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Five Oaks School Programs

Five Oaks School Programs

FIVE OAKS – A PLACE OF RADICAL WELCOME, EMBRACING DIFFERENCES, RIGHT RELATIONS, NATURE CONNECTION AND SOCIAL JUSTICE.

Our Diversity in the Land and Each Other curriculum offers an opportunity for students to explore biodiversity, diversity, and inclusion through the lens of the natural world. Book a custom-designed adventure for your students that is rooted in the land.

Acorn camp kids walking trail

Design Your Program

GRADES 1-8

Our program options for grades 1-8 include the following:

Diversity Sessions:

  • Community of Trees
  • Water is Life!
  • What’s Your Role?
  • No Two Alike

Land-based Experiential Learning

  • Team Challenges
  • Outdoor Living Skills
  • Wide Games
  • Take a Hike!

Design Your Program

GRADES 1-8

Our program options for grades 1-8 include the following:

Diversity Sessions:

  • Community of Trees
  • Water is Life!
  • What’s Your Role?
  • No Two Alike

Land-based Experiential Learning

  • Team Challenges
  • Outdoor Living Skills
  • Wide Games
  • Take a Hike!
Acorn camp kids walking trail
Salamander

GRADES 7-12

Book a custom-designed adventure for your students that is rooted in the land. Create an educational opportunity for your class to understand right relations. Bring your club, association, or group for a team-building retreat to build stronger connections. Options include half-day, full-day, and multi-day or overnight experiences.

  • Truth and Reconciliation Experiential Learning
  • Land-Based Education
  • High-Energy Adventures with Community Partners
  • Catering, Camping, Accommodations

Complete details and curriculum connections can be found by downloading our program brochure.

Fees

  • From $15 per student
Salamander

GRADES 7-12

Book a custom-designed adventure for your students that is rooted in the land. Create an educational opportunity for your class to understand right relations. Bring your club, association, or group for a team-building retreat to build stronger connections. Options include half-day, full-day, and multi-day or overnight experiences.

  • Truth and Reconciliation Experiential Learning
  • Land-Based Education
  • High-Energy Adventures with Community Partners
  • Catering, Camping, Accommodations

Complete details and curriculum connections can be found by downloading our program brochure.

Fees

  • From $15 per student

NATURE-BASED DIVERSITY CURRICULUM

How do you create space for difference and diversity in your school? How are you encouraging inclusion, open conversations, and connection?

The specific teaching emphasized through our programs is that appreciation for the biodiversity in the land around us can lead to appreciation for the diversity among us as humans. The land knows that it needs diversity. We need it too, and we are stronger for it. This knowledge can help to build your community and encourage belonging and inclusion to flourish and grow.

Outdoor learning is not just for little ones. It benefits every learner, engaging the intellect, emotions, heart/spirit, and whole physical body of each student.

Our Diversity in the Land and Each Other curriculum was created by Rebecca Seiling, founder of Nature Connect (Kitchener Forest School), a facilitator for Child and Nature Alliance of Canada, and Jan Sherman, Anishnaabe Mixed Ancestry, knowledge keeper, storyteller, drummer, singer and education consultant.

Come, explore the land along the Grand River as we dive into diversity through active games, reflective activities and exploration!

About Five Oaks

Five Oaks is a unique, intercultural centre offering a safe space for educational and personal growth. The rich, long-standing Carolinian forests on whose land Five Oaks is situated are teeming with life. Forests and land thrive through the symbiotic diversity of their many parts. Today, Five Oaks deliberately celebrates the rich diversity of human experience. All are welcome to learn and to thrive here.

Acorn kids standing by river

HOW TO BOOK

Click on the button below to start your booking.

Questions? Just give us a call or send us an email:

T: 519.442.3212

E: outdoored@fiveoaks.on.ca

Book Your Program

Acorn kids standing by river

HOW TO BOOK

Click on the button below to start your booking.

Questions? Just give us a call or send us an email:

T: 519.442.3212

E: outdoored@fiveoaks.on.ca

Book Your Program

FAQ

We require 1 adult per 10 students.

Five Oaks staff will lead programming, guide learning, and create opportunities for students to reflect on their experiences.

Teachers and volunteers are invited to share their wisdom, and to assist with the supervision of students. As our programs go beyond the standard nature-based program to explore themes of inclusion, belonging, respect, wonder, and individual and communal responsibility, adult support and input is invaluable. For full day programs, teachers and volunteers are expected to supervise nutrition breaks.

Teachers and volunteers receive complimentary admission but are required to pay for meals if catering is booked.

Once we have confirmed your booking, an invoice will be emailed to you. A non-refundable deposit of 30% must be paid to secure the booking. The remainder can be paid on arrival by cheque, credit card or e-transfer.

We meet all Ophea guidelines for the activities included in our programs: inspecting equipment and environment prior to use, ensuring safe clothing is being worn, sharing safety rules for the activity with all participants, and keeping fully stocked first aid kits available. All our staff have Standard First Aid and CPR training.

We require an insurance rider from the school board with “Five Oaks Centre” named as additional insured.

Regular visits and approval by the Ontario Ministry of Health and Brant Public Health confirm that our kitchen, washrooms, sleeping areas, and site meet provincial regulations. The Ministry of Environment monitors our drinking water, which is tested daily, along with our septic systems.

Five Oaks is accessible to all visitors. There is vehicle access to the lower property where the program is located, and a wheelchair accessible portable toilet is available upon request. Please indicate your accessibility needs on the booking form so that we can work to provide the necessary accommodations.

We will proceed with the program rain or shine. Please ensure students dress for the weather. In the event of extreme weather or air-quality advisories, we have access to indoor spaces at Five Oaks.

Five Oaks is located along two waterways, the Grand River and Whitemans Creek. We can tailor our activities to the parameters set by your school board. Our activities are classified as “Near Water Activities”, defined as followed: activities occurring within a close distance to water (e.g., stream or pond study, nature walk, water sampling, overnight stay in a cabin near water, etc.) where there is no intent in the activity to swim/bathe, boat, or wade beyond knee height.

We are a nut aware facility, but we cannot guarantee that our site is 100% nut free, as sometimes visitors will bring nut products onto the property. Our kitchen is nut free.

Five Oaks is a multi-group use site so there may be additional groups on site. However, we designate space on the property for school group programs to ensure everyone has the best experience possible.

Wifi is only available in the main building on the upper property. The School Group Program will largely take place on the lower property.