Resources
Field Guides and Teaching Resources
Rocks, Geology, and Tough Stuff!
Nova Scotia Pebbles, by the Atlantic Geoscience Society, 2016
A Guide to Rock and Mineral Collecting in Nova Scotia, by Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources, 2007
The Natural History of Nova Scotia, by staff at the Museum of Natural History, 1996
Kluskap and the Three Sisters, story of the Cape Chignecto Rocks by Mi’kmawey Debert
The Story of Partridge Island, Bay of Fundy, geological hotspot and sacred Mi’kmaq site, told by Gerald Gloade
Kluskap’s Fight with Winter and the Glacial History of the Cobequid Pass, by Mi’kmawey Debert
Joggins Fossil Cliffs map and educational resources, from the Joggins Centre
Earth Science games and lesson plans, from National Geographic
Plants, Fungi, Lichens, and other Green Things!
Kids Guide to Weird Plants of the Atlantic Coastal Plain, by the Nature Guardians Chapter of the Young Naturalists Club
Plant and Animal ID Flash Cards, in English, French, and Arabic, by staff at the Young Naturalists Club
Common Native Trees of Nova Scotia, a citizen science collection, via i-naturalist
Trees of the Acadian Forest, by Nova Scotia Department of Natural Resources,
The Natural History of Nova Scotia, by staff at the Museum of Natural History, 1996
Plants of Nova Scotia, a citizen science collection, via Plant Watch
YNC Native Seed Collecting, an illustrated guide, by staff at the Young Naturalists Club
Popular print guides to the flora of Nova Scotia, a list compiled by the Nova Scotia Wild Flora Society.
Popular apps, Useful Nova Scotia Plants and Harmful Nova Scotia Plants, by Gordon B. Isnor and Marian Munro at the Nova Scotia Museum
Mushroom Species List, by the Nova Scotia Mycological Society
Mushrooms of Nova Scotia, photo guide and activity booklet, by the Young Naturalists Club, 2022
Fungi of Nova Scotia, a citizen science collection, via i-Naturalist
Online Mushroom Guide, by the Nova Scotia Museum via onlinemuseum
Fungi for Kids!, collection of printable resources by Northhamptonshire Wildlife (UK)
Lichens of Nova Scotia, photo guide and activity booklet, by staff at the Young Naturalists Club, 2021
Identifying Lichens of Nova Scotia, by Irwin M. Brodo, Robert Cameron,
Heather Andrachuk, and Brian CraigLichen Image Search, Consortium of North American Lichen Herbaria
Tracks, Feathers, and Signs of Life!
Who Made That Track? interactive game by Mi’kmaw Conservation
The Feather Atlas, by US Fish and Wildlife Service
Tracks to Look For in Your Neighbourhood, illustrated guide on the back of our Young Naturalists Club brochure
Fish, Shells, Beaches, and the Ocean!
Fish of Nova Scotia, via Game and Fish
Shells of Eastern North America, by Pam Rambo
By the Sea: A Guide to Coastal Zone of Atlantic Canada, by Department of Fisheries and Oceans
Photo guide to Canadian marine life, by the Canadian Register of Marine Species
Where the Land Meets the Shore, the Nearshore, grd 4-11, lesson plans from Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Saltmarshes: teacher/student journals and field guide, grd 3-6, by Ducks Unlimited Canada
Ocean School, interactive videos, lesson plans, and activity sheets, all grades, from Dalhousie University, Ingenium – Canada’s Museums of Science and Innovation, and the National Film Board of Canada
OceanWise Guide to Sustainable Seafood Species, by the Vancouver Aquarium
OceanWise Plastics, Seafood, and Species at Risk Education Kits, games and lesson plans, all grades, by the Vancouver Aquarium
Shouting Whales, conservation-related activities and lesson plans, grd 6-8, by Ocean Networks Canada and Open School BC
Salmonids in the Classroom, activities and lesson plans, grd 4-7, by Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Fish Friends, in-class fish rearing program and lesson plans, grd 4-6, by the NS Salmon Association
Marine games and lesson plans, from National Geographic
Plamu’k in Mi’kma’ki (Salmon in Nova Scotia), interactive life cycle by Mi’kmaw Conservation
Aquatic Species at Risk Bingo, printable cards by Mi’kmaw Conservation
Birds!
