School Programs

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About Our School Group & Homeschool Programs

Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation nature based field trips are on treaty 7 land, as we learn with nature we recognize the past, present, and future generations of the Stoney Nakoda Nations, the Tsuut’ina, the Blackfoot Confederacy (Siksika, Kainai, and Piikani), and the Metis Nation (Region 3) who first lived and learned here. In the spirit of reconciliation, we recognize the continued importance of these lands to all who make their home in the Treaty 7 region of Southern Alberta.

Nature based school fieldtrips include:

  • Ecology of the grasslands field study
  • Explore pond field study
  • Guided walks & custom programs
  • Archaeology in the park
  • Archaeology in your school
  • Running with the Ranchers in Association with Alberta Beef Producers

Curriculum links & details below

Fill out the form below to book your school or homeschool program now!

Field Trip Inquiry Form

Nature Based Field Trip FAQ

Nature Based Field Trip FAQ

School Group & Homeschool Program Options 

Discover Archaeology in the Park for grade 3-6

Let’s get dirty! This land has hidden its stories in the earth. Will you uncover them? Unearth discoveries in a simulated dig site. Handle artifacts and find their clues. Hear stories our Indigenous friends have given to us to share with you. Walk the beautiful hills of Glenbow Ranch and discover a few of our many archaeological sites in the park, some just off the pathway!

Curriculum Connections

  • Grade Three: 3.1 Rocks and Minerals
  • Grade Four: All outcomes in Alberta: The Land, Histories, and Stories
  • Grade Five: All outcomes in Canada: The Land and Stories
  • Grade Six: Science Topic D: Evidence and Investigation

This program also includes a simulated archaeology dig where the students get to uncovers artifacts and findings in our archaeological pits!

Cost

  • In-park, full day, $352/class * (max 32 students per class)
  • Book two or more full-day programs consecutively, $330/class (max 32 students)

Program Details

  • Please be advised this is an OUTDOOR program and you should be prepared for any changes in weather. Closed toed running shoes or hiking boots are required for this program.
  • Find more information in the FAQ

Book Now!

  • We can accommodate 2 classes per day!  Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.
  • Bookings are confirmed when payment is received. Payment is due 30 days before program date.

Ecology in the Grasslands: Field Study

What’s amazing about grass? Find out in our great Grasslands, one of the most fragile and overexploited ecosystems in the world! Discover the secrets of seeds, hunt for pollinators, and surprise yourself with biodiversity and plant identification even the incredible Rough Fescue. The grasslands have a rich Indigenous and European history. These grasslands have been directly affected by human history. Their future is directly tied to ours. Discover what you want your human impact to be on these lands.

Curriculum connections

  • Grade 3: E. Animal Life Cycles
  • Grade 4: E. Plant Growth and Changes, A Sense of the Land
  • Grade 6: E. Trees and Forests

Costs

  • $352/class*, (max 32 students per class)
  • Book two or more full day programs consecutively, $330/class (max 32 students per class)

Program Details

  • Please be advised this is an OUTDOOR program and you should be prepared for any changes in weather. Closed toed running shoes or hiking boots are required for this program.
  • Find more information in the FAQ

Book Now!

We can accommodate 2 classes per day!  Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.

Explore Pond: Field Study

We’ll bring the nets and guide you through one of our most loved programs. Broken into two groups, students will uncover the secrets of the wetlands and how they impact us as they walk the beautiful trails in Glenbow Ranch Provincial Park. Grab a net and catch and identify pond critters. The diversity of these incredible tiny animals inspires awe no matter what your age. Learn about their amazing talents, and diversity and about how to identify if the wetland is healthy and who needs it anyway.

Curriculum Connections

  • Grade 1: D. Senses, E. The needs of Plants and Animals
  • Grade 2: E. Small Crawling and Flying Animals
  • Grade 5: E. Wetland Ecosystems

Explore Pond Program Details

  • Due to fragile ecosystems our pond can accommodate up to 15 children at a time. For classes sized over 15 this program is split into a pond study & a guided wetlands walk.
  • This program can only accommodate one class of 32 students per day.
  • Please be advised this is an OUTDOOR program and you should be prepared for any changes in weather.
  • Find more details in the FAQ

Cost:

  • $352 -up to 32 students max per class
  • Book two or more full day programs consecutively, $330/class up to 32 students max per class.

