Programs are $100 for the first 45 minute session and $50 for each additional session.
We usually do these programs in December, January, February and March, but will do our best to accommodate your schedule year round! All sessions are approximately 45 minutes.
Field trips outside of
outside of a 20 mile radius of Severson Dells Nature Center will be charged $0.70 per mile beyond 20 miles.
Field Trip Classics
Animal Homes and Habitats- Grades 1-5
You don't have to travel the world to learn about habitats- Illinois features its own rich landscapes with animals adapted to their harsh extremes. Students will build a beautiful habitat model for a local animal, make connections between adaptations and environmental features, and discuss cause-and-effect relationships in habitats. 1LS1-1, 1LS1-2, 2LS4-1, 3LS4-3, 3LS4-4, 4LS1-1, 4LS1-2, CC1, CC3, PKI1, PKI6, M1, M3
Predator Prey Palooza- Grades 1-5
Explore the incredible adaptations of predator and prey animals through hands-on demonstrations and the study of 3-D skull models and real animal furs! Students will learn key features of local mammals and explain what makes them a predator or prey.
This lesson can feature an additional 45 minute predator-prey game session that can take place in a gym or school yard for $50 pwe class.
1LS1-1, 1LS1-2, 2LS4-1, 3LS4-3, 3LS4-4, 4LS1-1, 4LS1-2, CC1, CC3, PKI1, PKI6, M1, M3
Bird Beak Mystery- Grades 1-5
Calling all detectives! Students will solve a bird mystery by using clues about local bird beaks, feet, feathers, and wingspan. They will use hands-on demonstrations and activities to learn about bird adaptations, physiology, and behaviors.
This lesson can feature an additional 45 minute binocular scavenger hunt that can take place in a school yard for $50 per class.
1LS1-1, 1LS1-2, 2LS4-1, 3LS4-3, 3LS4-4, 4LS1-1, 4LS1-2, CC1, CC3, PKI1, PKI6, M1, M3
Outdoor Skills Indoors- Grades 1-5
Put your students to the test with this practical skills lesson all about survival! We'll discuss outdoor priorities and preparedness, tie a variety of knots, and make our own cordage!
This is a great lesson to bust up cabin fever season. ETSB.1, CC1, CC3, PKI4, PKI6
Creature Features
Beautiful Bats- Grades 1-5
Beyond being the world's only flying mammals, bats have specialized features that will blow your mind! Our team will guide your class through a bat vs human field-day style activity set to see how their adaptations stack up to ours. We'll bring replicas of bat skeletons and some other surprising items that are associated with bats!
(K-LS1-1, K-LS1.C, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS2.E, K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3.A, K-ESS3-3, K-ESS3.C, 1-LS1.A, 1-LS1-2, 1-LS1.B, 1-LS1.D, 2-PS1.A, 2-LS4-1, 2-LS4.D, 3-LS1.B, 3-LS2.C, 3-LS2.D, 3-LS4.D, 4-LS1.A, 4-LS1-2, 4-LS1.D, 5-PS3.D, 5-ESS3.C)
Outstanding Owls- Grades 1-5
Owls are masters of the night for a reason! Our team will guide your class through an owl vs human field-day style activity set to see how their adaptations stack up to ours. We'll bring mounted owl specimens, owl feathers, and other incredible items to help students imagine what life is like as an owl.
This lesson has an optional 30-minute owl pellet dissection add-on for $5 a student.
(K-LS1-1, K-LS1.C, K-ESS2-2, K-ESS2.E,K-ESS3-1, K-ESS3.A, K-ESS3-3, K-ESS3.C, 1-LS1.A, 1-LS1-2, 1-LS1.B, 1-LS1.D, 2-PS1.A,2-LS4-1, 2-LS4.D, 3-LS1.B, 3-LS2.C, 3-LS2.D, 3-LS4.D, 4-LS1.A, 4-LS1-2, 4-LS1.D, 5-PS3.D, 5-ESS3.C)
Fantastic Frogs- Grades 1-5
We know that frogs are fantastic critters, but do you know just how wild their adaptations are? Our team will guide your class through a frog vs human field-day style activity set to see how their adaptations stack up to ours. Students will also learn how to identify local frogs based on their calls. (1-LS1.A, 1-LS1.B, 1-LS1.D, 2-PS1.A, 2-LS4.D, 3-LS1.B, 3-LS3.B, 3-LS2.C, 3-LS4-4, 3-LS4.C, 3-LS4.D, 4-LS1.A, 4-LS1-2, 4-LS1.D)
Lessons for Littles
Winter Animal Tracking- Kindergarten-1st Grade
Where do animals go in the winter? We'll answer that question and more as we learn what it takes to survive the winter and how to track some four-legged friends in the snow. KLS1-1, 1LS1-1, 2-LS4-1, CC1, CC3, PKI6, M1
