All Ages | Up to 30 Students
30 - 60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
Bradner Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Off-site location Learn what makes birds different from other creatures. We’ll discuss adaptations and identify birds at a bird window and go on an outdoor bird hike or identify plush stuffed animal birds and their songs as an indoor adaptation of a bird walk.
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
Bradner Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Any park, Off-site location Insects are the largest family of creatures on the planet; however, they often receive negative publicity from humans! Learn some fascinating information about insects, their role in local ecosystems, and why they are important to sustaining life on Earth.
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Open Area
Bradner Preserve, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, William Henry Harrison Park, Any park, Off-site location Find out other uses for the magnetic compass other than showing you which way is north. This tried and true low-tech tool can help you get from point A to point B. We will learn the basics indoors and then head outside for an orienteering challenge.
All Ages | Up to 25 Students
30 - 60 min | No Classroom Prep
Any park This program is a great choice for a first visit to the park. Students embark on a nature walk with a naturalist and learn about the plants and animals they encounter.
All Ages | Up to 20 Participants
60 - 90 min | No Classroom Prep
Bradner Preserve, Cedar Creeks Preserve, Sawyer Quarry Nature Preserve, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Any park Embark on this high-tech treasure hunt! Students will gain a functioning knowledge of how a Global Positioning System (GPS) works, and use GPS units to discover absolute and relative locations of hidden geocaches, along with geocaching ethics and protocols.
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
30 - 60 min | No Classroom Prep
Any park Students learn the similarities and differences between reptiles and amphibians, discover their role in the environment, and meet a couple animal ambassadors up close.
8+ years old | Up to 20 Students
60 min | Open Area
$15/participant OR $50 min. Arrowwood Archery Range, Any park Give archery a shot with this beginner-friendly program! All bows, arrows, targets, instruction and coaching provided. Any group larger than 10 will need to take turns shooting.
All Ages | Up to 20 Participants
60 min | Open Area
$5/participant OR $50 min. Sawyer Quarry Nature Preserve, Any park Get hands-on with low-level rock climbing at Sawyer Quarry! No harnesses or ropes here, just you, the rock, and a crash-pad to soften any falls. Bouldering is a fun challenge-by-choice experience for all ages. A naturalist will train climbers on proper technique, strategies, and train adults on how to be a safety spotter for climbers.
10+ years old | Up to 11 Participants
60 - 120 min | Open Area
$16-$30/participant OR $50 min. W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Any park Get paddling with this canoeing class led by certified instructors. Learn the basics and get paddling with paddle skills and games in the 60 min class, or dive in with advanced maneuvers, canoeing education, and introductory rescue tactics in the 120 min class. All canoes, PFDs, paddles, and necessary paddle gear provided.
Pre-K - 6th | Up to 30 Students
30 min | No Classroom Prep
Off-site location What do squirrels, deer, beaver, and humans all have in common? We’re all mammals! Students will learn about what makes a mammal different from other animal classes, understand their roles in the ecosystem, and learn to identify common mammals of Ohio.
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
30 min | Up to 15 table stations or large open space
Cedar Creeks Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, William Henry Harrison Park, Off-site location People from cultures around the world have enjoyed games through the centuries as a way of bonding communities and building vital skills. Learn why games are important and have fun trying your hand at some!
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
45 - 90 min | Up to 15 table stations or large open space
Any park or off-site location How did the Native Americans (Anishnabek) of Northwest Ohio live and how did their lives compare to ours? Learn how they survived hundreds of years ago and engage with hands-on activities and artifacts.
3rd – 6th | Up to 30 Students
45 - 90 min | Projector preferred, some open space for game
Off-site location What goes bump in the night? Probably an amazing nocturnal creature! Discover what adaptations make animals like bats and owls so successful at living in the dark.
All Ages | Up to 30 Students
30 min | Up to 15 table stations or large open space
Cedar Creeks Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, William Henry Harrison Park, Off-site location What types of games did pioneer children play and how were they the same or different than the games we play today? Have fun trying your hand at some as we discuss the joys and societal significance of games past and present.
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Up to 15 table stations
Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Off-site location Rocks tell stories of ancient oceans, prehistoric animals, and a changing earth, but you have to know how to read them. Use tools and tests of real geologists and discover the unique history, composition, and modern-day uses of different common rocks.
3rd – 6th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Presentation Screen & Projector
Bradner Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve Students learn about the formation, characteristics, wildlife, and eventual drainage of Northwest Ohio’s historic ecosystem, the Great Black Swamp. Where was it? What and who lived here? How was it drained? Does it impact us today? All of these questions and more are answered through presentation and engaging activity.
3rd – 8th | Up to 30 Students
60 min | Open Area
Any park, Off-site location Where does water go, and what does it take with it? Students will learn about how pollutants can travel large distances through a watershed and take-home practices to prevent the spread of pollutants.
3rd – Adult | Up to 30 Participants
60 min | Open Area
Bradner Preserve, Otsego Park, W.W. Knight Nature Preserve, Off-site location This program will require participants to go in the water. Closed-toe shoes and appropriate clothes for water are required. Participants will discover what lives in our bodies of water and how the creatures that live within can indicate the health of our water.
