Summer Classes

Bountiful Bugs with Julie Hecimovich • $17 • Saturday, Aug 1; 10:00-11:00 a.m.
Let’s get buggy! Try on some bug costumes, play games, sing bug songs, and make insect crafts. Bug Out! Hike to discover the cool buggy hideouts for incredible insects. Compare these to a few interesting bugs around the world.

Earth Day Special with Julie Hecimovich • $17 • Wednesday, April 22; 3:30-4:30 a.m.
Groovy Grasslands near and far host a fascinating variety of plants and animals. Listen to stories about who is visiting watering holes in Africa and Minnesota. Sort animals by region, scoop out creatures from our local watering hole, and learn about the food chain.

Bear Hunt Adventure • $11
Session 1: Monday, June 15; 9:30-10:30 a.m.
Session 2: Thursday, June 25; 9:30-10:30 a.m.
We all know what bears do when the weather turns cool and the snow starts to fall, but what do they do in the summertime? Bring your favorite teddy bear, and let’s go on a bear hunt adventure and learn together! This includes a picnic with your teddy bear.

Wonders of Water • $12 • Tuesday, June 30; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Investigate the wonders and power of water. Learn about how water is everywhere, how it changes the land, and who needs it to survive. Then explore water at stream tables to see the changes up close.

Gardening and Garden Yoga • $12 • Tuesday, July 14; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Join Nature Center staff in our gardens to discover what gardens are and why they are so important. Learners will have the chance to see what we grow in our Nature Center gardens, harvest vegetables, and will practice Garden Yoga, a gentle exercise to celebrate all that gardens have to offer.

Frolicking through Flowers • $12 • Thursday, July 23; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Come explore the floral world with our naturalists and become a little flower expert! Learn the parts of a flower, what flowers are for, and go on a walk to stop and smell the (wild) roses.

Liking Lichen • $12 • Wednesday, June 10; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
See nature from a different perspective. Get up close with the things that grow on the ground and on the trees. Explore and feel the differences between lichen, mosses, and, mushrooms, then make a little gnome home for the protectors of the forest with things we find outside.

Nature Secrets, Nature Songs! with Will Bjorndal • $45
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday, July 6, 7, & 8; 9:30-11:00 a.m.
What critters, animals, and plants are hiding in plain sight in our forests, waters, and prairies? And how do they make music? Join naturalist and musician Will Bjorndal for energetic explorations of the natural world, with a special emphasis on the parts of nature hidden out of plain sight. As they explore nature’s secrets, students will connect what they learn into original music and songs!

Amazing Amphibians • $12 • Tuesday, June 16; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Explore what makes these slippery critters so special. We’ll learn about the characteristics of amphibians, why they are so slimy, and see how many we can find on the forest floor!

Super Senses! • $22 • Select one session:
Session 1: Tuesday, June 23; 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Session 2: Tuesday, June 23; 2:30-5:30 p.m.
Discover how all 5 senses are found and used in nature from beautiful flowers to slithering snakes. Learners will go out and explore nature with all of their senses and learn what it takes to master each one. After each of the five senses are mastered, participants will collect badges of accomplishments as they go.

Nature Rocks! with Will Bjorndal • $45
Monday, Tuesday, & Wednesday, July 6, 7, & 8; 1:30-3:00 p.m.
What critters might be hiding under that rock? In the pond? The prairie? Find out by exploring the nooks and crannies of nature, music, and songwriting with naturalist and musician Will Bjorndal! Energetic adventures across the waters, the woods, and prairies will inform the music and songs that students will learn to craft together! After all, under every rock, there’s nature to be found!

Can You Blend In? • $17 • Wednesday, July 29; 9:30-11:30 a.m.
Investigate the many ways animals have adapted to blend in with their environment. Our outdoor explorers will use the resources provided to them to try to blend in with their environments.

Wolfing Around • $17 • Saturday, June 20; 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Become a part of the wolf pack. Take a look at why wolves are such incredible animals. Learn what it takes to be the leader of the pack and how these large canines utilize what they have to survive in the world.

Tree-mendous Expedition • $17 • Saturday, July 11; 2:00-3:30 p.m.
Go on an expedition on our trails to locate different kinds of trees in this one of a kind tree ID scavenger hunt! You will learn how to read a tree ID key, and what makes trees different from each other via their branches, leaves, and bark. Come find out what the trees have to teach you!

Monarch Magic • $17 • Select one session:
Session 1: Tuesday, July 21; 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Session 2: Saturday, August 1; 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Delve into the amazing life of the monarch butterfly. Learn how to identify monarch eggs, caterpillars, and milkweed around the Nature Center.

Who’s Eating Who? • $22 • Select one session:
Session 1: Wednesday, July 1; 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Session 2: Wednesday, July 1; 2:30-5:30 p.m.
What is energy? How does it travel through an ecosystem? Discover the different links in the food chain of producers, consumers, and decomposers – and see how many you can find while exploring outside!

Nature Detectives: Mysterious Mayhem • $17 • Friday, July 10; 6:30-8:00 p.m.
Help solve a mystery at the nature center to become official Nature Detectives! This class will have plenty of nature themed puzzles, clues, and fun to keep you on your toes. Put all the clues together and crack the case. It is the nature center’s own version of a structured escape room.

