Bring your curious students to the Preserve for a valuable experience in science and the great outdoors. Our leaders encourage students to use all their senses to experience nature in way that will give them a better understanding of the concepts presented in your classroom. We offer enthusiastic leaders, low leader-student ratios, and reasonable fees. Our programs are aligned with the Michigan Science Grade Level Content Expectations, and are led by environmental educators and Calvin College Student Program Leaders.
Program Topics
Below are our most popular school programs. Click on the link to download our Program Information Sheets with the description of the program, state education standards correlations, and suggested pre & post activities to compliment your visit.
- Sensory Adventures: Exploring Nature Using Our Senses for Pre-K & K classes (Fall & Spring)
- Amazing Animals of West Michigan for 1st - 3rd grades (Fall & Spring)
- Beech Maple Forest Exploration for 1st - 6th grades (Fall & Spring)
- Michigan's Terrific Trees for 1st - 3rd grades (Fall only)
- Michigan's Terrific Trees for 4th - 6th grades (Fall only)
- Critters in the Cold for Pre-K to 5th grades (Late Fall & Winter only)
- Wildflowers in the Spring for 2nd - 6th grades (Spring only)
Additional Topics - Depending on the size of the group, grade level, season, and the availability of our staff, we can also teach programs on the following topics: Birds in the Winter, Birds in the Spring, Food Chains and Food Webs, Gyotaku Art Class (Fish Printing), Life in a Pond (Aquatic Macro invertebrates), Michigan's Frogs and Reptiles, Naked Trees & Winter Twigs, Nature Journaling and Sketching, Seeds, Wild Turkeys, White-tailed Deer, and Winter Weather. Contact Jeanette Henderson to discuss the details.
6th-12th Grade Students - We can also lead general natural history walks through the preserve discussing more about the plants and animals that live here and the research projects conducted at the preserve. Building tours showcasing our composting toilets, gray water treatment system, and other green building features are also available. Contact Jeanette Henderson to discuss the details.
Program Logistics - Planning Your Visit
Scheduling - School programs are generally scheduled Monday through Friday during the following times: 9-10:30 a.m.│10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m.│12:45-2:15 p.m. Homeschool programs are typically scheduled at 10:45 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Depending on staff availability, we may be able to accommodate other periods of time and program lengths.
- Fall Season is from late September to mid November. Registration for the Fall Season opens at the beginning of September.
- Winter Season is during the month of February. Registration for the Winter Season opens at the beginning of January.
- Spring Season is from mid April to mid May. Registration for the Spring Season opens at the beginning of March.
Fee and Payment - The fee is $2 per student for a 90 minute program. Additional fees may apply for longer programs and art classes. School staff members are free. For every 10 students, one adult chaperone is admitted free of charge. Additional adult chaperones and siblings are $2 per individual. Fees are due on the day of your program, and can be paid by cash or check (made out to Calvin College). If you cannot afford these fees, please contact Jeanette Henderson to discuss further options. (Currently, National Heritage Academy Schools are eligible to attend our programs free of charge, thanks to a funding grant.)
Group Size - Group size is limited to 50-60 students per program. (The minimum number of students is 8.) If you have more students, please plan on scheduling additional programs in other time slots. We also ask that for every 10 students, you provide 1 adult chaperone. We believe that smaller groups make for more effective programs; Pre-K and K groups are provided 1 leader for every 8-10 students, and all other grade levels are provided 1 leader for every 10-12 students.
Weather - The majority of our programs take place outside. Please have students dress appropriately for the weather and walking the trails (layers of clothing, sturdy foot wear, jackets/raincoats, mittens/hats/scarf). In extreme weather, programs may be modified or substituted with an indoor lesson plan. All programs are held regardless of weather, unless your group decides to cancel. Due to limited openings, most programs may not be able to be rescheduled.
A note about our Student Program Leaders - We view our programming here at the CCEP as a two way road. Your students have the unique opportunity to become teachers themselves as they interact with our program leaders. The majority of our programs are taught by college students under the direction of Jeanette Henderson, CCEP Program Manager. These students specifically seek out the opportunity to practice their teaching and leadership skills in a real world setting. Working with your students is an important step in their professional development. Student program leaders go through training on environmental educational methods and the natural history of the preserve. Please remember that teaching is a practiced skill, and that it takes time for student program leaders to become experts in leading these programs. Thus, we ask for your understanding as your students and our students engage in a mutually educational experience.
Registration
To schedule a program, please contact Julie Wilbourn. Please have the following information available:
- School/Organization name and names of teachers
- Contact information (phone number and email)
- Desired program topic and preferred dates and times and alternates
- Grade level and number of students and adults
- Any special needs/requests
Reservations are taken on a first come-first serve basis. Confirmations will be e-mailed before your visit. Please distribute the information to all participating teachers, and inform us of any changes.
