Teachers, please read the information below to help your class prepare for their visit to Carpenter Nature Center. Please feel free to contact the nature center if you have any additional questions.

Entrances and Drop-Off

There are two entrances to the CNC MN Campus. The north entrance gate gives access to our Trailside Lodge. The main gate entrance gives access to the Visitor Center, the Interpretive Center, and the Administration Building. Unless otherwise noted by CNC staff, please instruct your bus to enter the main entrance gate to drop students off at the Interpretive Center or the Visitor Center. If your bus is staying during the program, please ask that they park in the main parking lot. Occasionally, buses will need to collect students at different locations. In these cases, staff will inform the leader(s) and driver(s) at the beginning of the program.

Weather

Most classes take place with a portion of time spent outside. It is the responsibility of the teachers to inform their students to dress for the weather. If your students aren’t properly dressed for the weather, we ask that you please call ahead if you wish to reschedule your visit. However, the program schedule fills quickly, so there may not be days available to reschedule your program with short notice. If your group is already at the Nature Center when severe weather occurs, staff will take the necessary precautions to ensure students’ safety.

Clothing

To ensure that participants are comfortable, safe, and enjoying themselves, please have them properly dressed for the weather. CNC naturalists encourage closed-toed footwear that is secure to the foot, clothes that can get wet or dirty, and layers when weather is cool. In the late spring and early fall, we recommend long, lightweight pants due to the possibility of ticks and poison ivy. In the winter, insulated boots with a good tread, a warm pair of socks, a winter coat, insulated pants or long underwear, a hat covering the ears, a scarf, and mittens or insulated gloves. All participants should not wear clothing they would not wish to get dirty.

Site Use

Your group is visiting a nature center, we ask that you remind your students to please respect nature. Please inform your students not to collect materials and leave nature in nature. Please ask your students to move slowly and quietly around the Nature Center’s captive animals and keep their fingers out of the cages.

Ticks

Depending on the season of your visit, ticks may be out prevalent. Please remind your students and their parents to perform a “tick check” when they get home. Long pants are encouraged to prevent ticks. CNC naturalists are good about doing a quick check with their group at the end of an outdoor activity.

Limited Mobility

Please inform CNC when scheduling so that we may accommodate all participants. We can provide a wheelchair, a wagon, or a pulk (for winter use) if needed.

Group Leaders and Chaperones

For a preschool group we recommend at least one adult per ten students. Depending on the total class size, we may ask teachers to divide students into smaller groups for field activities. Please mix genders and separate those individuals who may focus better if not in the same group. Please call ahead to know how many field groups will be needed. 

Parents and chaperones should lead by example, encourage and support the students. Please refrain from whispering the answer into their ear and doing the work for them. All participants are here to learn! 

Picnic Lunch

CNC strives for a “waste-free” lunch system. To be a Zero-Waste Center, we need to prevent waste, reuse products, and utilize recycling and composting as much as possible. If your class chooses to eat lunch at the Nature Center, we provide containers for trash, recyclables, and compostable items. Please encourage your students to pack a Zero-Waste lunch at home.