Curriculum and Sample Schedule
What does a day at the Academy look like?
While we don’t follow the Ontario Curriculum to the letter, our hands-on, immersive approach complements and enriches student learning in ways that naturally reflect the strands of the provincial science curriculum. Take a look at some examples below to see how meaningful, real-world experiences can deepen children’s understanding of the world around them.
In the Forest
Life Systems: Choose a personal spot in the forest to visit regularly, observing the plants and animals that live there and noting how things change week by week.
Matter and Energy: Play trail-walk bingo during a nature hike, then use the plants and animals you spotted to create food chains and food webs.
Structures and Mechanisms: Gather natural materials to design and build boats, then test their buoyancy in a nearby pond.
Earth and Space Systems: Draw your own map of the forest and farm. Learn to use a compass to navigate, and discover how maps and compasses work together to guide you when you’re lost.
On the Farm
Life Systems: Discover the basic needs of our animals through daily care routines like feeding and watering. Spend time with one animal to explore its habitat and how it depends on its environment.
Matter and Energy: Take turns milking a cow, observe how cream separates from milk, and then churn that cream into butter!
Structures and Mechanisms: Assist in building and maintaining shelters and fences, learning how to safely use real tools under close supervision.
Earth and Space Systems: Experience the rhythm of the seasons: planting and new life in spring, flower pressing in summer, harvesting in fall. Each week brings something new and exciting to explore.
An Example Day:
9:00am-9:30am: Drop-Off & Free Play
Children arrive and ease into the day with self-directed exploration and play in our natural outdoor spaces.
9:30am-10:00am: Morning Animal Chores & Continued Free Play
Help care for the animals or continue to explore the farm! Feed, water, and check in on our furry and feathered friends.
10:00am- 10:30am: Animal Spotlight!
Meet the Kunekune Pigs! Get up close with one of our friendly grazing pigs and discover what makes her so special! Learn about her diet, habitat, and the unique adaptations that help her thrive. Watch care demonstrations such as hoof trimming and newborn piglet care.
10:30am-10:45am: Snack Break
Time to rest, hydrate, and refuel.
10:45am-11:30am: Activity Time!
Group One : Get creative by decorating your very own pig scrap bucket to take home. Perfect for collecting compostable kitchen scraps.
Group Two: Take a walk through the meadow to our archery range and practice your aim with bows and arrows.
11:30am-12:00pm: Lunch Break
Relax and enjoy lunch with friends under our shaded and screened gazebo.
12:00pm-12:45pm: Group Activities Continued
Craft & Archery groups switch so everyone gets a turn to enjoy both activities!
12:45pm-3:00pm: Field & Forest Adventure
Paper Airplane Challenge: Design and test-fly paper airplanes off the deck, then head on a supervised forest walk to the top of the gravel pit for an epic launch and friendly competition.
3:00pm-3:15pm: Small Animal Visits & Pick-Up
Wind down the day with relaxed free play, gentle time with small animals, and pickup.
This is just one example of a possible day at Pine and Pasture Academy!
Each week offers a fresh mix of hands-on activities, outdoor adventures, animal encounters, and creative projects, no two days are the same! Our programming is seasonal, nature-based, and designed to follow the interests of the group, ensuring that every visit brings new learning opportunities and discoveries.
Other Activity Examples:
• Bonfires & Outdoor Cooking: Cozy up around the fire, learn about fire safety and make fun snacks like bannock, roasted apples, or campfire popcorn.
• Giant Bird Nest Building: Work together to build a life-sized bird’s nest using sticks and natural materials found in the forest.
• Chick Hatching: In early spring, learn about egg development as we incubate and hatch our own chicks right here on the farm.
• Structure Building with Tools: Use real tools (with close supervision) to help build simple structures around the farm or forest.
• Nature & Farm Scavenger Hunts: Follow clues, explore the landscape, and discover hidden treasures around the property.
• Whittling: Learn safe whittling techniques using carving tools and forest wood, perfect for building hand skills and confidence.
• Bear Awareness & Forest Safety: Gain valuable outdoor safety knowledge in a calm, age-appropriate way.
• Enchanted Forest Adventures: Wander through our magical “enchanted forest” to discover tiny fairies, hidden gnomes, and whimsical surprises.