Elementary School Group
Programs Available
All environmental education program curriculum at CNC is written to be age-appropriate and to enhance science studies. Every program is designed to meet Minnesota and Wisconsin Academic Standards.
Some of our programs can only be offered during certain times of the year. Please look closely at the program you wish to schedule and that it is available during the season of your visit. In some cases, programs can be modified.
1.25 – 1.5 hour programs
- Apple Orchard – (Fall) Learn parts of an apple tree and what an orchard is. Pick apples to take home and make cider.
- Birds – (Fall, Winter, Spring) Go on a bird hike to find birds, examine and dissect an owl pellet, and meet a live animal.
- Change of Seasons – (Fall, Spring) Discover seasonal changes and meet live animals that hibernate, migrate, or stay active.
- Flowers & Pollination – (Spring) Learn about plant reproduction by role-playing in an active game. Examine real pollinators visiting flowers on a hike by the gardens.
- Insects – (Fall, Spring) By using nets and jars, students collect and identify classes of insects while looking at life cycles, metamorphosis, and diversity.
- Life Cycles – (Fall, Spring) Learn how creatures change from young to adult with a focus on insects and amphibians.
- Maple Syruping – (Spring) Help CNC make maple syrup by identifying, tapping & collecting sap from a maple tree. Observe the boiling process & taste pure maple syrup.
- Plant Communities – (Fall, Spring) Explore plant diversity in three different communities—a grassland; a pine forest; & a deciduous forest.
- Reptiles & Amphibians – (Fall, Winter, Spring) Become herpetologists as we study the differences and similarities of reptiles and amphibians in live animals. This is an indoor program.
- Winterfest – (Winter) Play Native American games while celebrating winter. Warm up with a story and hot cocoa.
- Winter Wildlife – (Winter) Learn about how different animals cope with the cold and how they adapt to winter conditions. Meet live animals.
Fees:
$5.00 per child/ $50.00 program minimum
Teachers and adult chaperones are FREE
Group Size: Programs work best with a 65 child per program maximum or less. We recommend, although not required, a student-to-adult ratio of 15:1. During the program, our team may ask group leaders to divide their students into smaller groups for a better field experience. You can call before your program if you would like to know how many field groups will be needed.
- Teachers, inform parents/chaperones to lead by example by limiting conversations amongst other adults during the program. This is a distraction to the naturalist and the students.
- If you have any differently-abled students, please let your booking contact know so we can ensure the best learning experience possible for all students.
Scheduling Dates: Reservations for each season will be taken after the following dates:
School Year – May 1
Summer – January 1
Contact: For more information, and to book a program, please call Program Director Sarah Germscheid.
Sarah@CarpenterNatureCenter.org
Phone: 651-437-4359 ext. 103
