Here is some information from Walk T.O, the organization that led our walk last June at the geography social.
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Walk T.O. is gearing up for another busy season — and we would love to take you and your students on one of our five educational walking tours.
Created and run by a teacher and journalist, our tours address a variety of curriculum requirements in media literacy and production, art and architecture, and geography and environmental studies. Plus each walk comes with classroom exercises that deepen learning after the tour.
Our university-educated tour guides gear each tour to your students. Our tours are great for Grades 5-12.
Here's what we've got in store for Autumn 2012:
NEW for 2012-13, Eco-lution! The Campus Tour
Our Toronto the Green Tour is in such high demand that we've created a second green-focused walk. Our Eco-lution Tour shows students how Canada's biggest university campus is going green. Both tours focus on key geography, science and technology and environmental studies expecations, and inspire students to take action.
- Students discuss the benefits of local food on a green rooftop and beside pop-up vegetable gardens
- Sucking in fresh-air beside a Living Wall, we learn that our choices effect every piece of the environment – even the air we breathe
- What are eco-systems and why do they matter? Students answer this question beside an urban beehive
- From re-usable cafeteria trays to bicycle-sharing, we find models that make students re-evaluate their own impact on the environment and plan ways to change it
- We critically examine one green garden filled with Japanese bamboo and debate whether it's good or bad for the environment
**Starts and ends on the University of Toronto campus, in the heart of Toronto with lots of healthy lunch options.
Toronto the Green Tour
"What is more sustainable? Living in the city or living in the suburbs?" This question kicks off a debate around key issues that students will think critically about on the walk. This tour of bustling downtown Toronto inspires students to take personal responsibility for the environment
- Walk on a green roof and learn how it helps to cool down the city and reduce water pollution
- Find out how lake water is used to cool our buildings, and discuss the importance of energy sources
- We evaluate ways that the city is reducing waste and traffic — and students brainstorm ways they can reduce their personal impact
- Explore two eco-buildings: a store made up of 50% recycled material; and an office with a living wall
- We end the tour by challenging students to carry out three actions to help the environment
**Starts at Metro Hall, ends at 215 Spadina, steps away from Queen Street and MuchMusic, or local food-tastic, Kensington Market.
Media on the Street
What makes some messages powerful? This two hour walk from CBC to Queen Street looks at how stories are produced, asks students to become reporters, and explores methods of advertising on the street.
- Explore how media is produced over time at the CBC's production museum
- Reporting: working for different media outlets, groups of students will interview pedestrians gather material about critical issues for that day's news
- On Queen Street, students will investigate graffiti advertising and analyze its influence
**Starts at the CBC headquarters on Front and John streets. Ends on Queen Street, steps away from MuchMusic.
Art & the City Tour
Tell students to pack their cameras and sketchpads for this inspiring, interactive tour of the city's best public art. Students become art critics and artists investigating works from different historical periods, cultures and styles.
- Does art matter? Students debate the role of art in the city
- Sketch water and plants in an art-filled garden
- From a life-sized elephant to a wall of nails students critically analyse and discuss various art works
- See how one artist uses space, shapes and light to his advantage under a "Canopy of Trees"
- At a modern "light sculpture" we ask students to say whether they love it or hate it — and express why
- We decode symbols used in various works to get at the artist's message
**Starts at Nathan Phillips Square. Ends at St. Lawrence Market, a perfect spot for lunch!
Revitalize This! The Urban Geography Tour
Students become urban planners carrying out case studies to discover how two side-by-side neighbourhoods with the same early history came to look totally different today. This interactive walk explores the geographic, economic, social, political and cultural issues, that shape Regent Park & Cabbagetown
- In Cabbagetown we conduct field research to evaluate different land uses, from an urban farm, to residential streets, to public and private housing, and street design
- Students evaluate the effect of government land use policy on planning in these local communities
- Students compare old and new Regent Park to uncover the political, geographic, economic and cultural components of a healthy neighbourhood
- Social-economic inequality debate: will mixing social classes help Regent Park?
**Starts in the heart of Cabbagetown and ends in Regent Park at Dundas and Parliament. Fast food outlets galore, or students can bring a lunch and eat in Riverdale Park.
Cost: $9/student (incl HST) for high school and elementary school students. Teachers & supervisors are free of charge. Discounts are available for schools in underprivileged neighbourhoods.
Our fall tour dates book up quickly, please reserve now by emailing tours@walkto.ca.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Crystal and Michelle
Walk T.O. is gearing up for another busy season — and we would love to take you and your students on one of our five educational walking tours.
