Education Programs
A New Generation of Environmental Stewards
We know how important it is to connect youth with nature. This connection fosters awareness, hope, and a sense of responsibility for our natural world.
From indoor classrooms to nearby streams, shorelines, and rain gardens, our programs leverage our local environments as learning hubs. By providing hands-on, place-based education, we're nurturing a generation that understands the impact of their actions and believes in their ability to effect positive change.
If you're looking to book an education event, partner with us, volunteer, or get connected to other environmental education programs in the region, please get in touch. We're looking forward to supporting you.
Our Programs
This all-ages program brings youth out to their nearest stream for activities such as a nature walk, aquatic bug survey, presentation on water quality, salmon habitat, or local restoration, and more.
A full day of hands-on restoration activities for Gr. 6/7! Can include invasive plant removal, native species planting, and more. Adaptable for other grade levels.
An interactive, outdoor presentation and game for Gr. 3/4. Students engage with large-scale watershed models, salmon life cycle presentations, and a fun-and-fast game of "Salmon Tag".
Our Rains, Drains, and Gardens Program gets youth Gr. 5+ thinking about native plant species, pollutants in stormwater, and ways to mitigate it—like rain gardens! Students can even plan their own rain garden proposal.
Available for Gr. 5+, our hands-on shoreline education program gets students engaged in learning about their nearby shorelines. Beach cleanups, forage fish spawning surveys, beach seining, and more!
In partnership with the Fisheries and Oceans Canada Stream to Sea Program, we support Gr. 3+ as they mark storm drains and raise awareness in their communities about fish habitat and stormwater pollution.
Our Education Values
Cultural Respect: We teach and learn in the Traditional Territories of the lək̓ʷəŋən People, known today as Songhees Nation and Xwsepsum (Esquimalt) Nation; the W̱SÁNEĆ People, known today as W̱JOȽEȽP (Tsartlip), BOḰEĆEN (Pauquachin), SȾÁUTW̱ (Tsawout), W̱SIḴEM (Tseycum), and MÁLEXEȽ (Malahat) Nations; and the T’Sou-ke First Nation. We believe that all education programs about the ecology of these Traditional Territories must honour and meaningfully draw upon the knowledge, values, and stewardship practices of the First Nations these lands belong to.
Inspiring Action: We believe in the power of people in ecology. Our focus isn't just on teaching facts; it's about fostering a genuine sense of belonging, responsibility, and hope, and empowering youth to take action. Our programs are student-centred, solution-oriented, optimistic, and fun!
Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, & Accessibility: We believe that everyone belongs, and has a role to play in conservation. Our programs are designed to foster a safe, welcoming, and accessible environment, and to ensure that all students receive the same quality of education. We work collaboratively with each teacher and school to adapt programming to fit the needs of each group and student.
Teacher Testimonials
“I’ve done this program for many years with my Grade 3 students and have loved it each year. I appreciated some of the updates that have been made to the program. A fun way to teach such important concepts. My students really enjoyed themselves. Thank you for your expertise, flexibility, and awesome manner with our kids."
Steph Kenny, Teacher
Lochside Elementary School
“Our students were super excited about seeing what was living in the waters they see everyday. It was a bit of a big reveal. The net scooping up what looked like just water and then the students getting in close and seeing all these amazing living creatures. And then to top it all off they got to get up close to all the creatures in the viewing containers. It was an amazing experience and I am very grateful for the opportunity to bring this to our classes. The experience was priceless and yet completely accessible because we did not have to pay for it."
Sonya McRae, Teacher
Shoreline Community Middle School
“My students who never talk are engaged. My students who never listen are engaged.”
Teacher
Royal Oak Middle School
"They love the watershed model and hands-on nature of the program. Students also love the salmon game and I felt both instructors were very engaged with the students making it exciting for them."
Teacher
Brentwood Elementary School
“Today was great—the Grade 4 students had a blast and the activities were hands-on and totally in line with our interdisciplinary goals.”
