Up High, Down Low**

(Formerly Fall Inquiry/Wild About Winter)

Fall, Winter, Spring                             Pre-K, K, 1st

Look up high, down low, and all around to discover the interconnected layers of the forest.

Naturally Sense-ational**

Fall, Winter, Spring                          Pre-K, K, 1st

Using your senses, come explore the Forest with us!

Soil Science**

Fall, Spring                                            K, 1st, 2nd

Do a little digging into our Loess soil and examine how the soil of Fontenelle Forest interacts with tree roots and more.

Habitat Adventure 

Fall, Winter, Spring                          1st, 2nd, 3rd

Compare wants and needs in this fun program searching for food, water, shelter and space in the forest.

A Plant’s Life

Fall, Spring                                      2nd, 3rd, 4th

Take a closer look at the importance and structure of plants, then make observations of plant species in the forest.

Renew or Not?

Fall, Spring                                        2nd, 3rd, 4th

Discuss natural resources and explore the forest to find these resources firsthand, brainstorming all they can be utilized for!

Webology 

Fall, Winter, Spring                           3rd, 4th, 5th

Food chains are everywhere- let’s hike and build a few together using the plants and animals at the Forest.

Awesome Adaptations

(Formerly Sharp Claws)

Fall, Winter, Spring                    3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th

Discover the physical and behavioral adaptations of plants and animals in this exploratory program.

Who Goes There?

Fall, Winter, Spring                 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th 

How do we know what animals live in the forest if we never see them? Dive into this fun program where we explore the signs left behind by our forest friends.

Agents of Change

Fall, Winter, Spring                              4th, 5th

Explore how wind, water, and ice cause erosion and deposition in Nebraska and Iowa.

Birds of a Feather

Fall, Spring                                       4th, 5th, 6th

Learn about the amazing world of birds by taking a close up look and listen at the wide array of adaptations, calls, and more!

Green’s the Thing   

Fall                                                               5th, 6th

Compare and contrast prairie and forest ecosystems through observation and data collection out on the trail.

Backpack Forest Exploration

All Year                                               Pre-K – 12th

Using self-guided backpack activities you’ll help kids become scientists making close observations and discovering the variety of life in the forest.

Get More Information

Critters On-Site *

All Year                                                 Pre-K – 12th

Come face to face with some of our amazing critters and learn all about why they are so neat!

Raptors On-Site *

All Year                                                        K-12th

What is a raptor? Find out in this up close and personal encounter with our educational raptors.

Critters              Pre-K – 12th

Come face to face with some of our amazing critters and learn all about why they are so neat!

1 Hour Program – $130

Additional Program – $205

Naturalist                K – 5th

Want nature in your classroom? We can bring it to you! Choose from the above themes and we’ll work with you to bring an outdoor experience, inside.

1 Hour Program – $130

Additional Program – $205

Raptors                K – 12th

What is a raptor? Find out in this up close and personal encounter with our educational raptors.

1 Hour Program – $150

Additional Program – $225

September 9, 2019

Ecology 

The big picture is the focus of an ecologist, and in this session we’ll focus on the habitats and connections between plants, animals, and the places they live.

October 7, 2019

Dendrology

The forest is full of trees of all shapes and sizes. In this session we’ll get to the root of identifying trees- using leaves, bark, and other clues. We’ll take a peek inside trees and learn how our mighty trees survive and grow.

November 4, 2019

herpetology

Slip and slither into this session focused on reptiles and amphibians. We’ll get an up-close look at forest residents and try our hand at tricks they use to survive the winter.

December 9, 2019

ornithology

Bird is the word for this session. Let’s flock together and learn about our feathered friends! This session will investigate what and how birds eat; how they survive winter; and see if we can spot birds using binoculars and field guides.

January 13, 2020

mammalogy

From beavers to bats, and deer to foxes, mammals are all around us. In this session we’ll take a closer look at the group we belong to and see the similarities and differences between us and other mammals.

February 3, 2020

meteorology

If you don’t like the weather, wait five minutes- but in the meantime, let’s see what the clouds and sky can tell us in this weather filled session. We’ll try our hand at interpreting the sky and looking at the water cycle and atmosphere.

March 9, 2020

ichthyology

Dive on into this session where we’ll focus on the fish swimming in the wetlands and rivers of Nebraska. We’ll follow the flow of water to learn more about the water cycle and how fish thrive in their watery habitats.

April 6, 2020

herbology

There’s more to the forest than trees and they play an important role in the forest habitat- the plants! In this session we’ll get to the root of the secret life of plants.

May 4, 2020

entomology

Did you hear the latest buzz? Insects are everywhere and theres so much to learn from them- we’ll do our best in this session to hunt for the common and uncommon insects and see what these little invertebrates have to teach us.