Nocturnal Nature • $17 • Wednesday, July 22; 8:30-10:00 p.m.
Delve into what nature does while we sleep. This class offers a variety of fun activities that let us discover the magic of nature at night. Learn which animals are out and about, go on a night hike, and explore the hustle and bustle of the Nature Center after dark!

Bird Bonanza with Henry Hinchcliffe • $17 • Monday, June 8; 9:00-10:30 a.m.
Figure out what it takes to be an expert birder. Join Audubon member and avid bird watcher, Henry on a trek through different habitats to discover as many birds as you can. Each participant will learn to use binoculars properly and then be able to take home a pair at the end of the class to become an official birder!

Intro to Fishing • $28
Tuesday, June 9; 3:00-4:00 p.m. at Nature Center & 6:00-8:00 p.m. at East Side Lake or Mill Pond
Learn about the basics of fishing: how to string a pole, tie lures on, and casting at the nature center. That evening you will get a chance to put your new fishing skills to the test! Location chosen based on fishing conditions. Fishing poles are provided or you can use your own. All fish caught will be catch and release.

Space Explorers • $17 • Select one session:
Session 1: Friday, June 12; 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Session 2: Monday, July 20; 4:00-6:00 p.m.
Session 3: Tuesday, August 4; 4:00-6:00 p.m
Investigate the stars and planets up close in our inflatable planetarium. These space explorers will learn telescope basics and will get to show their space knowledge with fun hands-on activities.

Radical Raptors • $60
Tuesday, June 16; 9:30-11:00 a.m.: Hawk talk & games
Tuesday, June 16; 8:30-10:00 p.m.: Owl Prowl for participants & family
Wednesday, June 17; 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m.: Day trip to Wabasha
Discover the raptors of Minnesota here at the Nature Center and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha! We’ll also take a hike in the bluffs of Whitewater State Park to an overlook. Bring a lunch on June 17th.

Outdoor Survival with Derek Barkeim • $110 • Monday-Friday, June 22-26; 9:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m.
Spend five days learning wilderness survival and awareness skills to equip you for your next outdoor adventure! Practice building shelters, using primitive traps, creating friction fires, identifying wild edibles and medicinal plants, and lots more.

Intro to Trout Fishing • $44
Wednesday, June 3; 9:00-10:30 a.m. & Thursday, June 4; 7:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.
On the first day, Nature Center staff will teach you the basics of trout fishing; learning how to aim and cast in a smaller area and learning how to use lures instead of bait. On the second day you will be traveling to Forestville State Park and Lanesboro to fish. Fishing poles are provided or you can bring your own. All fish caught will be catch and release. Tackle box and a few lures of your own to take home are included. Bring a lunch for Thursday.

Canoeing & Exploring the Blufflands• $150
Wednesday, July 22; 9:00-11:30 a.m.: Canoe practice
Thursday, July 23; 8:00 a.m.: Depart the Nature Center
Explore Mystery Cave and Forestville State Park; then travel to Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center for group challenges, a high ropes course, dinner, campfire time, s’mores, and a hike. Please bring a lunch on July 23.
Friday, July 24: Return to the Nature Center by 3:00 p.m.
Breakfast at Eagle Bluff before canoeing part of the Root River. Fee includes lodging, admission, canoe equipment, high ropes course, and three meals (dinner July 23, breakfast and lunch July 24). Full Scholarships are available for this class.

Outdoor Survival with Derek Barkeim • $110
Monday-Friday, June 22-26; 1:30-4:30 p.m.
Spend five days learning wilderness survival and awareness skills to equip you for your next outdoor adventure! Practice building shelters, using primitive traps, creating friction fires, identifying wild edibles and medicinal plants, and lots more.

Intro to Camping • $50 • Tuesday-Wednesday, July 7-8; 5:00 p.m.-8:30 a.m.
Take your backyard “camping” to the next level and sleep in the wilderness at the Nature Center. Learn how to put up your own tent (provided by us), cook supper, and start a fire. We will also go on a hike at the Nature Center, so bring your hiking shoes. Don’t worry, a camping trip isn’t a camping trip without roasting marshmallows. Please bring your own sleeping bag. Supper and breakfast are provided.

Shell Rock River Canoe & Fossil Hunting Trip • $50
Tuesday, July 28; 9:00-11:30 a.m.: Canoe Practice & Fossil Class
Wednesday, July 29; 8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.: Canoe trip & Fossil Hunting
Enjoy canoeing the Shell Rock River, then visit the Fossil & Prairie Park Preserve in Rockford, Iowa to hunt for fossils to keep! Bring a lunch for July 29th.

Becoming a Birder with Henry Hinchcliffe • $12 • Saturday, June 6; 7:00-9:00 a.m.
Learn birding basics with Audubon member Henry. Identify birds by both sight and sound, how to utilize easy to use tools like binoculars, ID guides, apps, and more to get you started birding on your own.

Bonsai Workshop with David Weiss • $95 • Thursday, June 4; 7:00 p.m. – Webinar
Saturday, June 6; 1:00-4:00 p.m. – In person Workshop
Start your own Juniper bonsai tree! This workshop led by bonsai expert, David Weiss, will teach you the beginning of bonsai and you’ll leave with your very own plant to work with for years to come. All materials will be provided.

Adult Nature Photography with Morgan Converse • $22
Saturday, August 1; 6:00-8:00 p.m.
In this class you’ll learn the basics of nature photography while exploring the Nature Center. Cameras will be provided or use your own. Morgan can also teach you the basics of shooting high quality photos by changing your settings on your smartphone.