Nature at School brings Michigan’s great outdoors right into your classroom with free, live, interactive virtual lessons led by DNR educators. Each session is designed with teachers in mind and connects students to real-world science in a way that’s engaging, memorable and curriculum-friendly.
All sessions are completely free — we just ask for a minimum of 10 students to participate. Teaching a smaller group or working with homeschoolers? No problem! Our on-demand webinar series lets any student, parent, or educator jump in and explore at their own pace. You can find them all in our YouTube playlist.
Live virtual programs are available from after Thanksgiving through spring break each year.
Using Michigan's ecosystems as a backdrop, third grade students can dig into how environmental conditions influence animal traits and test whether those traits help animals thrive or struggle in their habitats.
Get ready to step into the world of neighborhood birding as students learn how to observe, identify and record the feathered friends around them. This live session is designed for students in third through 12th grade and is perfect for sparking curiosity about local wildlife.
Fourth grade students can explore plant structures and uncover how each part plays a role in helping plants survive, grow and reproduce.
Introduce your kindergarteners to these incredible ecosystem engineers and discover how their busy building habits shape the environment.
Join DNR educator Craig Kasmer and explore the world of the Kirtland's warbler and the unique jack pine forest habitat it needs to survive. This session is for kindergarten through 12th grade.
In this session, your fifth grade students will uncover how different factors shape and reshape Michigan's iconic dunes over time. It’s a dynamic dive into the geosphere, hydrosphere and biosphere and is perfect for boosting earth science understanding in an exciting, real-world way.
Your third and fourth grade students will discover how different factors shape the world around them. This session is a great way to bring earth science to life with real-world examples and to discuss human impact on the environment!
Join us from Hoffmaster State Park to learn all about fungi of the forest! Your third and fourth grade students discover how scientists classify fungi and what makes these organisms so wonderfully weird and unique. This session is a perfect blend of biology and curiosity — minus the muddy boots!
Take your fourth through 12th graders on a journey through Michigan’s icy past! In this program, your students will explore the glacial forces that carved our state’s unique landforms.
Live from Wolf Lake State Fish Hatchery: Learn about fish biology and how the DNR raises fish to release into Michigan waters. This session is for third through 12th grade.
Your second grade students can investigate how living things impact Earth’s surface and learn how humans can make choices that reduce those effects in this session.
Step back in time with your eighth through 12th graders and explore how the New Deal and the hardworking Civilian Conservation Corps helped shape Ludington State Park into the beloved place we know today. This session is a compelling blend of history, conservation and real-world impact.
Why do mammals have different types of fur? How can you tell what a mammal eats by looking at its teeth? How does a skull tell you about the bite strength? Find out in this session for third through 12th grade.
What happens when food runs low or habitats change? In this session, sixth grade students will explore how food, water and shelter shape Michigan’s mammal populations and what happens when ecosystems shift.
How do animals see, hear and move in the dark? Your first grade students will explore how nocturnal animals use adaptations to survive at night during this session.
Third grade students can explore reptiles and amphibians, discovering how their traits and life cycles set them apart in this session.
As an area that escaped the axes of Michigan's white pine logging era, Hartwick Pines boasts stands of enormous white pines and is the perfect setting to learn about how trees grow, what benefits they provide us and wildlife, and how forests are managed in Michigan. This session is for kindergarten through 12th grade.
In this session, third and fourth grade students will explore how invasive species differ from the native plants and animals they push out. Your students will also discover simple ways we can all help protect Michigan’s ecosystems.
In this program, students from kindergarten through 12th grade will explore the clever ways plants and animals survive the cold months — perfect for sparking curiosity about adaptations and local wildlife.
The Nature at School programs have been well-received by teachers all over the state. See which programs are most popular, what teachers had to say and program statistics below.
