Thank you for your interest in having your class participate in the Native Plants Program in Toronto.
(formerly the Aquatic Plants Program)
NPP BOOKING PROCESS FAQs RESOURCES
***Please read the below carefully. The Native Plants Program in Toronto has changed***
The Native Plants Program (NPP) is a curriculum linked, stewardship experience for students. The goal of the program is to increase students’ awareness of the value of local ecosystems in maintaining the ecological health of our region. By experiencing the growth of native plants from seed, students will learn to care for their environment. NPP involves a commitment by program participants to care for plants as they grow. The program and the lending of Grow Kit materials are available at no cost to your class.
Students grow native plants from seed as a class and these plants are then transplanted into the ground in spring, enhancing the health of natural habitats. In 2024, TRCA is offering Toronto NPP to grades K to 8.
This year, the The Native Plants Program in Toronto is being delivered in a different way from recent years: a TRCA educator will come to your school to conduct in-school workshops. You choose to have a workshop either in March/April or in May/June. There are a limited number of each available in 2024. In both cases, we invite you to join us online for a livestream celebration in June – classes from across the GTA taking part in the program will join together to celebrate stewardship!
After reading about the two options, you may register your class for one or the other:
- NPP – Grow Kit Seeding Workshop in March/April
- NPP – Grow Kit Transplanting Workshop in May/June
NPP – Grow Kit Seeding Workshop
After March Break, your class will receive a workshop by TRCA education staff in which students will learn the about native and invasive plants and the significant relationship between native plants and pollinators. During the workshop, students will plant seeds and learn how to take care of their seedlings as they grow. The Grow Kit contains everything you need to grow native plants from seed and will remain in your classroom through to June. You will be responsible for facilitating the care of the seeds/seedlings.
In June, our staff will collect the Grow Kit materials and plants. Plants will be planted in a natural habitat in Toronto, increasing native species biodiversity. You will have the option of planting half of the plants in your schoolyard if that option is available to you after consultation with school administration. Our staff will conduct a livestream session to celebrate the growth of native plants by students across Toronto and to transplant student-grown plants on screen.
More information and resources can be found below.
NPP – Grow Kit Transplanting Workshop
Your class will receive a Grow Kit after March Break. The Grow Kit contains everything you need to grow native plants from seed. We encourage seeds to be sown as soon as possible upon receipt of the Grow Kit. You will be responsible for facilitating the planting of and care for seeds/seedlings.
In the spring, TRCA education staff will conduct a workshop at your school. Students will learn about native and invasive plants, the significant relationship between native plants and pollinators, as well as transplant half their grown plants into the ground at your school. Prior to the workshop, you as the teacher are to make arrangements for a plot in which to plant in the schoolyard. Light preparation work may be required by the school community prior to the workshop to ensure that students will be able to dig into the soil in the selected plot on the workshop day.
More information and resources can be found below, including how to start your Grow Kit.
Which workshop should I choose?
We encourage you to choose the option which works best for you. Here are some comparisons between the two options.
Touch points with TRCA staff
- Seeding Workshop
Workshop at your school in March/April + optional livestream in June - Transplanting Workshop
Workshop at your school in May/June + optional livestream in June
Program Cost
- Seeding Workshop
Free to you - Transplanting Workshop
Free to you
When are my plants and Grow Kit picked up?
- Seeding Workshop
June (before the livestream) - Transplanting Workshop
TRCA education staff will pick up the Grow Kit supplies during the workshop
May I plant some plants in our schoolyard (pending school administration approval)?
- Seeding Workshop
Yes! Please feel free to plant up to half of your successful plants in your schoolyard! Plant before we come to pick up materials so we can pick up your empty pots. - Transplanting Workshop
Yes! We will be planting up to half of your successful plants in your schoolyard during the workshop!
Which option ensures better growth success?
- In both cases, plant growth is highly variable. Seed viability can’t be known until after seeding; over/under watering at particular times of growth can impact success; see the FAQ for more information.
NPP Booking Process
Please note that NPP Toronto is available for Toronto public schools only (TDSB, TCDSB, CSV in Toronto). For teachers from other school boards please access the booking option for your respective region if available. If you are a private school, please contact raja.raudsepp@trca.ca to learn about other opportunities.
