Bill Mason Centre is a 77 acre outdoor classroom on the west side of the City of Ottawa. The primary focus of this Ottawa-Carleton District School Board (OCDSB) educational facility is to provide active learning opportunities to elementary and secondary students to explore, experience, appreciate and learn about Ontario Curriculum in a beautiful natural setting.
The Centre is named after Bill Mason. Bill Mason was an award-winning Canadain naturalist, author, artist, filmmaker and conservationist. He is very well known for his canoeing, books, films and paintings.
To book a program at the Bill Mason Centre, please follow these steps:
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Email ([email protected]) for available dates, Please state the following in your message:
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School:
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Preferred Outdoor Education Centre (Bill Mason or MacSkimming)
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Grade:
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Number of classes:
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Number of students per class:
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Preferred educational program:
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Preferred season:
Within the OCDSB, tentative bookings are secured with the completion of the booking form. Submission of booking request forms is not sufficient for this purpose. We do not require a deposit from OCDSB groups to secure bookings. Tentative bookings from groups or classes outside the OCDSB will need to put 25% of their invoiced amount down as a deposit in order to secure their bookings. Deposits are non refundable. Failure to complete the booking form and/or submit a deposit within two weeks of the tentative date being established, will result in automatic release of the dates back into the calendar of availability.Cancellations will result in losing any deposits on file for said trip being canceled.
Programs will only be rescheduled or cancelled if there are extreme weather conditions, alerts or school buses are not running!
Attention OCDSB grade 3 and 7 classes- please see on the program list which Grade 3 and 7 programs are part of the “Every Student Attends” program (ESA). These field trip programs are at no cost to the OCDSB students, to attend (1 free program per class to one Centre per school year).
Available Programs at the Bill Mason Outdoor Education Centre (By grade):
Kindergarten Program
Forest Explore:
This full day outdoor program provides students with a great nature-based learning opportunity. Students will be immersed in the forest by exploring, playing and discovering the amazing things that live there. This outside program is offered from September to November and April to June.
Grade 1 Program:
Characteristics and Needs of Living Things:
During this full day program, students will have an opportunity to discover some amazing living things that live in the various ecosystems at Bill Mason Centre. Play and explore-based activities will focus on why the living things in the forest are important and how they manage to survive the seasons. This program is available during all seasons, activities will be based around the season your class is attending.
Grade 2 Program:
Growth and Changes in Animals:
During this full day outdoor program, the students will gain further understanding of local animals by investigating different habitats, actively exploring different animals and playing activities based around their behaviour and life cycles . This extremely active program is available all seasons but activities and explore topics will vary with the seasons.
Grade 3 Program:
Growth and Changes in Plants and Soils in the Environment (Every Student Attends):
In this full day program, students explore and discover the world of plants and soils, Students will dig down to investigate soil horizons, explore decomposers and discuss the importance of soil as an ecosystem. In the second part of the day, students will focus on local plant biodiversity and how they grow and adapt. This program is recommended between September to November (weather permitting) and May to June.
Grade 3 Program:
Wayfinding with Maps (Every Student Attends) :
This full day program gradually introduces students to the basics of map reading and navigation.Students will problem-solve in small groups in order to find their way around three different map courses around the 77 acres. Focus will be put on observing landmarks and orienting maps.This program is recommended between September to December and March to June.
Grade 4 Program:
Habitats and Communities:
This nature-based full day program is divided into two different opportunities: the first half includes actively exploring different habitats and communities around the 77 acres of Bill Mason Centre. Second half is a prey/predator simulation in a 3 acre playing area, focusing hands-on on food chains and habitat requirements. This extremely active program is available all seasons but activities and explore topics will vary with the seasons. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes
Grade 4 Program:
Cross-country Skiing:
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 4 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing:
This popular full day program provides Grade 4 students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day, students will cross-country ski on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing while exploring various habitats and feeding chickadees. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 5 Program:
Outdoor Skills:
Students will learn and practice the basics of emergency shelter building and navigation with the use of maps. Students will problem-solve in small groups in order to find their way around the 77 acre classroom, knot-tying and to build an emergency shelter. This extremely active program is available all seasons and if snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.
Grade 5 Program:
First Contact (Culture and History):
In this active program, students will be introduced to ways in which European and Indigenous communities of the (now) Ottawa area influenced each other’s ways of life. Students will have the opportunity to further explore and increase their understanding of the lifestyle of the Algonkin or Algonquin Indigenous people. An interactive fur trade simulation activity is part of this program and focuses particularly on the Indigneous People's role in Canadian history. Other activities include a guided hike (On snowshoes,conditions permitting). This program is available all seasons but is recommended for the winter.
Grade 5 Program:
Cross-country Skiing:
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 5 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing:
This popular full day program provides Grade 5 students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day, students will cross-country ski on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing while exploring and feeding chickadees. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 6 Program:
Biodiversity:
This full day program includes two half day activities: "Classify Me" and exploring for biodiversity.
Classify Me is an active tree identification activity in which students make their way along the trails (with maps) looking for specially marked coniferous trees. Once they find the required evergreen trees, it is their job to use a dichotomous key to identify them.
