Natural Curiosity
45 Walmer Rd Toronto, ON, Canada

Our 4 part back-to-school webinar series, Natural Curiosity in the New Normal, is now available through a pay-what-you-can model at the University of Toronto Press! Access it at: http://ow.ly/yfek50CmRjR Stay tuned for the upcoming announcements for our #WinterWebinarSeries, Embracing the Shift!... #enviroed #enviroinquiry #teachereducation

Tonight is the night! We're so excited for the final part of our 4-part webinar series. There are a few tickets remaining: https://ncwebinar4.eventbrite.ca

There’s only one week until our fourth and final webinar! On November 12th, we will be welcoming Julie Whitfield, principal at Humewood Public School (TDSB), Ticia Heibein, kindergarten teacher at Forest Hill Public School (TDSB) and Steve Smith, baseball coach at the Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Association. Our lovely speakers will be addressing the benefits and risks of outdoor play and learning, as well as some strategies for sustaining outdoor inquiry in ALL weather. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/part-4-using-school-grounds-eff

Registration is now open for Webinar 4 - the final webinar in our back-to-school-series! This webinar, Using School Grounds Effectively to Enrich Learning, will take place on Thursday, November 12 from 7 pm to 8:30 pm. We are excited to welcome Julie Whitfield, principal at Humewood Public School (TDSB), Ticia Heibein, kindergarten teacher at Forest Hill (TDSB) and Steve Smith, baseball coach at the Toronto Playgrounds Baseball Association. Our speakers will address the benef...its and risks of #outdoorplay and learning and their strategies for sustaining #inquiry in all weather. Register now: https://tinyurl.com/ncwebinar4

Happy #ECE Appreciation Day to all of the dedicated early childhood educators who are helping to grow students' natural curiosities. Be sure to check out York Region Nature Collaborative's webinar for ECEs this weekend, "Land as Teacher: A Pedagogy of Relationships"! http://ow.ly/oIq750BZNGd

Missed our third webinar, Grounding Virtual Learning in Land and Relationship, with Tanya Murray-Rampley and Natasha Bascevan? Check out our most recent instagram post highlighting some of the key takeaways :

Webinar 3: Grounding Virtual Learning in the Land and Relationship, is now available! Pay what you can, or download it for free (code: natural0). To access the recording and learn more from Tanya Murray and Natasha Bascevan, visit: http://tinyurl.com/y5yulep8

There are still spots available for our webinar tomorrow at 7pm! In conversation, we will learn about Indigenous perspectives, land-based learning, and be invited to embrace our local environment within the NC framework. Learn more and register here https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/natural-curiosity-in-the-new-normal-a-covid-look-at-the-indigenous-lens-registration-118526216103

We're so excited for North American Association for Environmental Education - NAAEE's 49th Annual Conference kick-off today! If you're attending, please come check out our poster in the virtual poster gallery : https://conference.naaee.org

We are honoured to announce the second webinar in our series, which will highlight an Indigenous lens on the current crisis in education and decolonizing pedagogies in embracing learning outdoors. Learn more and register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/natural-curiosity-in-the-new-no

Natural Curiosity is excited to launch our pilot program for Online Group Coaching sessions! This professional learning space will take place over the course of an academic year, and is intended for educators who are seeking to deepen their Natural Curiosity teaching practice in a safe and collegial environment. Applications of interest are being accepted until Tuesday, October 13th at: tinyurl.com/nc2coaching

https://www.cbc.ca//school-on-the-land-indigenous-teaching

Tonight's the night! A few tickets are still available, will you be joining us? Register and learn more: https://ncwebinar3.eventbrite.ca/