Created and run by a teacher and journalist, our tours address a variety of curriculum requirements in media literacy and production, art and architecture, and geography and environmental studies. Plus each walk comes with classroom exercises that deepen learning after the tour.
Our university-educated tour guides gear each tour to your students. Our tours are great for Grades 5-12.
Here's what we've got in store for Autumn 2012:
NEW for 2012-13, Eco-lution! The Campus Tour
Our Toronto the Green Tour is in such high demand that we've created a second green-focused walk. Our Eco-lution Tour shows students how Canada's biggest university campus is going green. Both tours focus on key geography, science and technology and environmental studies expecations, and inspire students to take action.
- Students discuss the benefits of local food on a green rooftop and beside pop-up vegetable gardens
- Sucking in fresh-air beside a Living Wall, we learn that our choices effect every piece of the environment – even the air we breathe
- What are eco-systems and why do they matter? Students answer this question beside an urban beehive
- From re-usable cafeteria trays to bicycle-sharing, we find models that make students re-evaluate their own impact on the environment and plan ways to change it
- We critically examine one green garden filled with Japanese bamboo and debate whether it's good or bad for the environment
**Starts and ends on the University of Toronto campus, in the heart of Toronto with lots of healthy lunch options.
Toronto the Green Tour
"What is more sustainable? Living in the city or living in the suburbs?" This question kicks off a debate around key issues that students will think critically about on the walk. This tour of bustling downtown Toronto inspires students to take personal responsibility for the environment
- Walk on a green roof and learn how it helps to cool down the city and reduce water pollution
- Find out how lake water is used to cool our buildings, and discuss the importance of energy sources
- We evaluate ways that the city is reducing waste and traffic — and students brainstorm ways they can reduce their personal impact
- Explore two eco-buildings: a store made up of 50% recycled material; and an office with a living wall
- We end the tour by challenging students to carry out three actions to help the environment
**Starts at Metro Hall, ends at 215 Spadina, steps away from Queen Street and MuchMusic, or local food-tastic, Kensington Market.
Media on the Street
What makes some messages powerful? This two hour walk from CBC to Queen Street looks at how stories are produced, asks students to become reporters, and explores methods of advertising on the street.
- Explore how media is produced over time at the CBC's production museum
- Reporting: working for different media outlets, groups of students will interview pedestrians gather material about critical issues for that day's news
- On Queen Street, students will investigate graffiti advertising and analyze its influence
**Starts at the CBC headquarters on Front and John streets. Ends on Queen Street, steps away from MuchMusic.
Art & the City Tour
Tell students to pack their cameras and sketchpads for this inspiring, interactive tour of the city's best public art. Students become art critics and artists investigating works from different historical periods, cultures and styles.
- Does art matter? Students debate the role of art in the city
- Sketch water and plants in an art-filled garden
- From a life-sized elephant to a wall of nails students critically analyse and discuss various art works
- See how one artist uses space, shapes and light to his advantage under a "Canopy of Trees"
- At a modern "light sculpture" we ask students to say whether they love it or hate it — and express why
- We decode symbols used in various works to get at the artist's message
**Starts at Nathan Phillips Square. Ends at St. Lawrence Market, a perfect spot for lunch!
Revitalize This! The Urban Geography Tour
Students become urban planners carrying out case studies to discover how two side-by-side neighbourhoods with the same early history came to look totally different today. This interactive walk explores the geographic, economic, social, political and cultural issues, that shape Regent Park & Cabbagetown
- In Cabbagetown we conduct field research to evaluate different land uses, from an urban farm, to residential streets, to public and private housing, and street design
- Students evaluate the effect of government land use policy on planning in these local communities
- Students compare old and new Regent Park to uncover the political, geographic, economic and cultural components of a healthy neighbourhood
- Social-economic inequality debate: will mixing social classes help Regent Park?
**Starts in the heart of Cabbagetown and ends in Regent Park at Dundas and Parliament. Fast food outlets galore, or students can bring a lunch and eat in Riverdale Park.
Cost: $9/student (incl HST) for high school and elementary school students. Teachers & supervisors are free of charge. Discounts are available for schools in underprivileged neighbourhoods.
Our fall tour dates book up quickly, please reserve now by emailing tours@walkto.ca.
Hope to hear from you soon!
Crystal and Michelle
-- Directors, Walk T.O. walkto.ca 
tel: 647 239 5899 See the sole of the city on one of our five walks: Toronto the Green, Eco-lution! The Campus Tour, Art & the City, Media on the Streets, and Revitalize This! The Urban Geography Walk Dimitra Tsanos
ACL, Canadian & World Studies
Geography Teacher
East York CI
650 Cosburn Ave
Toronto, ON
M4C2V2
416-396-2355
