In-School Programs

Live Birds of Prey: All levels

Your students experience an up-close encounter with living raptors. Utilizing live birds of prey and hands-on discoveries, students will explore the natural history of Pennsylvania’s raptors, the similarities and differences among species, the importance of habitat and habitat conservation, and direct and indirect human impacts on these fascinating creatures. Our avian ambassadors will be “on hand” to assist. 

Bald Eagle Camera Watch: All levels (virtual)

Using our virtual platform or yours, our educators connect your students to Pittsburgh Bald Eagles and nest cams. Schedule and stream a one-hour virtual program with our own professional educators.

Wonder of Birds: All levels

What is a bird? What makes feathers so cool? How do birds fly? How do you build a nest with a beak? Learn the answers to these questions and more as your naturalist guide leads you on an adventure into the world of bird basics. Discover the unique adaptations that separate birds from other animals by investigating bones, beaks, feet, wings, and feathers. And your class will meet one of our live doves.

Schoolground Safari: All levels (outdoors)

What natural treasures are hidden around your schoolground? This naturalist-led outing can be tailored to a particular theme (such as birds, insects, or plants) to suit your needs. Older students will experience lessons focused on environmental science.

Early American Skills: All levels

Imagine if everything you owned was built by hand from materials you scavenged yourself. Students will learn how the early colonists split boards, made soap, made candles, planted their fields, built cabins, made iron, cooked their food, and made fires. This is a great program for social studies teachers who wish to get personal with the past.

Maple Sugar: Pre-K to 6 (indoors, outdoor option)

Bring the sweet topic of making maple syrup to your school. Our activities and show-and-tell will talk about trees, how maple sap is collected and how syrup is made. We can bring some along to sample. Any maple trees on your school grounds? We can go out to visit them!

Furry Friends: Pre-K/K (indoors)

You’re a mammal, I’m a mammal…what’s a mammal? We’ll learn all about our local fuzzy friends through stories, activities and hands-on discovery of pelts, paws, and bones.

Custom topics

Have a specific topic related to nature that you do not see above? We can design a presentation for you. Program development fees may apply. Contact us for a quote.

Virtual options

We also offer virtual visits for many of the above topics.

Community Science at School: All levels

Options available for School Ground Enhancement (topics vary, indoors and outdoors, time varies)

This school-focused community science program provides resources (plants, garden design, bird identification) and the educational and design support for schools and classrooms involved in real-world scientific study. Students may submit their observations to scientists researching the subject species.

Optionally, take the experience to the next level with hands-on activities outdoors, perhaps even completing a restoration project or creating a pollinator garden. Topics vary and are established in cooperation with the location. Some examples include: Project Feeder Watch, Project Budburst, and Lost Ladybug. Contact us to talk about possibilities.