Meet our guests for tomorrow’s webinar, Grounding Virtual Learning in the Land and Relationship! Tanya Murray is a Curriculum Consultant who supports system leadership in Outdoor and Environmental Education K-12. She has been working with an Ontario school board for 13+ years. She champions nature connection that is accessible to all, especially in the public-school system. Tanya has taught in all divisions including a term at an Outdoor Education Centre. She is committed to ...amplifying all voices and leaning into the urgent need to listen, learn (unlearn) and lift the voices in conversations around our spaces including the environment. Natasha Bascevan is Anishinaabe and Métis kwe currently residing in Georgina. She is an Indigenous Education Consultant and is completing her Master’s of Education in Leadership, Policy and Change. Natasha has worked with early years, primary, junior and intermediate students, their families and community organizations for the last 10 years. She supports various advocacy committees to support knowledge mobilization of Truth and Reconciliation in action in municipalities. She has resisted systemic structures and supported Indigenous education and equity through informal leadership roles within education settings. Learn more about Tanya and Natasha, and register at: http://ncwebinar3.eventbrite.ca

We would like to thank everyone who attended the first webinar in our four-part series last week, discussing how educators can take learning outdoors. We are currently working on captioning the webinar recording for accessibility - please stay tuned for details to come!

Tickets are still available! Learn how you can ground virtual learning in land and relationship: http://ncwebinar3.eventbrite.ca

Today is the day! Tonight, at 7:30 EDT, the first part in our four-part webinar series, "Natural Curiosity in the New Normal." We are so excited to hear from these three incredible educators on how they plan to get outside this school year. #EnviroEd

Tickets are still available - learn how you can ground virtual learning in land and relationship!

Looking for support teaching Indigenous perspectives at an elementary level? Our September edition of Making the Shift contains great resources, including the The National Centre for Collaboration in Indigenous Education's K-12 lesson plans and the NFB compilation of Indigenous cinema for learners of all ages. http://ow.ly/cyT450BBDP1

We understand that this is an unprecedented, scary time to be an educator. Our August newsletter includes resources for environmental inquiry and Indigenous perspectives, to help connecting with the natural world a little easier in Sept (whatever that may look like). Find Krista Raun Spences inspiring educator story and many more resources, here: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/augustnewsletter2020

"As politicians and school boards grapple with the challenge of how to safely reopen schools in the fall, some education experts are suggesting a simple solution hold class outside."

It’s #OrangeShirtDay. Natural Curiosity has put together a Pinboard of ideas and resources to support educators that includes: Orange Shirt Day Books For All Ages, Residential School Lessons and Learning Plans, Professional Development and Ongoing History, and Books that Highlight Historical Events, Indigenous Ways of Teaching, Family Connections and Ways of Understanding the World Through an Indigenous Lens. Visit the Pinboard today and beyond Orange Shirt Day, to continue this important learning: https://pin.it/4yeFoJh

We are excited to announce Part 3: Grounding Virtual Learning in the Land and Relationship. Learn more and let us know if you are joining us!

This Thursday at 12:00 PM, July 30th, Indigenous Student Services at Fleming College is hosting the final webinar for "The Sweetgrass Series" featuring Doug Williams. Anishinaabe Elder, teacher and mentor to Leanne Betasamosake Simpson, Doug will recount the history of the Michi Saagiig Nisnaabeg, tracing through personal and historical events, connecting them to the larger history of the Anishinaabeg and other Indigenous communities. Register here: https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/the-sweetgrass-series-8-webinar

#DYK you can now stream the first two webinars in Natural Curiosity’s back-to-school series, Natural Curiosity in the New Normal? Visit our September newsletter for more information at: http://ow.ly/vE1e50BBDHX

We are thrilled to announce the winners of this years #NCBurtynskySuzukiAwards! We are honoured to celebrate these incredible educators and sincerely thank all those who submitted an application. We hope you enjoy reading their beautiful stories as much as we did - find them here: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/2020awardwinners

The September edition of Making the Shift features great professional learning and general interest resources, including Our Stories: First Peoples in Canada, a free multi-media eTextbook; the Green Teacher webinar series; Art Gallery of Guelph exhibition Uprising: in conversation with Christi Belcourt, and more! Be sure to visit: http://ow.ly/albJ50BBDsa

This #IndigenousPeoplesDay, we want to highlight some of our favorite reads for both children and adults, written by and about Indigenous people, and which center on their experiences both past and present. By no means an exhaustive list, check out our June newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/junenews2020 and our pinterest: pinterest.ca/naturlcuriosity for more great suggestions.

