Classes and Curriculum
Jump to: Day Classes | Naturalist Programs | Evening Activities | Trip Journal
Our curriculum is written to state academic standards, and focuses on building STEM, humanities (history, culture, language arts) and life skills (communication, team building, outdoor recreation) knowledge and experience.
Weave environmental education into your own classroom by book-ending your experience with pre- and post-trip activities designed around your Eagle Bluff classes and trip outcomes.
Day Classes
Each of our classes is hands-on and uses the outdoors as our classroom. Our instructors make each class unique and get to know each student by name!
 History & Culture |
 Outdoor Adventure |
 Nature Exploration & Ecology |
 Earth & Physical Science |
 Challenge Skills |
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Explore our classes:
Animal SignsLook for tracks, nests, and more to discover animal habits and relationships. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
ArcheryLearn and build NASP-style archery skills through practice and games. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
Archery EngineersGo through the scientific process to study how design impacts arrow speed. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Aquatics LabParticipants will perform physical and chemical tests and collect aquatic bugs to determine the health of a local water body. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Big Freeze (Winter Ecology)Discover the myriad of ways plants and animals adapt to the harsh Minnesota winter. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
BirdsUse binoculars to observe the bird diversity and explore what makes them unique. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
Cross-Country SkiingMake the winter fun and active by learning to cross-country ski. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Earth ExplorationUse a rock collection, models and find fossils to learn about the earth’s “rocky” history and cycles. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Fungus Among UsGet up close with wild fungus and the role it plays in the ecosystem. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
GPS PathfindersEnjoy the outdoors with a small team while using GPS units to find caches and solve a mystery. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Group ChallengesLearn about yourself and others to build team skills via group challenge solving. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
Ice AgeEmploy atlatls, travois, and more to examine how animals adapted to the Pleistocene Ice Age. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Karst GeologyTake a dive into the local landscape to learn how geology impacts our daily lives. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
OneotaApply archeology skills to delve into how the prehistoric Oneota peoples may have lived. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
OrienteeringPut your navigation skills to the test by finding your way through the prairies with a compass and map. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Pond StudyUse nets and stereoscopes to investigate how macroinvertebrate structure impacts function. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
River CanoeingSkill-build and connect with nature from the water on our 3.5-mile section of the Root River. Minimum grade required: 6th · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Rock ClimbingChallenge yourself and support others through safe risk-taking on our rock wall. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
Root River HikeFind new ways to enjoy the outdoors through art, games, and beautiful views on a hike to the Root River. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins or 3 hours |
Settler LifeVisit a replica cabin and do chores to analyze how 1850’s Settler-Colonists made their homes in Minnesota. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
SnowshoeingPlay games and stay warm by tromping through the snow on snowshoes. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
SurvivalBuild confidence in your outdoor experience through shelter building and fire-making. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Team NavigationWork together to explore the outdoors while learning a new way to navigate via a large game of hide and seek. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Trees and (Dichotomous) KeysMake observations and use a dichotomous key to explore the diversity of Midwest tree species. · Summary ⏱️ 90 mins |
Tree Tops High Ropes CourseChallenge yourself, expand your comfort zone, and encourage others while traversing 30 feet above the ground. Minimum grade required: 4th · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Wildlife EcologyUse models and hike through different ecosystems to study wildlife population dynamics. · Summary ⏱️ 3 hours |
Naturalist Programs
From 6:15-7:15 p.m. each evening, students can delve deeper into nature topics or history through stories, slide shows, or character presentations presented by the Eagle Bluff staff. Naturalist programs are unlike day-classes; they are designed to help students wind-down after an exciting day, they may include other schools, and are presented to groups of up to 250 people. Due to staff availability, we will choose programs for your group based on your students’ ages. You may rank your naturalist program preferences on your scheduling form, but our ability to accommodate requests may be limited.
MOSS Stories
Professor Moss shares “magical” stories of nature and explains the science behind local animal adaptations.