Book Now!

Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.

Discover Archaeology In Your School!

Archaeology comes to you! Get your hands on real artifacts and uncover the tales they tell from the land. K-3 discover the one-stop Bison shop. 3-6 re-build a bison skeleton and practice archaeological skills. 1 School Volunteer required/ 6 students. Requires dedicated classroom space.

Curriculum Connections 

  • Kindergarten: Environment and Community Awareness
  • Grade One: 1.2 Moving Forward with the Past
  • Grade Two: 2.1 Canada’s Dynamic Communities
  • Grade Three: 3.1 Rocks and Minerals
  • Grade Four: All outcomes in Alberta: The Land, Histories, and Stories
  • Grade Five: All outcomes in Canada: The Land and Stories
  • Grade Six: Science Topic D: Evidence and Investigation

Cost 

  • Archaeology in your School Half-Day (2hr, K-6) max 32 students/ class, requires 2 classes/ day
  • Archaeology in your School Full-Day (4hr, 3-6) max 32 students/ class, maximum  1 class/ day
  • Book two or more full day programs consecutively, $330/class (max 32 students)

Additional Costs 

Travel costs to and from Glenbow Ranch to your school and back are charged $0.70/ per KM.

Book Now!

We can accommodate 2 classes per day!  Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.

Guided Walks

Expect incredible views! Learn about the flowers blooming and animals that live in our area. Enjoy ecology activities and uncover stories the Stoney people have shared with us like, how they use plants to know when to hunt. This land’s ecosystems are made to impress. Come enjoy them with us.

Guided Walk Details 

  • Please be advised this is an OUTDOOR program and you should be prepared for any changes in weather. Closed toed running shoes or hiking boots are required for this program.
  • Find more information in the FAQ

Cost 

  • $8 Per student

Custom Programs

Are you looking for field trips for your whole school, Junior high, or homeschool group? Contact us today to find out what options we have available.

Book Now!

Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.

Running with the Ranchers in Association with Alberta Beef Producers

What is Running with the Ranchers?

The Running with the Ranchers Program (RWR) allows elementary students from kindergarten to grade five to explore the process of raising beef animals in Alberta. RWR offers the opportunity for students to gain a better understanding of food production by exploring the different stages of raising sustainable beef. Our first pilot of the program will run from September of 2024 until June of 2025. Your students will have the opportunity to focus on developing critical, creative and geographical thinking while making connections to where your food comes from.

Check out the program resources here!

Year End Wind Up:

Classes within an hour radius of Glenbow Ranch will be offered the link to register for a day tour at the ranch.

Cost

The program is free, however, schools must cover the cost of bussing.

What to Expect on your Glenbow Ranch Tour:

Throughout the months of May and June students within an hour radius of Cochrane will have the opportunity to visit a real working ranch through the tours presented by Glenbow Ranch Park Foundation. The class field day will cover many sites and experiences that were covered in the previous classroom materials. Classes will tour grasslands that were once filled with roaming bison, view the the remains of the original homesteads of the ranchers and settlers as well as the old post office and general store that still stands. Heading back to the path, they’ll also find the working cattle corrals that the cowboys still use today.

Along their journey students will also see the balance between grazing cattle and different ecosystems such as wetlands and native grasslands of Alberta. Towards the end of the tour, students will have the opportunity to see a live view of “Urban Creep” into the park as they gaze over the hills into the future development of the City of Cochrane.

As they return to the Park Learning Centre, classes can rest and eat lunch in the public picnic area which will also host activities for the students to complete for the remainder of the visit. Some of these activities will include roping a mannequin steer head and creating their own take home project.

Book Now!

Fill out this Booking Form and we will connect with you to confirm your booking within 3-5 business days.