Our June newsletter is dedicated to #IndigenousHistoryMonth, highlighting vibrant Indigenous voices, celebrations, learning opportunities across Turtle Island, and more resources for anti-racism and distance learning : https://t.co/Vjofjc35mc #ONed #IndigenousEd #EnviroEd https://t.co/D8pqNJDb4x

As we close out our sale, for #IndigenousHistoryMonth, with #4Canoes, #CanoeKids, and @GoodMindsBooks, we hope to have helped educators share Indigenous knowledge and stories from across Turtle Island. Read them all or buy them at a discount here : http://ow.ly/VKQG50A7YXu

Looking for some inspiring reading for #IndigenousHistoryMonth? Free access to our educator resources, with #4Canoes, #CanoeKids and GoodMinds.com is available until the 15th! Read all of our resources or buy them at a discount here http://ow.ly/sInQ30qOMiP

Tonight at 9 Join us over on Twitter for an evening of discussion - well be talking outdoor ed, reconciliation, and the future of education as part of this months #EnviroEd chat. Havent got Twitter? You can still read up on the discussion! Head over to twitter and search us at @NaturlCuriosity, or the #EnviroEd hashtag to follow the conversation.

Looking for a great read for #IndigenousHistoryMonth and #Pride ? Fire Song, by Adam Garnet Jones, beautifully depicts community, love, trauma and hardship through the experiences of relatable and genuine young adult characters. Suitable for both middle grade readers and adults, this book offers a bold perspective on how to live ones life as well as possible. Interested in more great resources? Find links to Fire Song and much more over on our pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/naturlcurios/indigenous-education/

We are thrilled to announce that our month of free resources, in partnership with 4Canoes, CanoeKids and GoodMinds.com, has been extended until June 15! In light of #IndigenousHistoryMonth, we hope that these resources can help support educators in teaching the histories and raising the voices of marginalized communities throughout North America. To access the free resource shelf, or to purchase these resources at a discount, go to https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Mark your calendars! Natural Curiosity will be joining this months #EnviroEdChat on Twitter, June 10th and 9PM ET. Well be talking about the future of outdoor education, reconciliation, connection to the land and what returning to normal can and should look like, and so much more!

#IndigenousHistoryMonth begins today! This month, Natural Curiosity will be highlighting resources with which you can expand your knowledge and teaching practice to incorporate Indigenous histories, perspectives, and ways of knowing. Braiding Sweetgrass is a beautiful memoir and contemplation on the role of ones self, culture and land in teaching. Robin Wall Kimmerer takes us through her own relationship with teaching, learning and the land, respectfully stretching the boun...daries of each of these categories and demonstrating their true interconnectedness. Whether you are just beginning your journey in understanding Indigenous histories and ways of knowing, or if you are looking to expand your practice, this book is a beautiful read with which to begin the month. Find it, and many more resources for both teachers, parents and children on our pinterest at pinterest.ca/naturlcuriosity

Tomorrow is your LAST CHANCE!! Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition and 4Canoes Indigenous education resources are open for free access and available at a discount through GoodMindsBooks until May 31. We would like to thank everyone who visited our digital bookshelf and supported our organizations during this time.

Have you enjoyed, or been meaning to read up on Natural Curiosity or any of Canoe Kids and 4Canoes resources this May? This weekend is your last chance to take advantage of this amazing collective effort, in partnership with GoodMinds.com, to bring you a fantastic range of resources. To purchase your discounted copy or to continue reading, check out our shelf here for free until May 31st: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Only 3 days left! Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition along with 4Canoes Indigenous education resources are open for free access and available at a discount through GoodMindsBooks until May 31. We thank everyone who visited our digital bookshelf and supported our organizations during this time.

