Canadian Museum of Nature's interactive workshops free for all teachers across Canada

The Canadian Museum of Nature is now offering its virtual interactive workshops for free to all teachers across Canada. (The Canadian Museum of Nature / handout)

The Canadian Museum of Nature is now offering its virtual interactive workshops for free to all teachers across Canada.

The virtual, nature-based program was launched in March 2021 for a fee. It has served a total of 10,000 students in 212 schools across the country since its inception. Removing the fee will make access to the museum's workshops more accessible, said the museum in a news release on Wednesday.

"By now offering these workshops for free, we make natural science education more accessible to schools that may be facing budget constraints or other challenges," said Angeline Laffin, vice president, Experience and Engagement at the Canadian Museum of Nature.

"We are striving to create inclusive experiences that inspire a sense of wonder and curiosity about the natural world."

The live sessions are led by a museum educator that introduces students to natural-science topics from the comfort their classroom, adds the museum, noting that "all content is adapted to meet the curricula in each province and territory."

The virtual workshops complement the in-person sessions that take place at the museum located in Centretown in Ottawa.

"Our workshops are designed to spark curiosity, foster critical thinking and cultivate a deep appreciation for science and nature," added Dana Albright, the museum's head of programming. "We connect teachers with STEM topics using real museum science and specimens. It's an authentic educational program that students can access directly from the classroom."

The museum says the highly-engaging, three virtual workshops are offered with high quality cameras and include the following:

• Coastal Adventure workshops are offered "for Grades 1 to 4, and Grade 6, depending on the province or territory, and for elementary cycles 1 and 2 in Quebec."

• Exploring Rocks and Minerals workshops are offered "for Grades 3, 4, 5 and 7, depending on the province or territory, and for elementary cycles 2 and 3, and Secondary cycle 1 in Quebec."

• The Raven's Riddles workshops are offered “for Grades 1 to 4, and Grade 6, depending on the province or territory, and for elementary cycles 1 and 2 in Quebec," giving them an avian adventure to solve a mystery in the museum's Bird Gallery.

More information is available online.