASIAN CARP
For Ages 12+
Monitoring Asian Carp:
e-Learning Resource

They’re big, they’re destructive, and they might be coming our way! A group of invasive fishes called the Asian carps are some of the greatest threats to the Great Lakes! Learn why we need to stop the spread of invasive species in our waterways, and how you can play a part!

Watch the Video

TRCA At Home with Nature Monitoring Asian Carp e-learning worksheet
ALL ABOUT BATS
For General Audiences
All About Bats
e-Learning Resource

Did you know that one little brown bat can eat more than 1,000 insects in a single hour? Learn more about bat species in the Toronto area and how to identify them! We bust common myths about these incredible creatures and reveal how to support their declining populations.
cover page of TRCA All About Bats e-learning resource
MEADOWAY ECOLOGY
For General Audiences
Meadoway Ecology:
Facebook Livestream Video

Learn how planting native plants in The Meadoway is restoring an ancient food web and ecosystem. Topics include: How native and non-native plants differ from each other, and why native plants are so important to the meadow ecosystem.

Watch the Video

MEADOWAY MAGIC
For General Audiences
Meadoway Magic:
Facebook Livestream Video

Learn how to create a welcoming environment for birds and pollinators in your own backyard! Topics include: replacing turf grass with native plants, and the benefits of leaf piles and leftover winter scrub.

Watch the Video

NOCTURNAL SENSES
For General Audiences
Nocturnal Senses
e-Learning Resource

Learn how night vision, echolocation, and their senses of smell and touch help different animals to go about their business when the sun goes down!
TRCA At Home with Nature Nocturnal Senses e-learning worksheet
RAINWATER HARVESTING
For General Audiences
Rainwater Harvesting
e-Learning Resource

Learn to harvest rainwater with a rain barrel! You can save money on your water bill and divert stormwater runoff by using rain water in your garden. Let us show you how to choose, install, and maintain a rain barrel in your yard.

Watch the Video

TRCA rainwater harvesting fact sheet
READY, SET, BIOBLITZ!
For General Audiences
Ready, Set, Bioblitz!
e-Learning Resource

A Bioblitz is a fun way to get a sense of the amazing diversity of living creatures in your yard, on your street, or anywhere! The idea: Look for as many living things as you can! Consider sending the information on what you find to a project like iNaturalist or eBird where scientists can use it for their research!

Watch the Video

cover page of bioblitz e-learning resource