Today we are featuring a fabulous resource from Canoe Kids, available alongside Natural Curiosity for free until the end of May as part of our collaboration with 4Canoes, Canoe Kids and GoodMinds.com The Drum Story tells us of a young girl given the gift of the first drum, and how she used that drum to bring peace to her people. Told in the traditional oral style, the teachings of the story are all about respect for one another and how to live well and properly with Mother Ea...rth. Told in both Ojibwe and English, this story is illustrated with beautiful original artwork, and accompanied by a video of its telling in the traditional way, including accompanying drumming and singing. This resource is a beautiful multimedia tool that allows you to experience and interact with this story together with your class. Find it and many others on our resource shelf: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Until the end of May, Natural Curiosity and many other great resources are available to you for free as part of a collaboration with 4Canoes, Canoe Kids and GoodMinds.com. Today we are back with another fantastic resource from Canoe Kids. The Eagle Feather Story is a beautiful and ancient Dakelh (Carrier Peoples) story about learning to respect those who live their lives with integrity, told in both the Dakelh and English languages. To support learning alongside this story, this resource also includes an overview of the Dakelh culture, history, and territory. A beautiful story and introduction to Dakelh culture for all ages, find this resource and many others on our shelf: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

May sale update! Nuttah and Kitchi is a fantastic story and workbook written by Sandra Samatte from the Skonwnan First Nation. This book provides children an opportunity to learn about the world we live in that has become so heavily affected by Covid. The materials are also helpful for educators and teachers to use in creating a safe space to talk about life as it is right now. This book is now available, courtesy of Goodminds.com, as part of our free resource shelf in collaboration with 4Canoes and Canoe Kids - available online here: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Natural Curiosity is very excited to share our first book recommendation by Work-Study student, Adia. This week, we are featuring "From the Ashes: My Story of Being Mtis, Homeless and Finding my Way" by Jesse Thistle From the Ashes is a memoir that details the life of Jesse Thistle, a Mtis-Cree individual from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Throughout the book, Thistle weaves a very heart-warming and heart-wrenching story; it is an eye-opening look at issues such as drug add...iction, homelessness, racism and the pervasive effects of intergenerational trauma within Indigenous communities. At the heart of his journey is the story of resilience, love and transformation that is captivating from the very first chapter. While reading this book, I was confronted with feelings of discomfort in recognizing my own privilege and the fact that a system which has benefitted me my entire life has had detrimental effects on so many others. This led me to further reflect on my own role as an educator, and the important role that I play in the process of reconciliation. It is a conscious decision for any educator to bring Indigenous perspectives into the classroom in a way that is not simply checking off a box for the purpose of curriculum. This can be as simple as getting students out onto the land, making meaningful connections with the natural world, and teaching students about the principle of reciprocity. This is something that I am eager to learn more about and hope to continue to bring into my practice as an educator. Ultimately, this book is an invitation into a painful past that ends with a message of hope and perseverance. Everyone has a story, and this one is a must read. Our circle is strong; our fire burns; this book is but a torch from the hearth of our clans and is hopefully enough to light the way for others to follow. Jesse Thistle

Today we are back with another fantastic resource from 4Canoes, available alongside Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition for free until the end of May as part of our collaboration with Canoe Kids, 4Canoes and GoodMinds.com. The Haida of Haida Gwaii takes an in depth look at the complexities and uniqueness of Haida life through Indigenous voices. This issue is a beautiful look into Haida communities on the northern most coast of Canada in the North West Pacific. For access to this fantastic resource and many others, find our shelf here: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Today we are back to showcase another powerful resource from 4Canoes, available alongside Natural Curiosity for free until the end of May as part of our collaboration with 4Canoes, Canoe Kids and GoodMinds.com. The Yavapai, People of the Sun, features the Yavapai and their traditional territory in what is now the southwestern United States. This issue offers articles detailing Yavapai history through story, art, food, and land. For access to this fantastic resource and many others, now available for free until the end of May, or at a great discount for purchase, find our shelf here: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Until the end of May, Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition will be available for free. Alongside NC, we have also collaborated with GoodMinds.com, Canoe Kids and 4Canoes; today we are showcasing another one of their fantastic resources. Mikmaq of Ktaqamkuk focuses on the Atlantic east coast Mikmaq, and provides beautiful insight into the traditions, culture, and lives of these vibrant people. For access to this fantastic resource and many others, find our shelf here: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

