Offered Tuesdays or Thursdays 10- 12 or 1-3 at the following locations: Earl Bales, Cedarvale Park, High Park  

Patterns in Nature 
Using all five senses, discover the many amazing plants and creatures that live in our urban green spaces. Discover where and how plants grow while searching for patterns in the natural world.

Seasonal Changes in Nature – Excellent for Sukkot 
On a fall nature hike, students will notice the changes in nature, the colours of the leaves, the plants that have turned to seed, the squirrels collecting food and leaves. In connection to Sukkot, the festival of ingathering and the festival of tabernacles, students will be like animals and collect what they need for the colder weather. 

(This program can also be an indoor workshop)

Communicating with our Natural World
Did you know that worms respond to vibrations in the ground, that rabbits communicate by stomping, and that birds and squirrels make noise as a way of protecting themselves and their territory? On this outdoor adventure, students will get outside to listen to the sounds of nature. Students will use the recitation of the שְׁמַע יִשְׂרָאֵל as a reminder of how important it is to truly listen. 

The Days of Creation – אדמה
Students will make the connection between the word Adam (the first human) and Adamah (earth). During this adventure, students will explore all that comes directly from the Earth, including plants and trees, birds and insects, and local land animals. 

Offered Tuesdays or Thursdays 10-12 or 1-3 at the following locations: Earl Bales, Cedarvale Park, High Park  

Protecting our Pollinators – Excellent for Rosh Hashanah!
On Rosh Hashanah, we enjoy apples dipped in honey, neither of which would be possible without our pollinator friends! Learn about bees and other native pollinators so as to better understand pollination and what we can do to ensure a happy, healthy new year for both humans and pollinators alike.

(This program can also be an indoor workshop)

Creatures and Critters
The Talmud teaches us that every creature has a purpose. Discover some of the many different animals, bird, and insect species that live in our urban green spaces, and how the choices we make affect the health of their habitats.

Structures in Nature 
In Jewish tradition we have a bracha for everything in creation having a purpose. Beehives, pine cones, sunflowers, and more all have a natural structure with a purpose. Students will learn that structures in nature created naturally help a species to survive and flourish.

(This program can also be an indoor workshop)

Moving Waters – Excellent for Tashlich 
Tashlich reminds us to appreciate the power of the flowing waters of the river. Join Shoresh on an exploration of rivers as we participate in tashlich and observe the flow of the water and the plant life that grows in the surrounding environment. Wow moments included!

Offered Tuesdays or Thursdays 10-12 or 1-3 at the following locations: Earl Bales, Cedarvale Park, High Park, King Forest, Bela Farm

Winter Animal Tracking – Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim (Kindness to Animals) 
Join us on a winter hike to search for animal tracks. Many animals explore by night and leave behind tracks to observe. How can we determine what animal walked by?  Come join Shoresh in the snow for an animal adventure and learn about how we can care for animals during the winter season. We can follow the tracks of our furry friends and make some interesting tracks of our own. 

Growth and Change in Plants 
Seasons are changing, how are our plants and trees changing? Join Shoresh for an adventure to observe changes in plants, trees and even the earth we walk on. Learn about invasive plants and what we can do to be shomrei adamah – protectors of the earth. 

Decomposers – We love our Worms and our Soil!
Worms create healthy and rich soil. On this excursion  students will learn about how worms create healthy soil. Your Shoresh educator will allow students to observe an active worm bin and observe how these decomposers decompose compost into soil. We can even help teachers and students to build their own worm bin. 

(This program can also be an indoor workshop).

Meet the Trees – Excellent for Tu BiShvat 
Celebrate the birthday of the trees by venturing outdoors to visit with the trees that support and sustain our communities! Learn to identify trees, look for signs of the animals who call our trees home, and say thank you to the trees for all they do for us.

Aish! Fire in Nature – Excellent for Lag Ba’Omer
Fire occurs in nature. Sometimes it can be used to help with regrowth, sometimes it can be destructive. On this adventure with Shoresh, students will learn how to safely create fire and how to create fire using only natural items.  

Plants and Soils – Excellent for Yom Ha’atzmaut
On this adventure, students will explore the Earth in a deep way. As we study the components of healthy soil, students will reflect on the chalutzim who immigrated to Israel and searched for ways to grow in the swampy or dry land they found. 

Tza’ar Ba’alei Chayim – Kindness to Animals 
Jewish law prohibits causing animals unnecessary suffering. Students will practice observing insect and animal behavior and will learn the importance of treating animals with kindness and respect.

Offered Tuesdays or Thursdays 10-12, 1-3, or 10-2 at the following locations: Earl Bales, Cedarvale Ravine or High Park, King Forest, Bela Farm

Excursion to Bela Farm
Students will enjoy a visit to Shoresh’s Bela farm and will explore the vegetation growing and learn about our beehives and honey harvest. This program can also be specifically designed to meet the needs of the students and teachers and classroom topics. 

Hiking King City Forest on Tu Bishvat
We’d love to take your students on a hike through the King City Forest to learn about the Jewish new year of the trees. Students will learn how to determine the rough ages of trees and how to identify different species of trees.