School Programs

Springbrook Nature Center programs are a hands-on, entertaining way to learn about the natural world. Our programs are written to enhance what you are currently working on in the classroom, in your scout troop, or at home by providing a quality experiential class.

All classes are 90 minutes long and include both indoor and outdoor components. Choose the option that best fits your needs.

  • Single Class: $6 per student, no charge for chaperones

  • Half Day: $10 per student, no charge for chaperones
    • Includes 2 classes and space to eat lunch on site.
  • Full Day: $15 per student, no charge for chaperones
    • Includes 3 classes and a space to eat lunch on site.

Scheduling

When calling to book your program, we will need the following information: name, address, phone number, number and age of participants, program topic(s), arrival time, special needs and requests. 

Class Topics

Springbrook Nature Center classes are customizable for students from preschool through 8th grade. Our classes fall into three categories: Science and Natural History, Outdoor Skills and Recreation, and Teambuilding.

  1. Science & Natural History
  2. Outdoor Skills & Recreation
  3.  Teambuilding
Animal Signs
Students will use detective skills to find out about the secret lives of animals! Learn to recognize the signs that animals leave behind and what they tell us about the critters that left them.
Birds
Explore the world around you through the eyes of a bird. Discover bird adaptations, senses, the science of flight, bird identification with binoculars, and more!
Forest Ecology
Students will learn about parts of a tree, tree ID, forest structure, and how both flora and fauna work together to make an intriguing system.
Fungus
Check out some of the amazing fungi found in Springbrook’s forest. Unearth the special characteristics of fungi and what makes them different from plants. Discover the important jobs that fungi do for people and for nature.
Insects
Learn about insect adaptations, ID tricks, and the role of insects in the food chain. We will be collecting live samples as a part of this class.
Mammals
Do you really know enough about mammals? Students will use games, stories, songs, and scientific study to learn more about this group of our closest animal relatives.
Reptiles & Amphibians
This class should be called scaley and cool. Recognize the fascinating ways these creatures survive in Minnesota. This class is very hands-on and includes live animals.

Wetlands
There’s water and there’s land. Put them together, and you have a super cool ecosystem that’s tons of fun to explore. Critters found in the wetland will be seen larger than life on our video projection system. Students have the opportunity to look at wetland functions, animals of the wetland, wetland composition, water quality in the wetland, the possibilities are endless!