Wild Wise: Built to Build (Beavers)

Calgary Wildlife

Beavers are build to build! Discover how beavers help shape our world

Quick Facts

Format

In-person Outreach

Cost

$185 per classroom (up to 30 students recommended). Additional travel fees apply outside Calgary, Airdrie and Cochrane.

Grades

Kindergarten, Grade 1, Grade 2, Grade 3, Grade 4, Grade 5, Grade 6

Length

Single session (under 2 hours)

Group Size

5–30 students

Language

English

Time of Year

Year-round

Setting

Indoor

Districts

Southern Alberta–wide

About This Program

Meet nature's incredible engineers! Discover how beavers build, shape and protect the ecosystems around us, and why these busy rodents are so important to healthy wetlands.

Busy builders, powerful swimmers and expert ecosystem engineers! Beavers are famous for building dams and lodges, but their incredible engineering skills do much more than create a place to live. How can a beaver help prevent droughts and wildfires? Why do they build dams? And what does vanilla have to do with a beaver? In this interactive Wild Wise presentation, students discover the fascinating adaptations, behaviours and ecological importance of one of Canada's most iconic animals. Through songs, movement, sounds, animal biofacts and real patient stories from Calgary Wildlife's rehabilitation hospital, students explore how beavers transform landscapes, create habitat for other wildlife and help keep our waterways healthy. Perfect for Kindergarten to Grade 6, this program encourages curiosity, challenges misconceptions and helps students understand why learning to coexist with these busy builders benefits entire ecosystems!

What to Expect

This interactive, 60-minute classroom presentation is delivered by a Calgary Wildlife educator at your school or organization. Students explore local wildlife through engaging visuals, songs, movement, animal sounds, biofacts such as pelts and skulls, and real stories from our wildlife rehabilitation hospital. Each program encourages curiosity, introduces ways to coexist with urban wildlife, and includes wildlife worksheets and a sticker for continued classroom learning. A TV or projector with audio is required; if one is not available at your location, we can bring our own. Please note that Wild Wise programs do not include live animals.

Curriculum Connections

Curriculum Connected

Please see our website at www.calgarywildlife.org/wildwise for grade specific curriculum ties.

Subjects

Science

Music

Topics

Nature & Wildlife

Environmental Education

Accessibility

Physical Accessibility

Our educators travel directly to your school or facility, so physical accessibility depends on your venue. Some activities include optional dancing and movement, but students can participate in ways that are comfortable and accessible to them.

Neurodiverse Accommodations

Our programs incorporate a variety of activities and teaching methods to engage different learning styles, including visual, auditory and hands-on learning. Educators can adapt activities and delivery to accommodate students' individual needs.

How to Book

To book a Wild Wise program, visit our online booking page, select your preferred program, and submit a booking request for your desired date and time. Once your request has been reviewed and approved, you will receive an invoice with instructions for online payment. For questions or special accommodations, please contact education@calgarywildlife.org.