Teacher's Page

Pre-trip Information

Salmonier Nature Park is a wonderful setting for a unique educational experience.
Long, winding, carefully laid trails meander between sensitively designed animal enclosures. Animals at Salmonier Nature Park are part of a unique provincial rehabilitation program for wild animals. They are unreleasable, injured, sick, or orphaned animals that would not survive in the wild. The education program links animals and habitat with school curriculum.

Visiting students, their teachers and parents are treated to a 20-30 minute interpretive presentation in the on-site Interpretation Centre or our newly constructed outdoor classroom. This presentation may include a puppet show, video or slide presentation, nature games, prop talks or other interpretive media, and is directly linked to the 3 km nature walk which follows. Occasionally, instead of an interpretive presentation, staff will accompany students for a guided trail walk during which they will interpret the many habitats and animals found in the Park.

Salmonier Nature Park’s interpretive staff try to ensure a number of programs are available which link to different grade level curriculum areas. With each season, the scope of our program becomes broader and our offerings become more varied. This is accomplished through having a number of programs available each year and the addition of at least one new program each season.

Existing programs

Migration

Puppet Show and Discussion
When and why do animals migrate?  Join a member of the George River Caribou Herd as he tries to find his way to the breeding grounds after being separated from his herd.  His unique encounters with Snowy Owl and a Monarch Butterfly provide an ideal interpretive program on migration.
     

 

Creatures of the Night

Puppet Show and Interpretive Exhibit

Find out what happens when "Daylight Dwarf" of Daylight Village accidentally end up in the wild during the night and meets some pretty interesting nocturnal creatures.

 

Habitat

Puppet Show "Home is Where it’s At" and Discussion

Come meet grumpy "Billy the Beaver" and his friends as they discuss their needs and where they find them.

Bears

Puppet Show "All About Bears," Prop Talk and Discussion
Black Bear, Grizzly Bear and Snowy Owl have fun with a stray Polar Bear who arrived in Newfoundland on an ice floe, while we discover lots of interesting facts about "Bears."

Endangered Species

Discussion and prop talks on species endangered, threatened and extinct in Nfld. and Labrador.

Pine Marten Game

Join us as we discover what causes certain species to become endangered, threatened and extinct. View our on-camera Pine Marten Captive Breeding Program and discover how we can help bring their numbers up as we play the "Pine Marten Game."

 

Getting Ready for Winter

Puppet Show and Discussion
Migration ... hibernation... camouflage ... How do animals prepare for winter and what specific adaptations help them adjust to the cold winter months? Join Caribou, Frog, Bear and Beaver to find out!

 

Note to Teachers/Educators

In order to ensure that your group receives the maximum enjoyment and understanding of the wildlife of Newfoundland and Labrador, Salmonier Nature Park encourages you to take a few minutes to prepare your class for their visit. It will be well worth the effort.

Preparation

Ensure your students are divided into groups of 7-10 with an adult leader assigned to each group.

Explain the park rules to your class before you leave:

    • Do not feed the animals.
    • View the animals from the platforms or trails only.
    • Do not pick plants.
    • No radios or other noisemakers allowed.
    • No food on the trails. (Drinks are permitted).
    • Stay with your leader at all times.
    • No smoking on the trails.

These rules are designed to protect the park and visitors alike. Full cooperation is expected and group leaders should be advised they are expected to enforce these rules and to set a good example for students to follow while at the Park.

What Would you Like to Do While Visiting the Park?

There are several things you may wish to consider before your visit to the Park. Perhaps you can connect your visit to a school project or assignment. 

Is your class working on a special project that would benefit from your visit to the park? If so:

Would it be beneficial for each group in your class to study one particular animal or to gather information on each animal as a class?

Will your class need notebooks, cameras, binoculars, etc. to help them with their project?

If a particular animal is involved, let us know in advance. We will attempt to provide some "hands-on" materials which will add an exciting dimension to your visit.

Before your visit, have a class discussion on where the animals at Salmonier Nature Park come from. Many students are not aware that our animals are part of a rehabilitation program for wild animals and that they aren’t here just so visitors can "look at" them. They are actually unreleasable injured, sick or orphaned animals that would not survive in the wild.

Remind students that Salmonier Nature Park is not your typical zoo. The park is comprised of a varied cross-section of wildlife which includes the animals, plants, insects, and fish of the Province. The "little things" such as the tiny wildflowers, ferns, and bugs are just as much a part of the park as the animals you will see and are just waiting for discovery by you and your group.

Discuss the purpose of our "Pine Marten Captive Breeding Program" and its importance in the Province. How might the program help improve the population of the marten and are there other ways we can help the marten population?

Your visit to Salmonier Nature Park has the potential to provide a diverse, multi-faceted educational experience. Remember, just a few minutes of preparation will ensure your visit provides the maximum benefits to your class.

If you are interested in bringing your class to visit Salmonier Nature Park, please see the pre-trip information and call the park for a reservation.