Did you receive our May newsletter? This edition contains many more great resources for environmental & Indigenous education, and highlights a beautiful story from Jackman ICS Lab School Vice Principal Chriss Bogert, in reflection of Earth Month: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/maynewsletter2020

This weekend is your LAST CHANCE to apply for our annual Edward Burtynsky Award for Teaching Excellence in Environmental Education and the Dr. David Suzuki Fellowship Award. Should you apply for an award? The answer is YES if you: - Use environmental inquiry - Create learning opportunities that inspire students to be ... environmentally conscious and responsible world citizens - Recognize/support the importance of Indigenous perspectives in your approach to environmental inquiry Does this sound like you? Apply for the Burtynsky award if you are are a teacher or ECE in Canada, and apply for the Suzuki award if you are a pre-service teacher or ECE in Ontario. Does this sound like someone you know? Tell them to apply! More information on our annual awards here: http://ow.ly/cDBK50zBwAR Check out what past winners have done with their prizes in the latest edition of our Making the Shift newsletter: http://ow.ly/dnSd50zBx6B We truly look forward to hearing your stories. Please submit your application by Monday, May 11, 2020.

For the month of May, in addition to our own resources, you can access amazing resources created by 4Canoes and Canoe Kids. Their inaugural edition features a look at the traditional territories of the Ojibwe of Manitoulin Island and those of the Yavapai people, offering a view into a complex world of trade routes, land, and history that goes beyond our own colonial borders. For more on this great resource, check out our digital shelf here: https://www.4canoes.com/naturalcuriosity

[This offer has been extended to June 15th, in light of Indigenous History Month] We are thrilled to announced that we have partnered with 4Canoes, Canoe Kids, and GoodMinds.com to offer all 10 of our educator resources (including both English and French editions of Natural Curiosity 2nd Edition) for FREE ACCESS for the month of May. Our intention for this collaboration is to support educators during this unprecedented and challenging time with access to all that we are collectively able to offer. Please share this message widely: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/shelf

Our 2020 awards deadline has been extended to Monday, May 11, 2020! Please encourage yourself or other inspiring colleagues who are cultivating a more reciprocal teaching practice with their students and the Earth to apply today. For more information: https://mailchi.mp/naturalcuriosity/2020awardsextended

Anishinaabe Pandemic Prophecies through the voice of Isaac Murdoch: https://yellowheadinstitute.org//24/fn-pandemic-prophecies/

Honoured to share this article written by our friends from the Humber College ECE team who took home last years grand prize for the Natural Curiosity Edward Burtynsky Award for Teaching Excellence in Environmental Education (this years awards are now open until April 30). Learn about their land-based early childhood program, The Willows, where "we learn the ways of the ones who take care of us, so we may take care of them." Miigwetch: https://theconversation.com/children-make-connections-to-ak

Happy Earth Day from the Natural Curiosity team! While we LOVE the idea of having a day to celebrate this beautiful world, we want to urge people to remember that everyday is Earth Day. Take some time to reflect on the impact our actions have and ways to give back to the earth every single day. The NC team came together to answer the question: "What is one thing you are doing everyday to give back to the earth?" Tag us to let us know what you do everyday to give back to the earth!

How do we find community during a time of isolation? This Thursday, April 9th, we are teaming up with Ontario Institute for Studies in Education, University of Toronto for #OISEStayatHomeClub! Our incredible Program Assistant and OISE MT Student Kate Barrett will walk you though a simple outdoor activity called "hug a tree" that can help the children in your lives discover a sense of connection and relief during these challenging times. Connect with Kate for a 20-minute webinar on Thursday: https://bit.ly/2xSG2lz