To register for the Seeding Workshop, book a March/April workshop session date*.
To register for the Transplanting Workshop, book a March/April workshop session date*.
- *Each school is limited to one date with up to two classes. When visiting schools, the preference is to have two classes participate on that date: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Please consult with colleagues to determine another class at your school to participate.
In order to book your program, click on the green button below. You will need to include:
- School name (in the “Organization” field)
- Information about each of the two classes
- Teacher names
- Grades
- Number of students
- Your preferred start time for the morning and afternoon programs
- The program length is 90-120 minutes.
- Time slots for booking are: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- To indicate your preferred program start time, as an example, you can indicate 10:15 as your start time as long as there is at least 90 minutes before your school’s lunch.
Dates are available on a first-come-first-serve basis. In the days following your request, you will receive a confirmation email indicating that you have secured a spot in the program!
Additional Information
FAQs
1. Can my class participate if I’m teaching virtually?
Yes! We are happy to offer a modified Native Plants Program virtually, including providing a Grow Kit for the program. In the case of virtual classes, the growing experience will be yours to share with students virtually. The option of attending the livestream in June is available to virtual classes.
2. There used to be a field trip as part of the Native Plants Program. Is this still an option?
You are welcome to book a field trip to Tommy Thompson Park (grades 2 and up), but it is no longer a part of the Native Plants Program. In order to book a field trip, please see cost information here: Field Trip Costs
Options for field trips themes can be found here: Field Trip Programs. We are happy to add the planting activity into the field trip if you wish to have students plant their-grown plants into a natural habitat requiring restoration help at Tommy Thompson Park.
3. What does the Grow Kit contain?
The Grow Kit contains what you need in order to grow plants, including: soil, planting tray(s), native plant seeds, spray bottle, and, if needed, a lamp and timer.
Please see the Grow Kit Instructions in the Resources section below for planting instructions.
4. What do I need to provide to grow the plants?
You will need to have a space (size: approx. 2’x3’) for the planting tray set-up. Ideally, this space should be near a window, but if that’s not an option, let us know and we can provide a grow light. If receiving a light, an outlet close to the tray space is also helpful in order to plug the light in.
Please see the Grow Kit Instructions in the Resources section below for planting instructions.
5. What are some tips to encourage successful plant growth?
This answer has a few ifs-and-buts as factors change depending on the space available.
- Seeds must be kept moist to germinate. Ensure that prior to, and during beginning phases of germination, the soil around the seeds is kept moist. Lots of spraying several times a day. The soil should not be allowed to dry out at this time at all.
- Beware of placing your tray near or on a heater as they may dry out without you realizing it. That being said, if you can be confident that the soil will always be monitored and watered before having a chance to dry, the plants do enjoy the warmth a heater can provide. This is perhaps better to experiment with once the plants are showing a few leaves and are thus more resilient.
- Near a window is good; against the glass in winter is not good. You don’t want that cold to transfer to your plants!
- Planting early – as soon as you receive your Grow Kit is ideal. This will give your plants a better chance at reaching a transplantable size.
- Weekends: For those with the black and dark green trays, make sure the mat is always damp and when leaving for the weekend, pour about 2 cm of water into the tray. For those with yellow/green bins, pour 2 cm of water into the bin before leaving for the weekend, but a cm of water should suffice at other times. When returning after the weekend, if there is still water in the tray/bin, drain it out so soil is damp but not soaking.
6. What if my plants aren’t growing well?
Classes seldom have success with 100% of their seedlings. If you find that more than 50% of your seedlings are struggling contact Raja and she’ll talk through some ideas with you (raja.raudsepp@trca.ca).
7. Tell me more about the livestream in the spring!
After plants and Grow Kits have been picked up, we will be holding a YouTube livestream to share the experience of transplanting student plants into a local wilderness habitat! The livestream will take place on the morning of Tuesday, June 18. We will share a link with all participating classes closer to the livestream date.
We would love to receive photos of your plants in advance of us picking up the Grow Kits, and perhaps stories of your experience growing them! These may be shared on the livestream to celebrate the growth of native plants by students across Toronto. Photos and stories can be sent to Raja at raja.raudsepp@trca.ca.
Resources
In-Class Resources
Contact raja.raudsepp@trca.ca with any questions