Outdoor Education at Brockton School
Outdoor Education at Brockton School is a unique, hands-on learning experience that connects students to the natural world through inquiry, exploration, and adventure. From Grade 1 to Grade 7, Outdoor Education is woven directly into the timetable, with students attending dedicated weekly classes taught by the Outdoor Education department. Through consistent time in the outdoors, students build confidence, develop practical skills, and deepen their understanding of themselves, their community, and the environment around them.
Unlike many programs that rely solely on occasional field trips, Brockton’s Outdoor Education program provides students with regular, intentional opportunities to learn outside. Students spend time exploring our incredible local environments, including Brockton’s Big Woods and nearby Lynn Canyon, using these spaces as living classrooms where science, social responsibility, teamwork, and outdoor skills come together.
What Makes Outdoor Education Special
Brockton’s Outdoor Education program is built around the belief that meaningful learning happens through experience. Students learn by doing, cooking over outdoor stoves, navigating with maps and compasses, exploring ecosystems, carving natural materials, and developing the skills needed to safely and respectfully engage with the outdoors.
Our program is supported by access to unique outdoor spaces and community partnerships. The Big Woods provides a year-round outdoor classroom where students develop curiosity and connection to place, while Lynn Canyon offers opportunities for ecological exploration, conservation learning, and environmental stewardship.
A highlight of the program is the progression of overnight and expedition-style experiences. Students build skills and independence each year, preparing them for increasingly challenging and memorable outdoor adventures.
How Students Learn
Outdoor Education at Brockton is experiential, inquiry-based, and collaborative. Students are encouraged to ask questions, investigate the world around them, and apply their learning in authentic settings.
Learning extends far beyond the classroom as students:
- Develop leadership, teamwork, and communication skills
- Build confidence through outdoor challenges
- Practice environmental stewardship and sustainability
- Connect curriculum learning to real-world experiences
- Learn to appreciate and care for the natural spaces around them
Outdoor Education supports connections to BC curriculum areas, including science, math, and Indigenous learning, while also aligning with the IB learner profile through curiosity, reflection, caring, and open-mindedness.
Student Experience by Grade
Part of Brockton’s holistic approach to education focuses on physical health and wellbeing. Students are offered opportunities that range from bi-weekly PE classes to a myriad of sports teams and co-curricular activities. Brockton is an active member of ISA (Independent Schools Association) and through this we compete against other Independent Schools such as: St. Georges, West Point Grey, Mulgrave and Collingwood. Athletic teams and clubs include: Soccer, Cross Country, Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Field, Ultimate Frisbee, and Mountain Biking. Brockton has a demonstrated commitment to athletics, not just so that our students can develop their physical fitness but through sport, Brockton students learn confidence, perseverance, teamwork and discipline.
Grade 1
Students begin their Outdoor Education journey by building a strong relationship with nature and learning how to explore the outdoors safely, respectfully, and with curiosity. Through regular experiences in the Big Woods, students investigate the importance of pollinators through games, storytelling, and hands-on exploration that connects them to the living world around them.
A key focus of the Grade 1 program is a year-long seasonal changes unit. Throughout the year, students return to the same outdoor spaces in the Big Woods to observe how the environment transforms across seasons. They notice changes in weather, plants, animals, light, and temperature, developing early scientific thinking skills such as observation, comparison, and pattern recognition.
By revisiting familiar locations in fall, winter, spring, and summer, students begin to see themselves as part of the natural world, developing curiosity, care, and respect for the environment while building foundational outdoor learning habits that will support them throughout their time in the Outdoor Education program.
Grade 2
Students explore natural systems through outdoor inquiry, building early scientific understanding through direct experience in nature. A highlight of the year is learning about the water cycle in Lynn Canyon Park, where students observe how water moves through streams, forests, and waterfalls. Through exploration and guided observation, students begin to understand the relationship between land and water, how ecosystems are connected, and how water changes form as it moves through the environment. These experiences help students develop curiosity, observation skills, and an early understanding of environmental systems.
Grade 3
Students begin applying scientific concepts through hands-on outdoor learning experiences that connect classroom learning to the natural world. During the heat transfer unit, students explore conduction, convection, and radiation through outdoor stove cooking, using activities like popcorn and s’mores to make abstract concepts tangible, engaging, and memorable. By directly observing how heat moves through different materials, students deepen their understanding of scientific processes while also developing teamwork, safety awareness, and practical outdoor skills.
A key highlight of the Grade 3 program is a full-day experience at Cheakamus Centre, where students are introduced to Indigenous ways of learning through immersive, land-based education. Students participate in hands-on activities such as hunting and gathering practices, learning about medicinal plants, cedar and wool weaving, fishing, and pond study. This experience emphasizes observation, respect for the land, and learning through relationship with nature, offering students a meaningful opportunity to understand how knowledge is deeply connected to place, culture, and environment.
Grade 4
Grade 4 students expand their learning beyond campus through their overnight experience at Gibsons Farm. This immersive trip supports independence, responsibility, and connection to place as students learn about food systems, sustainability, and where food comes from. Throughout the year, students also develop essential outdoor skills, including navigation using maps and compasses, which support their confidence and ability to move safely and thoughtfully in outdoor environments. These experiences help students understand the connection between land, food, and community.