⏱️ 1 hour
🐸 Live animal program
RaptorFORCE
Discover the long relationship between humans and raptors and how we have impacted each other throughout time
⏱️ 1 hour
🦉 Live animal program
RaptorCARE
Understand how Eagle Bluff trains, cares for, and uses our raptor ambassadors for educational purposes.
⏱️ 1 hour
🦉 Live animal program
STARLAB
Explore the seasonal constellations, their science, and their stories in our very own planetarium.
⏱️ 1 hour
Invasive Species
Learn the impacts of invasive species on ecosystems and how you can help.
⏱️ 1 hour
🐢 Live animal program
RaptorPHYSICS
Learn the principles of flight and how birds have adapted to sustain flying.
⏱️ 1 hour
🦉 Live animal program
Rattled
Observe the unique adaptations and behaviors of one of Minnesota’s only venomous snakes.
⏱️ 1 hour
🐍 Live animal program
Unhuggables
Hear the myths and realities of typical “nuisance” animals and the positive impacts they have on ecosystems.
⏱️ 1 hour
🦨 Live animal program
Legends in the Sky
Listen to and act out star stories from all over the world to learn about the similarities and differences between cultures.
⏱️ 1 hour
Reptiles
Gain knowledge on some of Minnesota’s reptiles: how they live, what makes them unique, and why they are important.
⏱️ 1 hour
🐍 Live animal program
Spiders, Ticks, & Mosquitos
Find out the roles of these disliked creatures in the natural world and discover the parts they play in the ecosystem.
⏱️ 1 hour
🕷️ Live animal program
Nighttime Neighbors
Learn about Minnesota’s nocturnal animals and how their senses differ from ours.
⏱️ 1 hour
🦨 Live animal program
Evening Activities
Evening Activities are led by your school staff or chaperones from 7:30-9:00 p.m. Please download your activity’s lesson plan from below and ensure that the adults leading the activities have a copy of the lesson plans in advance. Your Eagle Bluff liaison will have your supplies available, set-up the classroom, and assist with directions and answer questions prior to the start of the evening activity. They are designed to be flexible and meet a variety of your needs.
Campfire
Enjoy each other’s company and the outdoors over a fire. Staff or group-led; s’mores optional.
· Full Lesson Plan
· Teacher Packet
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🌙 Outdoor
✔️ Group bonding and enjoyment
Eagle Bluff Olympics
Get competitive with mentally and physically challenging team activities.
· Quick Reference Guide
· Full Lesson Plan
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🏢 Indoor
✔️ Team building and challenges
S.T.E.A.M. Experiments
Explore various Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math topics by working together to complete experiments.
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🏢 Indoor
✔️ Team building and challenges
Night Hike
Enjoy each other’s company and the outdoors over a fire. Staff or group-led; s’mores optional.
· Quick Reference Guide
· Full Lesson Plan
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🌙 Outdoor
✔️ Group bonding and enjoyment
Owl Pellets
Investigate owls through the dissection of their pellets. Extra charge per pellet.
· Quick Reference Guide
· Full Lesson Plan
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🏢 Indoor
✔️ Exploration and observation
Project Teamwork
Keep the group bonding going through a variety of activities which cultivate teamwork.
· Quick Reference Guide
· Full Lesson Plan
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🏢 Indoor
✔️ Team building and challenges
Yard Games
Get competitive with mentally and physically challenging team activities.
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🌙 Outdoor
✔️ Group bonding and enjoyment
Movie
Relax after a long day of activities with a movie night; bring your own or use our Netflix.
⏱️ 1.5 hours
🏢 Indoor
✔️ Group bonding and enjoyment
Your Choice
Students love it when you customize your own activity! Popular choices include: talent shows, capture the flag, journaling, board games, or gaga ball.
Trip Journals
General Student Pages
Evening Activity Pages
Class-Specific Pages
Naturalist Program Page
A journal page designed for use with any Naturalist Program (there are no program-specific pages.) You will need one page per night you are at Eagle Bluff.
Teacher Manual
The teacher manual include tips for helping with journals, as well as keys for crossword puzzles and word finds.