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Como Park Zoo & Conservatory |
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Located in St. Paul, the Como Park Zoo & Conservatory features animal exhibits, educational programs, and special exhibits. |
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Lake Superior Zoological Gardens |
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The Lake Superior Zoo is located in the beautiful lakeside city of Duluth. Features the two-story Diana Monkey exhibit, Australian Collection, Northern Territory, Polar Shores and the Primate Conservation Center.
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Minnesota Zoological Garden |
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Located in Apple Valley, the Minnesota Zoo is situated on 500 acres in Dakota County. The collection currently stands at about 2,300 animals, with 105 animals representing 15 species on the United States Endangered Species Act list. |
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Mississippi National River & Recreation Area |
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Used by Native Americans for trade, food, and water long before Europeans visited the “New World,” the Mississippi River and its watershed is a major contributor to the ecology, culture, politics and economy of the North American continent. To acknowledge this fact, Congress established the Mississippi National River and Recreation Area in 1988. The park’s boundaries enclose about 54,000 acres and 72 miles of river. They describe a narrow corridor of land on either side of the Mississippi from Dayton and Ramsey, MN on the north boundary past Hastings, MN on the south border. Only 35 acres are owned by the Park Service. These 72 miles are a significant and representative stretch of the Mississippi. They contain the only gorge and waterfall on the main course of the entire 2,350 miles of river. Named St. Anthony Falls in 1680, the falls were later used to generate power for logging, flour milling, and electricity for a growing population. Less than ten miles away, the confluence of the Mississippi and Minnesota rivers was an early outpost for the American military and an important crossroads for fur traders. Further downstream, St. Paul marked the upper end of steamboat navigation and was the jumping off place for tens of thousands of settlers. And the Vermillion River bottoms are excellent examples of floodplain forest ecology. From visitor centers to trails, from industrial centers to Mississippi River backwaters, this park has a bit of something for everyone. |
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North Country National Scenic Trail |
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The North Country National Scenic Trail links scenic, natural, historic, and cultural areas in seven northern states. The approximately four thousand mile long trail incudes a variety of hikes from easy walking to challenging treks. When completed, through the efforts of many people, the trail will become the longest continuous hiking trail in the United States. From the Missouri River in North Dakota to the shores of Lake Champlain in New York, the trail allows hikers to experience a variety of features, from clear-flowing streams, to thick Northern woods, from vast prairies to clean lakes.
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The Bell Museum of Natural History |
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Located in Minneapolis, the Bell Museum has exceptional scientific collections. Nearly 4 million specimens—mammals, birds, fishes, plants, mollusks and insects—provide opportunities for research and learning. From Eurasia to South America, Bell Museum scientists collect specimens to build the museum's biological collections, which serve as an international library for scientific research. In addition to collections from around the globe, the Bell Museum has the largest collection documenting Minnesota's biodiversity. |
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Voyageurs National Park |
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The park lies in the southern part of the Canadian Shield, representing some of the oldest exposed rock formations in the world. This bedrock has been shaped and carved by at least four periods of glaciation. The topography of the park is rugged and varied; rolling hills are interspersed between bogs, beaver ponds, swamps, islands, small lakes and four large lakes. In the years since the last glaciation, a thin layer of soil has been created which supports the boreal forest ecosystem, the "North Woods" of Voyageurs National Park. This land is rich in human history. Named for the Voyageurs, French-Canadian canoe-men who traveled these waters in their birch-bark canoes from the Great Lakes to the interior of the western United States and Canada. Modern voyageurs continue to ply these waters. The water, accompanying scenery, geology and rich cultural and natural resources that give Voyageurs its national significance, merits its protection for the enjoyment of present and future generations. On the northern edge of Minnesota's border, 55 miles of the park meander along the Canadian border with Ontario. Voyageurs is about 15 miles east of International Falls, MN and 300 miles north of Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN. |
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Arbor Day National Poster Contest |
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Join over 74,000 fifth grade classrooms and home schools across America in the Arbor Day National Poster Contest. The theme chosen will increase your students’ knowledge of how trees produce and conserve energy. The free Activity Guide includes activities to use with fifth grade students to teach the importance of trees in producing and conserving energy. These activities correlate with National Science and Social Study Standards. The Guide also includes all of the information you need for poster contest participation. |
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Kids' Book Project |
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Kids between the ages of 10 and 14 can submit essays reflecting on the splendor of nature. Winners receive cash prizes and will have their essays published in a book. |
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Apologia publishes several science textbooks that are especially suited to the homeschool environment. They are filled with easy to understand lessons and experiments which can easily be performed at home. The curriculum is also backed by a question/answer support system. This set of textbooks is written under the "Exploring Creation" name. There are three elementary level texts:
Their middle school and high school texts include:
- Exploring Creation With General Science
- Exploring Creation With Physical Science
- Exploring Creation With Biology
- Exploring Creation With Chemistry
- Exploring Creation With Physics
- The Human Body: Fearfully and Wonderfully Made
- Exploring Creation With Marine Biology
- Advanced Chemistry in Creation
- Advanced Physics in Creation
- Plus other texts
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Considering God's Creation is a creative in-depth encounter with natural science from a biblical perspective. It is adaptable for grades 2-7. This is a large 272-page book that comes with a Teacher's Manual with audio CD. |
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Great Science Adventures is a series of books that offer a creative approach to learning science. Each one showcases the series' method of using creative, hands-on activities to enhance exploratory learning. Each book contains 24 lessons, with 2-3 lessons completed each week. The unique format contains activities and basic content appropriate for grades K through 8. Perfect for multilevel teaching or if you want to challenge your advanced students individually. Titles include:
- Discovering the Human Body and Senses
- The World of Tools and Technology
- Discovering Earth's Landforms and Surface Features
- The World of Space
- The World of Insects and Arachnids
- The World of Plants
- The World of Light and Sound
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Stratton House sells hands-on science kits with everything you need, including equipment and lessons. They are designed for children in grades 1-8, with the added bonus of allowing different ages to work together. In fact, each kit has enough equipment for two children to share, with extra supplies for additional children available. Subjects covered include astronomy, birds, magnetism, insects, optics, microscope use, and more. |
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A History of Science is not a textbook, but is a guide to help parents and children study science through literature. It is intended for children in elementary grades. |
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With Jim Arnosky as your guide, an ordinary hike becomes an eye-opening experience. He'll help you spot a hawk soaring far overhead and note the details of a dragonfly up close. Study the black-and-white drawings -- based on his own field research -- and you'll discover if those tracks in the brush were made by a deer or a fox. In his celebrated style, this author, artist, and naturalist enthusiastically shares a wealth of tips. Jim Arnosky wants you to enjoy watching wildlife. He carefully explains how field marks, shapes, and location give clues for identifying certain plants and animals wherever you are. He gives hints for sharpening observational skills. And he encourages you to draw and record birds, insects, shells, animal tracks, and other finds from a busy day's watch. |
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CM Nature Walk & Nature Study Group |
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This group is set up as a resource for enhancing your own Nature Walks and Nature Study activities within your Charlotte Mason homeschool or co-op group. |
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