Field Trips at Wildlife Prairie Park

All Age Groups

This program allows students to meet 5 of our educational ambassadors, including: birds, reptiles, amphibians, and mammals. A knowledgeable animal keeper will introduce the students to each of these animals, present facts specific to that species, and review how each animal classification is similar/different from the others.

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS3 Heredity: Inheritance & Variation of Traits

• LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity & Diversity

• LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes

All Age Groups

With habitat loss effecting so many species negatively, it’s becoming more important than ever to consider providing sanctuary to some of the local wildlife in your neighborhood, and it’s easier than you may think! Join one of our animal keepers and 5 of our educational ambassadors as we go over what each of our animals need to thrive in their ecosystem, and tell you how you can make your backyard or garden a Certified Wildlife Habitat through the National Wildlife Federation.

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures and Processes

• ESS2-2 Earth’s Systems

• ESS3 Earth & Human Activity

All Age Groups

Join an animal keeper or park naturalist on a guided hike through Merrill Woods, Walden Pond, and the Pioneer Homestead to learn more about the animals along our walking trails that call our park home! Hike is roughly 45 minutes and an approximate 1-mile round trip from the Visitor Center.

Recommended for 3rd grade through 5th grade

Come meet 3 of our different feathered friends at the park and learn about just how diverse our avian ambassadors can be! One of our knowledgeable animal keepers will introduce your group to our feathered educational ambassadors while going over what makes each of these species unique from each other. The program will be focused on their characteristics, habitats, adaptations, and migration patterns.

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS3 Heredity: Inheritance & Variation of Traits

• LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity & Diversity

Recommended for 5th grade through High School

In this program, students will meet 1 owl ambassador while learning about their behaviors, diets, and habitats unique to each species. Students will then get the opportunity to dissect an owl pellet and try to identify the bones they find within! This program is a great, hands-on opportunity to learn about the food chain while meeting some unforgettable feathered friends.

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy & Dynamics

• LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity & Diversity

Recommended for Middle School through High School

Join one of our park naturalists for a hands-on lab that teaches students about their local watershed, while using microscopes and identifying the microorganisms found in water from the park’s lakes. Students will also learn how to differentiate which microorganisms indicate a healthy watershed, and which can be indicators of water pollution.

Requires at least 1 Month Notice to Book

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes

• LS2 Interactions, Energy, and Dynamics: Relationships in Ecosystems

• LS4 Biological Evolution, Unity & Diversity

• ESS3 Earth & Human Activity

Recommended for 1st Grade through 6th Grade

This program introduces the concept of ecosystems to your students, before delving into three of the most common ecosystems in Wildlife Prairie Park: Forests, Prairies, and Wetlands. During the experience, students will also be introduced to five of our animal ambassadors, learning where each species is found, as well as the role they play within their ecosystem.

Relevant State Science Standards:

• LS1 From Molecules to Organisms: Structures & Processes

• ESS2 Earth’s Systems

• LS2 Ecosystems: Interactions, Energy & Dynamics

• LS4 Biological Evolution: Unity & Diversity

Recommended for High School

If you have students who show interest in zoology, animal science, and veterinary practices, this may be the program for you! Join one of our animal keepers for an informative discussion on the many pathways one can take if they are looking for a wildlife-centric career. Afterward, the keeper will introduce several animal ambassadors and demonstrate some of the daily care practices that keep our animals healthy.