A glimpse into a Discovery virtual school program

Ontario Parks staff member sitting at a desk in front of two computer screens on which a PowerPoint presentation slide from a grade four species at risk program is displayed.

Today’s post comes from Marianne Busque, a school outreach coordinator with the Ontario Parks Discovery program.

3… 2… 1… Let’s get started! As I log into my virtual meeting, I’m greeted by a classroom full of smiling, curious students.

At the beginning of every program, the first thing that I do is introduce myself to the class. My name is Marianne, and I work as a park naturalist for Ontario Parks.

Ontario Parks staff member writing on a clipboard and another reaching into a net. — Marianne participating in Killarney Provincial Park’s Annual Butterfly Count, a community science project collecting data for the North American Butterfly Association

I imagine students must ask themselves a million questions when I pop up on the screen at the front of their classroom: Who is this lady? Why is she wearing a uniform? Where does she live? And, of course: what on earth does a park naturalist mean?

I’m sure as a student I would have wondered the same thing, and I definitely would not have known what the word “naturalist” means.

Ontario Parks staffer giving a guided hike on the shores of Killarney Provincial Park, trees and water in background — Marianne presenting a guided hike at Killarney Provincial Park

I grew up in the suburbs of Toronto, and my knowledge of the natural world was mostly limited to what I learned from textbooks and nature documentaries that I liked to watch.

For me, it wasn’t until much later, in university and through a summer job at Killarney Provincial Park, that my passion for the environment was truly ignited.

To be a naturalist is to be a storyteller

The next step before I start the program is to explain to the students that, for me, being a park naturalist means that it’s my job to learn the stories of the species that live in our provincial parks.

It’s a simple definition, but it’s the heart of my job as a school outreach coordinator. Every day, I meet with classes and get to share some of these stories with them.

They are stories about the species at risk that live in our parks, the stories of the different invasive species that are threatening Ontario’s biodiversity, and the story of how a small effort by everyone can help save pollinators.

Two images on a screen, left image is a Power Point presentation and the right image is park staff member giving the virtual presentation. — Marianne presenting a Grade 6 program: Homegrown Provincial Park, which highlights how helping pollinators and plants in your neighborhood can help support biodiversity in Ontario

The best job in the world!

I like to conclude my introduction by mentioning that I have one of the coolest jobs in the world – and I really believe this!

I get the chance to present virtual school programs to classes all over the province, no matter how far away their school is or their school’s budget for field trips (did I mention these virtual programs are FREE?).

On top of that, I am proud to be able to present our programs in French and to share my passion for the environment with francophone students all over the province.

For now I have to focus, because it’s time to start the program!

Park staffer sitting in front of a computer screen giving a presentation. — Marianne sitting at her desk, about to begin a virtual program

Interested in having Marianne or another Discovery naturalist visit with your students?

Book an engaging, curriculum-linked program now and join the thousands of students exploring Ontario’s natural and cultural history virtually!

Learn more about the variety of programs on offer, and be sure to check back as we are always adding new offerings.

Are you interested in sharing Ontario’s stories with others through virtual programming? Connect with us to learn about opportunities to be a school outreach coordinator.