Virtual Bison Pies

Prepare to be immersed in the world of bison! Meet virtually with an experienced interpreter who will bring the grasslands of Elk Island National Park to life in your classroom. Students will develop an intimate relationship with grassland ecosystems and learn how grassland monitoring is necessary to improve habitat health and forage for animals like bison.

Learning Objectives

• Students will appreciate grasslands as one of the most endangered ecosystems in the world and their role in the overall health of the prairies;
• Understand that bison are a keystone species, dramatically shaping the prairies from where they go, what they bring, and what they leave behind; and,
• Investigate human impacts including how environmental monitoring and research contributes to habitat health.

Designed for students in Alberta in grade 6 and 7, this school program addresses the Evidence and Investigation, Interactions and Ecosystems, and Plants for Food and Fiber topics in the Science curriculum.

Teacher information

• To book: Email interp.elkisland@pc.gc.ca
• View cost on fee page
• Capacity: One class per time slot, maximum of 30 students per class
• Method: A Google Meet link will be provided to you at the time of booking
• Offered: Monday to Friday, each program is 45 minutes.
• Language: Available in English or French
• Please ensure that all schools have a fair chance to participate in our programs: give us at least two weeks' notice of any cancellations, so that we may offer the time slot to another class.

How the program works

• A Parks Canada interpreter will meet your class on Google Meet and deliver a virtual interpretive program about the importance of grassland ecosystems in Alberta.
• After the presentation, explore in real time a bison pie (scat) to look for evidence of grasses, seeds, and decomposers through use of a digital microscope.
• At the end of the program, there will be time for a short question and answer period.