Whether you’re a classroom teacher, a school administrator, or a learning pod leader, we have Virtual Field Trip options that are perfect for your group!
As part of your Virtual Field Trip experience, learners will engage in a live and interactive student workshop led by a museum educator. Each workshop leverages locally relevant natural phenomena and unique Nature Museum specimens to foster authentic real-world and student-driven learning experiences. Workshops are grade-band specific and correlate with Next Generation Science Standards.
Explore our full list of workshops below, or click the button to download a printable brochure.
Jump To: Pre-K & K Workshops | 1st-2nd Workshops | 3rd-5th Workshops | 6th-12th Workshops | Cost & Registration
Pre-K & K Workshops
Plant Pals
NGSS: LS1
Be a naturalist through interactive explorations with plants! Students will discover a variety of real plants, observe the main parts of a plant, and use full body movement to model what they learn.
A Habitat Hike
NGSS: LS4, ESS3
Explore the diversity of living things where we live! Students will compare and contrast Chicago-area land and water habitats—and the living things that call those places home—on a virtual hike.
From Our Exhibit:
Butterfly Body Parts
NGSS: LS1
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.
Grades 1-2 Workshops
Seed Investigations
NGSS: LS1, LS2
Explore local plants and seeds! Students will observe different seed parts, and how animals and seeds interact in their environments. Then, they will use their observations to discuss the different ways seeds can move.
Metamorphosing Monarchs
NGSS: LS1
Become a butterfly scientist! Students will learn about butterfly body parts and the ways butterflies grow and change throughout their lives. Then, they will create their own butterfly life cycle models to use to teach others what they know.
From Our Exhibit:
Frogs & Salamanders Up Close
NGSS: LS1
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.
Grades 3-5 Workshops
Invertebrate Investigations
NGSS: LS1
Explore local insects and other
invertebrates! In this investigation, students will observe invertebrate bodies and behaviors close up. Then, we’ll analyze their environmental preferences using data collected during the workshop.
Exploring Butterfly
Conservation
NGSS: LS2, LS4
Observe and compare rare and endangered Midwestern butterflies! Students will learn about the characteristics of native butterfly habitats, the Nature Museum’s conservation research initiatives, and the ways in which people impact local butterfly populations.
From Our Exhibit:
Turtle Watch
NGSS: LS4
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.
Grades 6-12 Workshops
What’s the Buzz About Bees
NGSS: LS1, LS4
Examine various bee specimens from the Nature Museum’s collection! Students will analyze data to determine trends in bee populations and the impact on local ecosystems. Then, they will learn about the relationships between humans and bees through current conservation efforts.
Water Quality Investigation
NGSS: LS2, ESS3
Find out what the macroinvertebrates in
the water really tells us about the water’s quality! Students will learn about water quality indicators, tolerant and intolerant species, and community science initiatives while identifying local macroinvertebrates. Students then use their findings to analyze the health of a water sample.
From Our Exhibit:
A Collection Close-Up
NGSS: ESS3
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
To ensure the quality of the interactive virtual experience, schools may not combine multiple classrooms into one workshop.
- Early Bird Special: $95
$120/45-minute workshop (prices increase November 5!) - Payment is due 14 days prior to the program date or the program will be cancelled.
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.