BRING YOUR STUDENTS TO QUARRY HILL
NATURAL SCIENCE LEARNING
Quarry Hill Nature Center field trips are a great combination of outdoor recreation, field experiences and classes aligned with Next Generation Science Standards.
We can accommodate up to 150 students.
We can accommodate large group sizes, but these large groups may require a couple of days.
Half or Full Day Field Trips is our specialty! With our guidance, choose a combination of offerings to maximize your visit.
EXPLORE OUR SEASONAL EXPERIENCES:
Year Round Experiences
Olmsted County Waste to Energy Tours Grades 3+ 60-90 minutes
This experience takes place at the Olmsted County Waste-to-Energy and Recycling Center nearby the Nature Center. During the tour, students will follow the route garbage and recyclables takes through the facility observing energy transformations.
Optional: Spend an additional 30 minutes exploring waste related learning stations that expand on proper disposal of all our waste.
Fee: No charge. Fees for this tour are covered by Olmsted County.
Bird Banding Grades 3–12 60-90 minutes
Students will learn why birds are banded and how bird banding contributes to conservation. Students will set bird traps, observe closely any live birds that are caught and help record important information that is submitted to the USGS Bird Banding Research Laboratory.
Cave Tour Grades 1–12 45–60 Min
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.
Fall Experiences September—November
Programs that correlate to MN State Science Standards
What is a Scientist? Grade K
Students will practice the science skills of observation, measurement and asking questions. A puppet show, observation hike and leaf measurement activities will be included.
Habitat Explorations Grade 2
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.
Geology Rocks Grade 4
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.
Pond Ecology Grade 5
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.
Optional/Additional Field Experiences:
Live Animal Program Grades K–12 30–45 Min
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
Insecting Grades K–12 30–60 Min
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
Cave Tour Grades 1–12 45–60 Min
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.
Fossil Hunting Grades 1–12 60 Min
|
Students hike half a mile to the Quarry Hill rock quarry, in search of ancient fossils. 450 million years ago, areas of southeastern Minnesota were covered by an ocean filled with sea-dwelling creatures. These creatures’ fossils remain in the Platteville limestone today. Commonly found fossils include Brachiopods, Trilobites, Cephalopods and Gastropods. |
Animal Survival Game Grades 3–8 45 Min
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
Pond Explorations Grades 2–12 30 - 60 Min
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
Canoeing Grades 3–12 45 - 60 Min
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
Bird Banding Grades 3–12 60-90 Min
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
Geocaching Grades 3–12 45-90 Min
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
Rock Climbing Grades 4-7 45-90 Min
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)
Winter Experiences December—February
Programs that correlate to MN State Science Standards
Examining Life? Grade 1
Have you ever drawn like a scientist? Discover the art of science through this interactive, live animal experience. Students will observe, measure, and scientifically draw to scale a live minnow, beetle, and snail. Paying close attention to the unique features of different bird species, students will work as a group to match a bird's beak to its food to understand how physical adaptations help an animal survive.
Bird Adaptations Grades 3
Quarry Hill is a federally licensed bird banding station and has been researching and banding local birds with students for over 40 years. This bird-intensive class will have students observing and identifying birds, live trapping birds for banding, and releasing captured birds, all to understand how habitat and bird adaptations are related. Data collected is submitted to the United States Geological Survey, which helps scientists understand population, longevity, and migration behaviors.
Surviving Winter Grade 7
Students will learn about the strategies that animals use to survive winter. The risks of hypothermia and ways to prevent it are taught at the stations like the "Ice Bucket Challenge".
Karst Geology Grade 6
In SE Minnesota, we live in an area of karst topography - a type of landscape where water dissolves rocks such as limestone, gypsum, and dolomite to form features like caves, disappearing streams, and sinkholes. In fact, about a quarter of people worldwide reside on karst or get their water from a karst aquifer. What does karst mean for people who plan to build, work, and live in such areas? During this hands-on lab, students will investigate how limestone and other sedimentary rock of this region formed, basic characteristics of limestone, the surface features of karst, and examine geologic maps to consider the relationship between karst and human activity.
Optional/Additional Field Experiences:
Live Animal Program Grades K–12 30–45 Min
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).
Snowshoeing Grades 2–12 60-75 Min
Students strap on a pair of snowshoes to discover the benefits of 'big' feet in the snow. A Quarry Hill naturalist assists in outfitting the students and then leads them off the beaten path in search of animal tracks and signs. This experience is offered when Quarry Hill deems conditions are acceptable.
Cross Country Skiing Grades 3–12 45 - 90 Min
Students are introduced to the sport of classic cross-country skiing. With boots, skis and poles properly fitted, students learn the basics of skiing techniques before heading out onto the groomed ski trails.
This experience is offered when Quarry Hill deems conditions are acceptable.
Cave Tour Grades 1–12 45–60 Min
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 life that resides there today.
Offered year round
Bird Banding Grades 3-12 60 - 90 Min
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
Indoor Rock Climbing Grades 4-7 60 Min
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 the participating group to provide 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)
Spring Experiences March—May
Programs that correlate to MN State Science Standards
Weather Grade 2
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.
Seasonal Science Grade 1
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.
Growing Up Kindergarten
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.
Optional/Additional Field Experiences:
Live Animal Program Grades K–12 30–45 Min
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).
Insecting Grades K–12 30–60 Min
|
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. |
Pond Explorations Grades 2–12 30–60 Min
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
Fossil Hunting Grades 1–12 60 Min
|
Students hike half a mile to the Quarry Hill rock quarry, in search of ancient fossils. 450 million years ago areas of Southeastern Minnesota, were covered by an ocean filled with sea-dwelling creatures. These creatures’ fossils remain in the Platteville limestone today. Commonly found fossils include Brachiopods, Trilobites, Cephalopods and Gastropods. |
Animal Survival Game Grades 3–8 45 Min
|
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! |
Canoeing Grades 3–12 45 - 60 Min
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
Geocaching Grades 3–12 45 - 60 Min
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
Rock Climbing Grades 4–7 45 - 60 Min
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)
Summer Experiences June—August
Pond Explorations Grades 2–12 30–60 Min
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
Live Animal Program Grades K–12 30–45 Min
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).
Insecting Grades K–12 30–60 Min
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.
Cave Tour Grades 1–12 45–60 Min
Travel back to the year 1882 as you step into the Quarry Hill cave. Students learn about the rich history of this man-made cave, study the geology of the sandstone walls and discover the life that resides there today.
Fossil Hunting Grades 1–12 60 Min
Students hike half a mile to the Quarry Hill rock quarry, in search of ancient fossils. 450 million years ago areas of Southeastern Minnesota, were covered by an ocean filled with sea-dwelling creatures. These creatures’ fossils remain in the Platteville limestone today. Commonly found fossils include Brachiopods, Trilobites, Cephalopods and Gastropods.
Animal Survival Game Grades 3–8 45 Min
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!
Canoeing Grades 3–12 45 - 60 Min
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
To schedule your students for a Quarry Hill science class, contact the office : 507-328-3950
OR FILL OUT THE FORM BELOW