Is your parent and guardian group interested in learning about and practicing how to best engage and support students’ nature and science learning?
Let nature drive your students’ exploration of their environment to develop science skills like critical thinking, communication, and collaboration, which are important life and 21st century skills. Local and urban nature is also an accessible entry point for social and emotional learning.
A Parent and Guardian Virtual Field Trip Workshop builds parents’ comfort and confidence with engaging students in real world learning experiences around nature and science topics.
Jump To: Workshops | Cost & Registration
Workshops
Parents will participate in a two hour interactive virtual workshop. Participants will virtually explore the Museum’s exhibits as their students would, practice strategies that support students’ learning outside of school, and leave with digital resources to support their continued learning and exploration. The workshops are designed around developmentally appropriate practices, so consider the workshop that most closely aligns with the grade ranges of the students your group supports.
From Our Exhibit:
Butterfly Body Parts
Designed for parents/guardians of students in preK-K
Join us amongst the butterflies in our most popular exhibit—the Judy Istock Butterfly Haven! During a rich sensory exploration, students will observe beautiful butterfly bodies with a focus on the patterns and colors they notice.
From Our Exhibit:
Frogs & Salamanders Up Close
Designed for parents/guardians of students in 1st-5th grade
Join us behind the scenes in our Istock Family Look in Lab, home for many of the animals in the Nature Museum’s living collection! Students will meet local frogs and salamanders, observe their features and movements, and use critical thinking skills to compare and contrast the animals’ bodies, behaviors, and habitats.
From Our Exhibit:
Turtle Watch
Designed for parents/guardians of students in 1st-5th grade
Join us in Mysteries of the Marsh for a turtle investigation! Students will collect data about two turtles using an ethogram and compare and contrast their behaviors. Students will then analyze the data to make conclusions about the ways different turtles survive in their environments.
From Our Exhibit:
A Collection Close-Up
Designed for parents/guardians of students in 6th-12th grade
Join us in the Beecher Collections Laboratory for an interactive Collections Connection! Students will get a look behind the scenes to learn more about what’s in our natural history collection and why museums keep collections. Then, students will use their observations to generate questions and seek evidence to construct explanations.
Cost & Registration
Each two-hour interactive workshop includes take-away digital resources.
- $400/2-hour interactive workshop
- Payment is due 14 days prior to the program date or the program will be cancelled
Ready to start the conversation? Work with the Nature Museum Education Department to plan your Virtual Field Trip by clicking on the button below.
Questions? Email us at fieldtrip@naturemuseum.org.
Not finding what you’re looking for? Ask us about a Custom Virtual Field Trip Experience!
Do you ever wonder how a butterfly gets its colors? Or how turtles hibernate? Do you wonder how birds know where to migrate each year? For over 160 years, the Chicago Academy of Sciences / Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum has served a unique role in the city of Chicago connecting children of all ages to nature and science through immersive exhibits, fun family events, important conservation research and in-depth education programs, inspiring the wonder in all of us.