Birding in Nova Scotia: Checklist, by the Nova Scotia Bird Society
Guide to the Birds of Nova Scotia: photo reference, by the Nova Scotia Bird Society
Learn to Bird By Ear, curated YouTube playlist by the NS Young Naturalists Club
Free Bird eBooks, from Nature Canada
Tracking Bird Populations, MOTUS station resources, by Birds Canada
Guide to Ducks, Environment and Climate Change Canada
Duck Detectives, migration game and lesson plan, grd 3-6, by Ducks Unlimited Canada
Birds in My Culture, work book and teaching guide, by BirdNote and Environment for the Americas
The Feather Atlas, by US Fish and Wildlife Service
Bird Song Hero, (like the popular guitar version!) by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology
Halifax Xmas Bird Count 4 Kids! Virtual Tour of Point Pleasant Park, by the Young Naturalists Club and NS Bird Society
Halifax Xmas Bird Count 4 Kids! Printable Map of Point Pleasant Park, by the Young Naturalists Club and NS Bird Society
Guide to South West Nova Scotia’s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, by the Young Naturalists Club
Mammals
Squirrels! Identification and Behaviour Journal, by the Young Naturalists Club, 2022
The Nova Scotia Family Bat Box Network’s Guide to Bat Monitoring, by the Young Naturalists Club and Mersey Tobeatic Research Institute
Bugs and Crawly Things!
Game of Hives, Teaching About Bees in the Classroom, slides from the NS Museum of Natural History
Macroinvertebrates.org, an interactive online guide and key to aquatic macroinvertebrates of Eastern North America, by Learning to See, Seeing to Learn
Butterflies of Shubie Park, Dartmouth, by the Nature Guardians Chapter of the Young Naturalists Club, 2022
Stars, Space, and the Sky!
Mi’kmaw Moons, traditional Mi’kmaq time-keeping
Videos from the Hubble Space Telescope, by the European Space Agency
Space Experiments and Colouring Pages, from the Canadian Space Agency
Space Lesson Plans and Activities, all grades, from NASA
Climate Change games and lesson plans, grd 4-6, from Sierra Club
Sea Ice and Climate, lesson plans, grd 6-12 PBS
Curricula and Resources – all subjects
Environmental Education, Ontario Curriculum for K-grd 8, 2017
Environmental Education, Ontario Curriculum for grd 9-12, 2017
Sustainability Education Framework , and resources for teachers to help implement curricula, British Columbia, 2008
Environmental Science, Saskatchewan
Education for Sustainable Development, Manitoba, 2000
Green Teacher, magazine
Your Guide to Getting Outside in Nova Scotia
Scavenger Hunts
Nature Scavenger Hunts, by staff at the Young Naturalists Club, 2020
Sensory Scavenger Hunts, by Foundations for Divergent Minds, 2020
Nature Drawing Scavenger Hunt, by the Bateman Foundation
Self-guided Tours
Earth Adventures in the Halifax Region, by Alan Warner, Janet Barlow & George Taylor of the HRM Adventure Earth Centre
Guide to the Chignecto National Wildlife Area, by Nature New Brunswick, the Young Naturalists Club, and Canadian Wildlife Service, 2022
Guide to South West Nova Scotia’s Migratory Bird Sanctuaries, by the Young Naturalists Club, 2022
Treasured Wetlands of Nova Scotia (has geocaches!), by Ducks Unlimited Canada
Halifax Xmas Bird Count 4 Kids! Printable Map of Point Pleasant Park, by the Young Naturalists Club and NS Bird Society, 2020
A New Canadian’s Guide to Nature in Nova Scotia – Arabic versions, by the Young Naturalists Club and Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2021
New Canadian Guide to Nature in Nova Scotia – Mandarin versions, by the Young Naturalists Club and Ducks Unlimited Canada, 2022
Trails
Find a Trail in Nova Scotia, by Hike Nova Scotia
Trails of NW Halifax, by Halifax North West Trails Association
On Environmental Education as Curriculum
Guidelines for Excellence: Early Childhood Environmental Education Programs, by the North American Association for Environmental Education, 2010
Environmental Education in Canada, a status report by the Canadian Environmental Grantmakers Network, 2006
On the Need for Natural History Education
Natural History is Dying, and We Are All the Losers By Jennifer Frazer in Scientific America, June 20 2014
The Natural History Project. Conversations about the rebirth of Natural History.
Decline of natural history troubling for science, society By Sandra Hines in University of Washington Today, March 26 2014
Natural History and the Importance of Education By Rachel Roberts in Sustainable World Coalition Blog, December 17 2014
Connectedness to Nature: Its Impact on Sustainable Behaviours and Happiness in Children, by Barrera-Hernandez et. al., Feb 26 2020
On the Benefits of Nature
Health Benefits to Children from Contact with the Outdoors and Nature. By Children and Nature Network 2010
If children lose contact with nature they won’t fight for it. By George Monbiot in The Guardian, November 19 2012
Back to Nature: Understanding Nature Deficit Disorder By Network Ireland, 2013
On Getting Kids Outside
Nature Play at Home: A Guide for Boosting Your Children’s Healthy Development and Creativity, by National Wildlife Federation and Natural Learning Initiative, 2012
Time for a Camp Revival: The Return of Nature Camps and the Support For Those That Never Went Away. By Richard Louv, Children’s & Nature Network, July 20 2015
8 Ways to Nurture Your Child’s Connection to Nature. Dr. Jim Taylor, Huffington Post, January 12, 2015