Guests  Description 

The Raptors 
 
Meet some amazing birds of prey up close in this educational
presentation. Learn about their critical role in our ecosystems, how we
can protect them, and how to can respect the natural environments
these birds call home.

Composting 
 
What's slithering in your soil? What's good eating to worms and soil
creatures? This workshop will explore the what, how, and why's of the
compost cycle by exploring a real live worm farm, soil ecology, and
playing some compost trivia!

Nature Artifacts 
 
A naturalist’s display consisting of multiple items that children can see
and touch along with a short talk about to the interrelationship between
the objects and how mother nature balances out the natural world to
  allow all things to thrive.

Invasive Species Pull 

 
Saanich Pulling Together has organized volunteer activities at Vic
Derman Park—in Roger’s School’s backyard—in the past and is excited
to come out to lead some of us in an invasive species pull. Be prepared
to get dirty! Wear appropriate footwear and clothing. Gloves and tools
will be provided​.
 

Gauk’s Garden 

Longtime and beloved Rogers teacher Mrs. Gauk will be joining us again
this year to resume her role as a Garden Leader! For years Mrs. Gauk
sponsored the Garden Club. She’ll be leading us in some garden bed
prep and planting!

With Marlene Gauk 

 

 
 
Seaquarium & Micro-Marine Life 

Come check out the mobile Seaquarium--a large touch tray with a hex
tank in the centre--stocked with a range of local marine animals (mostly
invertebrates) for kids to get up close and hands-on with! They'll all be
local species, found right in our coastal waters. Environmental educators
will be on hand to help the students with animal handling and fill them in
on all sorts of amazing facts about these animals.

Alongside the Seaquarium will be a table with microscopes and

magnifying glasses so that students can check out particular animals in
greater detail. Students will have the chance to run simple experiments
to help them understand human impacts on marine life.

 
 
 
 StoryWalk 
 
A StoryWalk is a fun way to enjoy stories in the great outdoors. Pages
will be hung along a path around our school. As you stroll down the trail,
you’ll go from page to page, enjoying a story while you enjoy the world
around you.

Nature Sketching 
 
Victoria teacher and volunteer at the Robert Bateman Centre, Carol
Brown will be joining us to engage students in some nature sketching.
Carol’s session will begin with a short talk about renowned artist Robert
Bateman and his concern for the environment and include a showcase
of his works. Carol will then lead students through sketching animals
from models and placing them in their environment.

Eco Art 
 
At some point in the day, all students will have the opportunity to
express their creativity at the self directed Eco Art station. There will be
lots of natural materials to draw from and several crafty ideas to get you
inspired.

Bugs in our Backyard  

 
Andy (Biologist) and Amy (Geologist) will share their interest in the
‘bugs’ that live in our neighbourhood! This hands on session will include
both live collections and preserved specimens. Also on display will be
collections of tiger beetles, spiders, ants, and termites. Students will use
Bug Collectors  magnifying glasses, microscopes, and hand tools to look at insects in
different ways, and learn different ways to find bugs. Time will be spent
looking in old wood, in the bushes around the school, and in terrariums
to explore and answer questions about these amazing creatures and the
roles they play in our local Garry Oak ecosystem.

Feathered Friends 
 
The Rocky Point Bird Observatory is part of the Canadian Migration
Monitoring Network. Members help track the migration of Canada's birds
in the Spring and Fall each year, which adds to our knowledge of the
birds that live around us and those that pass through on their journeys
elsewhere. At this station, students will learn about local birds through
hands-on specimens of bird eggs and nests and bird-watching activities
around our school. Come learn how you can be a better neighbour to
our feathered friends

Camas Caretakers 
 
Local teacher and native wildflower and species restoration enthusiast
Lauraine Derman will work with students in Vic Derman park (named
after Lauraine’s late husband and longtime environmental advocate).
Students will learn about seed extraction from dried pods, broadcasting
Camas Caretakers 
(planting), and harvesting with an emphasis on the historical significance
of the camas bulb as a food source for local indigenous peoples.
Wetland Explorers 

What is a wetland? Why is it so important? Who/what lives there? How

can we protect them? Join our Swan Lake experts for some hands on
discovery and fun! We will bring our famous turtle Wrinkles as well as
some of the smaller wetland creatures that live underwater at Swan
Lake.

Lights Out! 

Our planet’s circadian rhythm: the daily alternation of light and dark has
been keeping the biorhythms of all organisms running smoothly for 4.5
billion years – until recently. But now, our world is awash with artificial
light – from buildings, streetlights, cars, and other sources – that
destroys the night,​ disrupts circadian biorhythms of all organisms, and
weakens the Earth’s ecosystems we all depend on. Visit the Royal
Astronomical Society to learn about the difference between good and
bad lights and how each affects animals, plants, and ecosystems. You’ll
learn about how we can use environmentally-friendly lighting to move
safely around our communities at night and help to restore the night for
the benefit of all Earth’s inhabitants.