Eleven FREE downloadable lessons– Choose online or paper versions…

Join naturalists Caroline and Robby as they explore Wolf Ridge, experiencing nature from a variety of perspectives, such as science, history, culture, art, and literature. Share a few laughs along the way as you read their story or watch a video of their 10-minute adventure. Next, you’ll be directed to outdoor activities that will enhance your learning while you spend some time in a neighborhood park or near your own home. 

Curriculum Features

• Accessible: Each lesson can be done either with pen and paper or digitally.
• Lessons support Minnesota State Academic Standards and are backed by Wolf Ridge’s accreditation as a K-12 school.
• Two or more activities to DO, at least one of which can be done outdoors.
• Naturalist guides Robby and Caroline share fun and sometimes surprising adventures with students through online videos or printed stories students can read.
• Accompanying lesson plans provide guidance developed by certified teachers.
• Flexible: Spend an hour or a whole day, depending on your goals and interests.
• Enhance the experience with a live session with our naturalist (see details)

Choose Your Adventure…

Birds

Birds are flying by! Have you seen and heard them? We will be taking a quick look at some birds found around Wolf Ridge and getting really close through a research process called banding. Then we all will be heading outside to find who is living near you!

Earthworks

Express your artistic side! Create an exhibit of temporary art made of nature, in nature, featuring you! Explore the materials found all around you and their colors, shapes, and textures, then watch as your masterpiece springs into being.

Energy in Your Home

How do we use energy in our daily lives and what are its impacts?  How can your everyday decisions save energy?

Food and Farming

Who grows your food? Join us at the Wolf Ridge farm to meet Sarah who helps grow tons (literally) of food that we eat at Wolf Ridge. After learning about what goes into producing food it’s your turn to grow your own microgreens.

Frogs and Toads

Hop to it! Go behind the scenes with the spring pond singers and doing a personal meet and greet. Before you know it, you’ll be personally acquainted with the frogs and toads around you.

Geology

If we know how to read them, rocks can tell us a story of how our landscapes were created. Geologic history shows us the shaping forces of our land long ago.

Mysterious Animal Signs

What is living in your neighborhood? What can we learn about animal behavior from the evidence they leave behind?  Join us for this adventure, and don’t forget to bring your powers of observation!

Pizza and Nutrition

Pizza isn’t just delicious– making your own from scratch is a great way to learn about nutrition and healthy eating. Get tips to create your own scrumptious treat. The accompanying recipes and activities will inspire you even more!

Spring Plants

How can closely observing and recording plant characteristics help us understand how they thrive in their ecosystem homes? Join us as we look at all of the amazing and wonderful plants which pop up in spring all over Wolf Ridge.

Watersheds

Let’s dive into the topic of water and see how it flows! This lesson dives into how water moves through watersheds using the example of the Lake Superior Watershed.

Weather

Using our powers of observation we will begin to unravel the mystery of how changes in our atmosphere shape our day-to-day weather. Soon your meteorological expertise will have everyone asking you what the weather is going to be!