09/25/2026
Last week, we kicked off our Earth Science unit with a field trip to Evergreen Brick Works, using the former quarry and factory as an outdoor classroom to explore Toronto’s geological and industrial history. Working in teams, students searched for clues in the landscape and buildings about the site’s history and discovered how geologist A.P. Coleman used the exposed layers and fossils of the Don Valley to uncover evidence of Toronto’s glacial history.
We then went for a hike through the park to find areas of exposed rock and walked up to the lookout above the old quarry to consider what the landscape may have looked like before, during, and after its industrial use. The view gave us a remarkable perspective of the downtown city skyline, including a view of the skyscraper whose construction helped provide material to fill in the quarry pit and contribute to the reclamation of the former industrial site. We also considered more recent events at the Brick Works, looking at why the site has experienced significant flooding twice in the past two years and how geology, topography, water, and human land use continue to shape this unique place.
As an extra treat, we happened to meet a naturalist who was participating in a turtle census in the park. He took a few minutes to explain the capture, tagging, and census process and even showed us his latest tagging specimen, a large snapping turtle! It was a very fun and completely unplanned addition to our science trip!
Finally we concluded with a coaching exercise, where the students wrote letters to their future selves, focusing on their goals for the year, which are to be opened on our year-end camping trip.