Grade 5
Grade 5 Outdoor Education builds on students’ growing independence by connecting environmental learning with real-world systems and community action. A signature experience is our Tree Talks program in Lynn Canyon Park, where students explore different layers of learning through place-based inquiry.
Students examine how different levels of government play a role in managing and protecting natural spaces, from municipal bylaws to provincial parks and federal environmental policies. These conversations help students understand how decisions are made about land use, conservation, and public spaces, and how they themselves are part of these systems as citizens.
Alongside these inquiries, Grade 5 students also participate in environmental stewardship projects, including invasive species learning and volunteering alongside the District of North Vancouver in Lynn Canyon. The year concludes with a hands-on carving unit, where students develop patience, craftsmanship, and respect for natural materials while working with wood in a meaningful, skill-building experience.
Grade 5 students participate in the Sea to Sky School experience, an opportunity to apply outdoor skills while building community and confidence. Students also explore environmental stewardship through invasive species studies and volunteer alongside the District of North Vancouver in Lynn Canyon. The year concludes with a carving unit where students learn traditional skills, patience, and craftsmanship through working with natural materials.
Grade 6 & 7
Students continue to develop independence, leadership, and outdoor skills through bi-weekly Outdoor Education classes and their experience at Camp Summit. These grades focus on expanding students’ ability to collaborate, problem-solve, and navigate more complex outdoor experiences.
Senior School Outdoor Education
Outdoor Education continues throughout the Senior School with students participating in a signature outdoor experience each year. These trips are designed to challenge students beyond the classroom by developing independence, leadership, teamwork, and practical life skills. As students progress through Grades 8–12, the experiences intentionally increase in responsibility and complexity, allowing students to apply their outdoor skills while building confidence and resilience.
Grade 8 & 9 – Strathcona Park Lodge
The Grade 8 and 9 Outdoor Education experience takes place at Strathcona Park Lodge, where students are immersed in a beautiful wilderness setting and participate in a variety of outdoor adventure activities.
Grade 8 students spend their time based at the lodge, building community and developing foundational outdoor skills through activities such as ziplining, high ropes courses, canoeing, stand-up paddleboarding, and other team-based challenges. These experiences encourage students to step outside their comfort zones, support one another, and develop confidence in unfamiliar environments.
Grade 9 students take the next step in their outdoor journey by heading out on a multi-day canoe expedition. Students are responsible for many aspects of the experience, including setting up camp, preparing meals, managing group equipment, and supporting their peers throughout the trip. This experience builds independence, problem-solving skills, and leadership as students learn what it takes to work together in a backcountry environment.
Grade 9 students participating in the Duke of Edinburgh program also have the opportunity to complete their Bronze Adventurous Journey as part of this experience, connecting their Outdoor Education learning with their personal development goals.
Grade 10 – Sea Kayaking in Sechelt
The Grade 10 Outdoor Education experience takes students to Sechelt Inlet for a sea kayaking expedition focused on teamwork, environmental awareness, and self-reliance.
Students learn essential paddling and marine safety skills while exploring the unique aquatic ecosystems found throughout the inlet. They work together to navigate the waterways, set up camp, prepare meals, and manage daily responsibilities as a group.
Throughout the trip, students participate in a variety of “survivor challenges” that encourage communication, creativity, and collaboration. These challenges push students to think critically, support their teammates, and adapt to new situations while surrounded by the incredible coastal environment of British Columbia.
Grade 11 – Whistler Outdoor Leadership Experience
The Grade 11 Outdoor Education experience focuses on independence, community living, and personal responsibility. Students stay in cabins with small family-style groups, where they are responsible for planning meals, preparing food, maintaining shared spaces, and working together to create a positive living environment.
This experience helps students develop practical skills that extend beyond outdoor education, including organization, communication, and teamwork. Students also have the opportunity to participate in unique Olympic-inspired activities in Whistler, including the Whistler Olympic Park biathlon and the Olympic luge experience.
Through these activities, students are encouraged to challenge themselves physically and mentally while reflecting on perseverance, goal-setting, and personal growth.
Grade 12 – Tofino Grad Trip
The Grade 12 Outdoor Education experience is a celebration of students’ journey through the Brockton Outdoor Education program. Set on the west coast of Vancouver Island in Tofino and the surrounding area, this final trip combines adventure, independence, and community.
Students stay in shared accommodations with their peers and take on increased responsibility for daily living, including meal planning, cooking, cleaning, and creating a supportive group environment. These skills intentionally mirror the transition to post-secondary life, where students will be responsible for managing their own routines and contributing to a community.
During the trip, students experience the incredible coastal environment through activities such as surfing, sea kayaking, and visiting the Ucluelet Aquarium. The experience provides students with opportunities to reflect on their growth, celebrate friendships, and create lasting memories before graduation.
Across the Senior School Outdoor Education program, students learn that adventure is not only about the activity itself, but it is also about becoming more capable, connected, and confident individuals who can contribute positively to the communities around them.
Student Outcomes
Through Outdoor Education, students develop much more than outdoor skills. They learn to be adaptable, confident, compassionate, and responsible members of their community.
Students leave the program with:
- Greater confidence and independence
- Stronger collaboration and leadership skills
- A deeper connection to nature
- Practical outdoor skills
- An understanding of environmental responsibility
- The ability to approach challenges with curiosity and resilience
At Brockton, Outdoor Education is not simply a trip or an activity; it is a way of learning that helps students understand themselves, each other, and the world around them.