Second half of the day, students focus on exploring the Centre's 77 acre classroom and inquire on biodiversity, interrelationships, vertebrates vs. invertebrates and invasive species. This extremely active program is available all seasons but activities and explore topics will vary with the seasons. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes
Grade 6 Program:
Outdoor Skills:
Students will learn and practice the basics of emergency shelter building and navigation with the use of maps. Students will problem-solve in small groups in order to find their way around the 77 acre classroom, knot-tying and to build an emergency shelter. This extremely active program is available all seasons and if snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.
Grade 6 Program:
Cross-country Skiing:
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 6 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing:
This popular full day program provides Grade 6 students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day will be cross-country skiing on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing while classifying tracks and looking at the biodiversity of local mammals and birds. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 7 Program:
Interactions in the Environment (Every Student Attends):
This nature-based full day program is divided into two different opportunities: the first half includes actively exploring the different ecosystems within the 77 acres of Bill Mason Centre. Second half is a prey/predator simulation in a 3 acre playing area, focusing hands-on on consumer levels, food webs and population requirements. This extremely active program is available all seasons but activities and explore topics will vary with the seasons. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.
Grade 7 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing (Science):
This popular full day program provides Grade 7 students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day, students will cross-country ski on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing, exploring different ecosystems, mammal tracks, porcupines and feeding black-capped chickadees. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 7 Program:
Cross-country Skiing:
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 7 Program:
The Fur Trade:
This trading simulation actively takes place along the trails and inside forests. Students play the role of over-wintering voyageurs newly hired by the Northwest Company in the early 1800s. Students reenact history by trading with Indigenouse communities for furs in order to purchase supplies at Fort William for the long journey home to Montreal.
Part of the day will be hiking around the 77acre classroom, focusing on hands-on exploration and discussions on how Indigenous people used surrounding forest for medicine and food (On snowshoes when conditions permitting). This program is available all seasons but is highly recommended for the winter.
Grade 7 Program:
Outdoor Skills:
Students are introduced to how to use a map and compass effectively. With these skills, students will navigate the trails of this 77 acre classroom.
In the second half of the day, students will enhance their outdoor skills by building and safely managing a fire. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.This program is available all seasons but is highly recommended for the fall or winter.
Grade 8 Program:
Arts in the Outdoors:
This full day active program is packed with making connections with nature through hands-on and experiential learning. Make links to the visual arts, drama, as well as collaboration, communication, problem solving skills, and environmental awareness. What better way of learning the arts than through CREATING in NATURE!
This outside program is offered from September to November and April to June.
Grade 8 Program:
Outdoor Skills:
Students are introduced to how to use a map and compass effectively. With these skills, students will navigate the trails of this 77 acre classroom.
In the second half of the day, students will enhance their outdoor skills by building and safely managing a fire. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.This program is available all seasons but is highly recommended for the fall or winter.
Grade 8 Program:
Cross-country Skiing:
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 8 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing:
This popular full day program provides Grade 8 students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day, students will cross-country ski on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing, exploring winter tracks and feeding black-capped chickadees. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 9 Program:
Scientific Inquiry within an Ecosystem:
This full day program is divided into two learning opportunities, an inquiry-based explore and an active simulation based on the food chain. The forest explore is designed to allow students to experience through hands-on inquiry, the biodiversity within a forest.
The simulation provides students with the opportunity to further understand bioaccumulation, biomass, populations and how humans affect local ecosystems. This extremely active program is available all seasons but activities and explore topics will vary with the seasons. If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.
Grade 9 to 12 Program:
Cross-country Skiing (Great for Outdoor Education classes!):
This full day program of cross-country skiing starts with a basic introduction to classic style cross-country skiing, with active games in the morning. The afternoon will be spent skiing along the groomed trails throughout the Centre. All ski equipment is provided. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting). We can only accommodate 1 group per day.
Grade 9 to 12 Program:
Snowshoeing and Cross-country Skiing:
This popular full day program provides students with the opportunity to get out and be active in winter. Half of the day, students will cross-country ski on the groomed trails and the other half will be snowshoeing, exploring winter tracks, porcupines and feeding black-capped chickadees. This program is available in January, February and March (conditions permitting).
Grade 9 to 12 Program:
Teambuilding:
Through a progressive series of team building challenges, students experience and assess key interpersonal skills such as trust, cooperation, initiative and communication. This full day program is designed to develop self confidence, creating a positive learning environment, group skills and friendships.
Special ratio; 1 Centre instructor for up to 15 students.
This program is only available September to mid November and May to June (Weather and conditions permitting).
Grade 9 to 12 Program:
Navigation and Outdoor Skills (Great for Outdoor Education classes!):
Students are introduced to how to use a map, compass and GPS effectively. With these skills, students will navigate the trails of this 77 acre classroom.
In the second half of the day, students will enhance their outdoor skills by building and safely managing a fire.
If snow conditions permit, part of the program will be on snowshoes.
This program is available for all seasons.
Nature-Based Learning Program (Forest School):
Grades K-6:
This active outdoor learning opportunity involves inquiry-based education which uses the unique natural setting of the Centres, to teach numerous curriculum connections by exploring, learning by doing and child-led freeplay.
This place-based educational program consists of 4 full day individual weekly visits to MacSkimming or Bill Mason Centre (Maximum 2 classes per day).
Weekly visits to the Centres will be determined during registration.
Additional Centres’ visits and in-school sessions can be added to the program, for the Centre educators to professionally support outdoor play and learning in a local green space or in the schoolyard.
This unique outdoor opportunity has limited dates available. Early registration may be required.