year-round classesSTUDENTS
Programs start at $4 per student and increase at $1 per program per student. ADULTS One free adult admission for every 10 students $3 admission for additional adults Ask about scholarships funded by:
John Deere Foundation Quad Cities Cultural Trust American Chemical Society (Plant Science classes align with NGSS science standards) |
An Ant’s LifeStudents will learn about ant life underground and how the colony works together to survive. They will interact as an ant colony through an active simulation.
Beautiful BatsUnderstand what these nocturnal creatures do for our environment and explore the bats’ unique adaptations.
ButterfliesLearn about area butterflies and why butterflies need our help.
Carnivorous PlantSIntroduction to the fascinating world of meat-eating plants and why they eat insects.
FAIRY GARDEN LOREGardens have many beautiful creatures and plants. Discover the mystery behind fairy lore and how it was influenced by nature. This is a hands-on exploration of Pat’s Garden.
Flower/Plant PartSStudy various parts of plants and flowers. Dissect a real flower if available during your visit.
Green House Tour/PlantingExperience the greenhouse and learn about plant survival. Each student will take a planted seed or plant home.
Insect Investigation
Discover the insects that inhabit the Center. Students will be able to see several families of insects and try to catch their own.
Life in the RainforestWe share the benefits of the tropical rainforest and confiscated rainforest products will be shown.
Mississippi River Ecosystem
The Mississippi is an important resource for drinking water, wildlife habitat and commerce. Choose from three different activities:
1) River pollution 2) Wildlife and plants 3) River Impacts: human and invasive species MUSICAL PLANTSDiscover how to make musical instruments with natural items like pinecones during this interactive activity.
PLANT SCIENCEInvestigate how a plant works from the inside using dissecting scopes and testing the nutrients that sustain life of the plant. $1 off subsidy through the local American Chemical Society.
Pollinators
Learn what pollinates our plants and how they are important to us. Students engage with our newly planted Pollinator Habitat Gardens. A fun pollinator quiz will test their knowledge.
SENSATIONAL SOILSLearn about soil and how it helps plants grow. Discover how soil is made and what is in it.
Sun Garden Tour
Enjoy an interactive tour with your senses in the tropical Sun Garden.
Terrific Terrariums
Explore a terrarium’s ecological connection to our earth. Students will build a terrarium to take home. Additional supply fee of $1 per child.
Vermicomposting
Create and use compost made from worms. This hands-on activity investigates how worms help break down our organic waste.
Water Cycle
Water is essential to our planet and students will discover how it moves in our environment. An interactive simulation activity will teach students about the water cycle.
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SEASONAL CLASSES |
Bees: (Spring AND SUMMER only)Learn about the natural history of bees and why they are important.
Leaf It to the Trees: (Spring and Fall)
Learn about many different species of trees and how they grow. Includes creating your own leaf print artwork!
SPRING FLOWERS: (spring only)Spring is a special time when plants are coming back into bloom. Discover why spring plants come up at this time of year, and weather permitting, take a walk outside and see these wonders of nature.
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EARLY CHILDHOOD (PRE-K) |
BACKYARD FAIRIESNature is all around us. See how a little girl explores her backyard looking for fairies and discovering nature instead. We will explore our gardens and look for how fairies and nature are tied together in a fun lesson about how nature grows.
Big Books and PuppetSA variety of big books are read while hand puppets are used to interpret the story. (Rainforests, gardening and more)
Hey, Little Ant
Help a young boy decide whether or not he should squish an ant and learn how ants are a lot like us!
The Curious Garden
A little boy named Liam discovers a struggling garden and decides to take care of it. As time passes, the garden spreads throughout the dark, gray city, transforming it into a lush, green world.
The Lorax
Come explore environmentalism through the legend of the Lorax and a Thneed, then make your own Lorax- themed project.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar
Learn about insect metamorphosis with a focus on enhancing student counting and color identification skills.
TOPS AND BOTTOMSGardening is fun for the rabbit and bear, but discover which parts of the plant we eat and how it grows with a hands-on activity.
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
Up in the garden, the world is full of green leaves, sprouts, vegetables and ripening fruit. Down in the dirt a busy world exists, where earthworms dig, snakes hunt and the animals make gardens their home.
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