Students will practice the science skills of observation, measurement and asking questions.  A puppet show, observation hike and leaf measurement activities will be included.                                    

A habitat is where living things can find food, water, air, shelter, and space. Students are the scientists as they use the tools in their discovery packs to collect data and complete a survey of two different habitats found in Quarry Hill Park: the forest floor and the underground cave. Using the data and the observations made in each habitat, students will discuss the interdependent relationship between an organism and its habitat.

Geologists observe rocks and landforms to investigate the processes that have formed and changed Earth. In this class, students will seek fossil evidence in our limestone quarry to reconstruct Minnesota’s tropical past. Students will think and act like geologists and paleontologists as they navigate their way through our popular Gametrail course.         

Everything in nature is connected, and ecologists study the relationships between living things and their environment. Discover the link between water chemistry, temperature, and clarity and the living organisms that depend on the water in the Quarry Hill pond. Students will conduct chemical and physical tests and net biological samples to observe macro and micro pond invertebrates. Using their findings, students will discuss how human actions can affect ecosystems. 

Quarry Hill’s animal ambassadors are great teachers! Students learn about the lives and unique characteristics of various native MN animals through examination of a live example and touchable props. Animal choices include snakes, turtles, amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders), raptors, (kestrel or owl) or creepy crawlies (invertebrates).
Offered year round

With net or magnifying lens in hand, students explore the vast world of insects and other arthropods.  How is an insect different from a spider? How can you distinguish a moth from a butterfly?  Students will discover arthropod characteristics, lifecycles and classification as they search out Quarry Hill’s invertebrates.
Offered Late April - Mid October

Travel back to the year 1882 as you step into the Quarry Hill cave. Students learn about the rich history of this hand carved cave, study the geology of the sandstone walls and discover the animals that take shelter in the cave. 

It is survival mode for students as they enter Quarry Hill’s life-sized outdoor game board!  They will use their knowledge and animal instincts to help an animal of their choosing survive for 10 days in the wild. Faced with challenges, the students’ choices will be the map that guides them through the trails. Answer correctly and students will hike their way to victory!
Offered April - November

The pond is a rich habitat for students to explore and this program is all about discovering which creatures make it their home.  Students use dip nets to scoop for aquatic invertebrates, hike along the shoreline tallying wildlife diversity, and search for tracks and other signs of animals at the pond’s edge.
Offered May - Mid October

Students learn the basics of canoeing from safety, to equipment, to paddling techniques. This is a great program for student cooperation and teamwork as they must work together to direct their canoe around the pond. Canoes are connected in tandem for younger grades to ensure a safe experience.
Offered April - October

Learn why birds are banded and how bird banding helps with conservation. Then get up-close with these songbirds to not only learn about their incredible adaptations but also how to trap, handle and release wild birds! The data gathered from these birds is submitted to the USGS Bird Banding Laboratory for research.
Offered year round

Participating in a techy version of hide and seek, students master how to use a GPS unit to seek out hidden geocaches within the park. Team names can be recorded in the cache logbook and small treasures can be traded with those found in the cache. Additional adult chaperones may be required for this activity. Groups must also provide treasure trade items.  
Offered March - November

After instructions on proper equipment use and climbing techniques, students will have the opportunity to climb multiple climbing routes on a 17 foot wall.   This program requires 5-6 volunteer belayers -all training is provided.  This is a great team building activity!
April - Oct: Outdoor Climbing
Nov - March: Indoor Climbing (limited to groups of 15 or less)

Weather can be sunny, cloudy, windy, rainy or snowy. Weather scientists learn how sunlight, air, and water affect weather. Students will use science tools to collect and analyze weather data, including temperature, rainfall, and wind speed. Using this data, along with observations in nature, students will make predictions about the weather.  

Winter’s first snow, spring’s sap run, summer’s flowers, and fall’s migrating birds all signal a seasonal change. Before the use of modern science tools, people observed and tracked these natural changes to understand and predict weather and seasons. Students will spend time outdoors observing and describing patterns and relationships in weather and seasons. Students will also observe the live animal residents of the Nature Center and Park and discuss how they use seasonal clues in nature to survive.

Some animals are born and some are hatched. Some young animals resemble their parents, while others look nothing like them. Some animals grow up with their animal families and some have to figure out how to survive on their own.  Through an interactive puppet show, students will follow the lifecycle of a mammal and an insect to learn about the unique ways animals grow up. Outside, students will look for animal lifecycle stages and discuss the patterns in the behavior of parents and offspring that help offspring survive.

Quarry Hill’s animal ambassadors are great teachers! Students learn about the lives and unique characteristics of various native MN animals through examination of a live example and touchable props. Animal choices include snakes, turtles, amphibians (frogs, toads, salamanders), raptors, (kestrel or owl) or creepy crawlies (invertebrates).

The pond is a rich habitat for students to explore and this program is all about discovering which creatures make it their home. Students use dip nets to scoop for aquatic invertebrates, hike along the shoreline tallying wildlife diversity, and search for tracks and other signs of animal life at the pond's edge. 

Offered May - mid-October 

Students learn the basics of canoeing from safety, to equipment, to paddling techniques. This is a great program for student cooperation and teamwork as they must work together to direct their canoe around the pond. Canoes are connected in tandem for younger grades to ensure a safe experience. 
Offered April - October

Participating in a techy version of hide and seek, students master how to use a GPS unit to seek out hidden geocaches within the park. Team names can be recorded in the cache logbook and small treasures can be traded with those found in the cache. Additional adult chaperones may be required for this activity. Groups must also provide treasure trade items. 
Offered March - November

After instructions on proper equipment use and climbing techniques, students will have the opportunity to climb multiple climbing routes on a 17 foot wall.   This program requires 5-6 volunteer belayers -all training is provided.  This is a great team building activity!
April - Oct: Outdoor Climbing
Nov - March: Indoor Climbing (limited to groups of 15 or less)