AquaVan School Programs

To book the AquaVan in your school or community, please call the AquaVan Booking Administrator at (604) 659-3488 or e-mail us at AquaVan@vanaqua.org.

Each AquaVan program is designed to inspire the stewardship of all aquatic habitats and to encourage the discovery of connections between animals, environments and ourselves. All AquaVan programs supplement the B.C. school curricula, satisfying a wide range of the Learning Outcomes outlined in the Ministry of Education's Integrated Resource Packages.

AquaVan programs inspire students to discover the wonder of aquatic animals and plants in exciting, hands-on learning that features special live animal-oriented activities, puppet shows, and costumed characters. Students can touch real marine artifacts, such as a killer whale's jaw, an urchin's teeth and a sea otter pelt. Older students use microscopes and props to explore aquatic ecology.

Primary - programs are 1 hour long for up to 30 students

• Grades K - 2: Water Wonders - Join puppets on a trip to a make-believe seashore, and then meet live sea critters to find how they eat, move and protect themselves.
  
• Grades 3 - 4: Staying Alive - Become an aquatic detective and search for clues that reveal how animals survive in marine habitats.

Intermediate - programs are 1 hour long for up to 30 students

• Grades 5 - 7: Lives of the Wet and Spineless - Investigate how animals without backbones deal with life on the shores of British Columbia.
  
• Grades 5 - 7: Marine Mammals - Explore adaptations of marine mammals to life in the ocean through slides, fascinating props and fun activities.

Secondary - programs are 1hour and 15 mins long for up to 30 students

• Grades 8 - 12: Intertidal Marine Biology - Examine features of invertebrates that help them thrive in the intertidal zone.

Set up requirement and fees

Work Experience

In addition to providing stellar programming to our elementary and secondary school participants, AquaVan educators provide work experience opportunities for Science Career Prep students across British Columbia and Alberta. The insight into animal and systems maintenance and training in aquatic education provides secondary school students with new technical skills and hands on educational experiences. AquaVan educators act as role models in the fields of marine ecology, research and education for these enthusiastic young men and women.

From the Classroom...

"I really liked the sea cucumber.  When we got to touch it, it felt squishy and gooey."

- Kaish, Student, West Bench Elementary School, Penticton

"The children were engaged and excited to experience close-up and hands-on activities."

- Grade 1 Teacher, Mount Pleasant Elementary, Vancouver

"My favorite part was when we did the crab experiment and when we made the prediction of which habitat the crabs enjoyed more. "

- Katie, Intermediate Student, Glenfir School, Summerland