To schedule your class for a field trip or outreach program, please call 801-621-7595 and ask for the education department.
Teachers and schools can elect to register for one of our regular on-site field trip programs listed below. As always, we are working with local foundations and supporters to provide teachers with funding for these programs. Currently this program is free for all Utah public or charter 1st grade classrooms and funding is available to sponsor schools from the Weber and Ogden school districts.
Online registration coming soon...
Teacher Notes
- All programs correlate to the Utah State SEEd standards. Field adventures at the Ogden Nature Center are designed for K – 8th grade students, and focus on hands-on, outdoor experiences.
- All classes are taught by professional teacher/naturalists educated in conservation biology, botany, ornithology, child development, environmental education, interpretation and more.
- Classes are taught 100% outside. Please dress for the weather.
- Programs last for two hours and can be scheduled for the mornings or afternoons.
- Picnic tables are available for lunch use before or after your field trip. Please RSVP for picnic table use when registering your classroom. Please plan to pack out all of your trash.
- You are welcome to extend your field trip with self-guided exploration of the nature preserve or by allowing students time to play at Peery's Nature Nook Playscape at no extra cost.
- If this does not fit your schedule or programs are booked for the days you would like to attend, please contact 801-621-7595 for our self-guided classroom options.
- Siblings not enrolled in a scheduled class are not allowed to attend school programs with attending chaperones. This includes infants in arms.
- Our programs are designed to follow the seasons. We offer programming that encourages students to investigate nature around them. Thanks to the Powell Foundation, all Ogden City Schools will take home a journal to continue their nature and science investigations at home after their field trip.
- See the teacher resources tab for pre and post activities.
- If you're looking for programming for an individual student, whether adult or child, check out our calendar to see what our community education programs have to offer.
Costs and Funding
- The fee is $105 per class (27 students or less). No more than 3 classes or groups at a time (max of 80 students). Larger groups will need to be split across two different field trip times. All teachers and aids are free and 4 parent chaperones are included in the price. All additional chaperones must be approved and will cost an additional $5 per chaperone. Field trips are free for all Utah public and charter 1st grade classrooms.
- Funding may be available for Ogden City and Weber School District students. Contact us for details.
- Please note that school programs are special programs and memberships will not be accepted as payment for school program or extra chaperone fees.
Reservations
Reservations are required and classes fill up quickly, so please schedule early. To schedule a field trip, please call 801-621-7595 and ask for someone in the education department.
For teachers who have made reservations: Each field trip has accompanying pre-visit and post-visit curriculum and activities. Print out and use those activities that are appropriate for your grade level.
Field Trip Offerings
September
Field Ecology
(All grades) Students will discover nature's fascinating connections, from predator/prey relationships to seed dispersal mechanisms. They will play and learn as they examine skulls, catch insects, and try out the art of camouflage.
*All 2nd grade students in attendance will get to take home their own field ID kit.
Curriculum coming soon
October
Field Ecology
(All grades) Students will discover nature's fascinating connections, from predator/prey relationships to seed dispersal mechanisms. They will play and learn as they examine skulls, net insects and try out the art of camouflage.
*All 2nd grade students in attendance will get to take home their own field ID kit.
Curriculum coming soon
Living Close to the Land
(1st-5th grade*) Take a walk back in time with your students as they explore life 300 years ago. They will learn how the indigenous people lived off of the land, have cornmeal cakes around the campfire, and discover the many uses of plants and animals.
*Content heavy lesson recommended for 2nd grade and above.
Curriculum coming soon
November
Living Close to the Land
(1st-5th grade*) Take a walk back in time with your students as they explore life 300 years ago. They will learn how the indigenous people lived off the land, learn to make cornmeal cakes, learn about life in a teepee, and discover the many material and medicinal uses of plants.
*Content heavy lesson recommended for 2nd grade and above.
Curriculum coming soon
December
Animals and Plants Prepare for Winter
(K-5th grade) Students will explore the world of wild animals in winter as they visit the bear den and get a feel for hibernation, explore winter animal adaptations, and make a pinecone bird feeder to help birds generate energy over the cold winter months.
Curriculum coming soon
January/February
Animal Autographs
(K-4th) Students become nature detectives as they hike and look for signs of animals, make an easy-to-read field guide, and test their questioning skills through an interactive game.
Curriculum coming soon
Snow Walkers (5th-8th)
Students will explore winter animal adaptations for survival. This mathematics lesson will have students calculating foot load and hypothesizing survival strategies.
*50 students max at one time
Curriculum coming soon
March
Birds
(K-8th) Students will find out what makes a bird a bird. They will visit the bird breakfast café, sharpen their bird identification skills while using binoculars and ID guides, then meet the Ogden Nature Center's resident birds of prey.
*1st grade students in attendance will get to take home a pair of binoculars and all students will get their own bird field guide.
Curriculum coming soon
Utah's Ecosystems
(3rd-8th grade) Students will explore Utah's diverse landscape as they discover the forces that create our wetlands, forest, and deserts, investigate plant and animal life, and examine potential threats to many important ecosystems.
Curriculum coming soon
April
Trees
(K-6th) Students will gain an appreciation for the essential role trees play in our world as they identify differences between coniferous and deciduous trees. Students will explore trees through a scavenger hunt and make a piece of recycled paper to take home.
*Kindergarten students in attendance will get to use and take home a small plant press.
Curriculum coming soon
May
Pond Ecology
(K-4th grade) Students will explore pond life at the Ogden Nature Center. They will watch a classmate go through metamorphosis and scoop, identify, and observe water creatures.
*3rd grade students in attendance will take home a macro-invertebrate flip guide and mini bug box.
Curriculum coming soon
Pollination Stations
(K-2nd) Students will explore the wonders of pollinators in Utah. They will observe beehive life, play pollination games, and even help out our local pollinators by planting some native seeds. Join us as we find out why bees and other insects are important for our survival.
Curriculum coming soon