Bring Avalanche Canada to your School!
This site is your first step for youth snow safety education. We have a wide range of material aimed at students K–12, created for inside and outside the classroom. Whether you are taking your first step into youth avalanche education or looking for some new material for an existing program, Avalanche Canada is here to help.
Youth Programs Overview
Elementary School Programming:
Winter Awareness
Each lesson is grade specific and the curriculum builds on topics moving up through the grades. In class theory, introduction to general winter safety around snow caves, winter clothing, roof-avalanche, the buddy system, tree wells, ski hill safety, and more.
K-1 (30 min)
Grade 2-3 (40-60 min)
Grade 4-7 (60 min)
Outdoor Programming
This is the best follow up to any of our in-class theory sessions and booked as a separate session. Outdoor programming ranges from games and relay races to outdoor companion rescue training and practice. Each session is held in the schoolyard and appropriate outdoor clothing is required. Weather permitting with an alternate plan is to move to an indoor space.
Grade 2-6 (40-60 min)
Secondary School Programming:
Know Before You Go Avalanche Safety Presentation
The KBYG presentation is a 60-80 minute long introductory, and interactive session for anyone interested in learning about avalanches and the backcountry. The presentation includes videos, interactive content, and open discussions.
Grade 8 (60 min)
Advanced Avalanche Awareness
Building on our other programs, our instructor can guide your class though our Avy Savvy tutorial. This allows students to ask questions and engage with an avalanche professional in their own classroom. The program is designed to allow students to gain an in-depth understanding of avalanche safety and form a comprehensive picture of what it takes to safely enter the backcountry. Students gain an advanced understanding of winter safety and avalanche awareness. These courses are best as a follow up to Know Before You Go.
Courses Available:
- How to interpret information
- Danger Ratings, Avalanche Problems, Travel Advice, Weather Summary
- A decision making tool to help plan your day
- Your backcountry group
- Expectations
- Group size
- Communication
- Check your gear
- What to do if there is an avalanche
- Best chance of survival
- Match terrain choices with the current avalanche conditions
- Weather
- Have a backup plan
Avalanche Formation and Terrain
- How does the winter snowpack evolve
- How do avalanches form
- Weak layers buried in the snowpack
- Real life content
- How and why focus
- Learning outcomes from experiences
Grade 9-12 (60-80 min)
Outdoor Training
This is the follow up to any of our in-class theory sessions. Outdoor programming ranges from games, and relay races to outdoor companion rescue training and practice. Each session is held in the schoolyard and appropriate outdoor clothing is required. Weather permitting with alternate plans.
(60 min)
Youth Education Guidelines
The Youth Education Guidelines provide the learning objectives for the K-12 avalanche safety program. The curriculum begins with a focus on winter safety, then incorporates ski area safety information, snowmobile, backcountry, and avalanche safety as students progress. The program was developed over years of working closely with professional educators, avalanche professionals, and outdoor professionals to reflect a robust understanding of avalanche danger that develops with the students.
The guidelines provide schools, educators, and teachers with a better idea of the grade-specific programming our AvCan youth instructors offer when they come to your classroom. They can also be used by educators if they want to teach these topics to their classrooms or outdoor clubs. These are rough guidelines and are intended to be adapted for the specific needs of each group.
The contents of the guidelines are the culmination of discussions over years. The material has been put before a panel containing the following professions; principal, teacher, outdoor education teacher, outdoor program leader, avalanche professional, and Parks Canada employees. Click here to download the youth education guidelines document for snow safety and avalanche awareness education for Grades K-12.
Click here to download the youth education guidelines document for snow safety and avalanche awareness education for Grades K-12.
Resources for teachers
Avalanche Education Toolboxes
We’ve assembled boxes of avalanche safety gear for educational purposes, to allow students to familiarize themselves with essential backcountry gear and give them the opportunity to practice avalanche search techniques in a safe environment.
Each box contains transceivers, probes, shovels, and Companion Rescue cards. This gear is specifically for training purposes only. None of the equipment should be taken into avalanche terrain because the transceivers are not suitable for use in a real rescue.
Renting the toolboxes is FREE on a first-come, first-served basis after 1 January. To borrow a toolbox please email swerner@avalanche.ca. Specify swerner@avalanche.calike to receive the box, your school or program, city and province, and your contact information.
Online Resources for Teachers
- Avy Savvy is Avalanche Canada's Online Avalanche Tutorial. Avy Savvy is designed to be a precursor to the Avalanche Canada Training program. This resource has various engaging quizzes and exercises built into each chapter.
- Avalanche Canada on Vimeo
This is a great resource with numerous videos covering a variety of avalanche awareness topics for both ski and snowmobile audiences. - BCA Companion Rescue video series: Four videos on Companion Rescue.
- Rescue at Cherry Bowl:
Amazing case study. Five chapters with short videos on how avalanche safety training saves lives. - Avalanche Canada recorded Webinar Series
Catch up on our webinars, focusing on various aspects of avalanche safety, geared towards keeping you safe in avalanche terrain. - Land of Thundering Snow
A great resource that goes through both avalanche basics and some very interesting history of avalanches in Canada. - AdventureSmart e-learning platform for non-avalanche related safety resources.
Free Video Resources
These videos are a perfect start for your class or a great support for continued learning after our session in your school.