Current group program offerings at Prairie Ridge Ecostation for Wildlife and Learning
[2]
Who: School and Home School groups, Teachers (pre-service & practicing), Summer Camps, Scouts, Service and Continuing Education groups, others
*For public programs, workshops and events please see our program calendar [3]
What: Topics listed below, many are suitable for either children or adults
- Duration: 1-3 hours
- Class size: 30 participants or fewer; at least a 1:5 adult chaperone:student ratio
- Cost: $45
How: Contact Kim Smart at kimberly.smart@naturalsciences.org [4], 919.707.8880.
All scheduling is dependent on staff availability.
Selected Topics
Green Features
How many inches of rain does it take to fill our cistern? Could our solar panels or wind turbine power your entire house? Find the answers to these and other questions about living sustainably.
Hiking Tour of Prairie Ridge
Take a naturalist-led nature hike through Prairie Ridge Ecostation, visiting the arboretum, pond, prairie, woods or stream. Topics change seasonally.
Native Plants & Wildlife in the Garden
Spend some time enjoying plants in the Nature Neighborhood Garden and taking note of its animal visitors. We will focus on honing observation skills, sketching, and drama.
Nature Journaling
Practice your observation by journaling. Advanced sessions are available.
Pond Studies
Sneak down to the pond to see what’s happening, then take an up-close look at what’s below the surface.
Streamwalk
Enjoy a walk in the stream while searching for its residents for a truly immersive experience. Maximum group size of 15 for this program.
Seasonal Citizen Science
Be a scientist for a day, no PhD necessary. Students will participate with real scientific research. Research projects change seasonally, but examples include: bird nest monitoring, leaf litter sampling, Monarch butterflies, and more.
Terrific Trees
Learn about native North Carolina trees in our arboretum.
Other Group Program Opportunities
Discovery Fun and Curiosity Classes are available at Prairie Ridge Ecostation. Please visit our programs database [5] for more information.