Leigh Johnson, Teacher
St. Michaels University School
"... thanks for the opportunity to participate in these hands-on learning experiences and community/watershed projects. It’s been a real highlight for my Environmental Science 11 classes over the past year (and continuing).”
Nat Buchmann, Teacher
Mount Douglas Secondary School
"Peninsula Streams has been offering high-quality programming with Parkland Secondary for many years. Their staff are experienced, highly trained, and make outdoor learning fun and engaging! Getting students involved as citizen scientists is a valuable part of their education and keeps them engaged as life-long learners and community leaders."
Erin Stinson, Teacher
Parkland Secondary School
"We had an amazing time with you at Esquimalt Lagoon! The knowledge they gained has been useful in other studies moving forward and was so fun and valuable for me and the students. Thank you again!"
Teacher
Lighthouse Christian Academy
"Thank you to the team for coming out to Lochside today! It was a glorious day for outdoor instruction. I know all of our students thoroughly enjoyed the hands-on stations and the aquatic bugs were a hit! All the leaders were so kind, clear and patient with their instruction as well. Thank you. You guys were amazing today, and we appreciate you finding the time to squeeze us in."
Teacher
Lochside Elementary School
"This is a highly experiential opportunity for the students with unbelievable connections to STEAM education. I love that this training leads to an ongoing service-learning activity that is quite self directed. The students are excited to return to the beach, to do more surveying, and to build a legacy of stewardship and partnership with a specific place and piece of land. What could be more beautiful than that?"
Teacher
St. Michaels University School
"The facilitators have all been excellent and worked well with the students from Grade 9-12. We've always appreciated the ways they engage the students with deep ecological knowledge of the area. We also appreciate when they're willing to share their personal journey toward becoming an environmental educator!"
Erin Stinson, Teacher
Parkland Secondary School
"Our IGS (Environmental Science 12) class had a fantastic time at Cordova Bay Beach with Peninsula Streams! Students loved surveying the sand for fish eggs and came away with a deeper understanding of impacts to local ecosystems—such a fun and meaningful hands-on learning experience!"
Joanna Linger, Teacher
Claremont Secondary School
"I thought the event was fantastic—it was well structured, well-organized, and educational. I appreciated having an area set up where the youth could just relax in the shade if needed, and it was nice to have so many extra hands to support the planting. The information was fantastic, and the round-circle of introductions was a welcoming start to the event. Absolutely fantastic event that both the kids and staff loved and still talk about. Many thanks to your fantastic team!"
Lori Tosczak
Esquimalt Nation
"They really enjoyed this whole program, it ties in perfectly to what they are studying about biodiversity and human impacts on ecosystems. They were all really excited about the staghorn sculpin and being able to see the organisms from the seine. It was also great for them to practice with the microscope back at school (and were also so excited to see eggs!)."
Kirsten Dibblee, Teacher
Parkland Secondary School
"As usual, Peninsula Streams did a fantastic job…I love the connection between the water cycle and the kids’ local environment here on the peninsula. It just makes sense to them. That local connection really allows the kids to see the effects of pollution right where they live. Thanks again!"
Philip Jungen, Teacher
Keating Elementary School
"Our Environmental Systems and Societies 11 students really enjoyed learning some field work skills, identifying local marine biodiversity, and learning about all the restoration work from Peninsula Streams. To prepare us for our field work, PSS came to our school to make connections to our curriculum and discuss their environmental projects. Furthermore, PSS’ biologists and educators shared some more resources following our experiences. Our intertidal experience was definitely enhanced by PSS’ experts in the field."
Jennifer Walton, Teacher
St. Margaret's School
Have you participated in one of our programs? Share your feedback below!
Partners & Supporters
Donations, sponsorships, and partnerships help ensure we can reach as many students as possible, for as long as possible. We are deeply grateful to all who have contributed to our education programs.
