Looking for an exciting and engaging way to upgrade your out-of-school time programming?
The Nature Museum Science Enrichment Series brings an experienced Museum educator to your school to lead your students through an inquiry-based education program with a focus on local species and habitats.
Take the guesswork and prep work out of science programming with our hands-on curriculum, packed, prepared, and ready for your students. Your community and school families will also have the opportunity to take a field trip to the Nature Museum complete with bus reimbursement in addition to Museum educator visits to your school. Plus, our educators will work with your teachers directly to build their capacity and confidence to continue leading high quality STEM programming at your school long after the series is complete. Use your school’s out-of-school time funding to bring fun, engaging, and rigorous educational STEM programming to your students.
Jump To: Program Highlights | Curriculum Choices | Schedule | Registration
Science Enrichment Series Highlights
Program components that include STEM, Professional Development, and Family Engagement.
At your school/community center:
- 3 Museum educator taught lessons with unique museum specimens
- 6 lesson curriculum comes packed with hands-on materials prepped and ready to go
- Additional lesson extension activities and asynchronous virtual Museum connections
- Pre-visit and post-visit field trip activities
At the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum:
- PD workshop to build partner educator confidence to teach 3 lessons and receive up to 1.5 PD hours
- Take a Community & Family Field Trip to the Nature Museum with bus reimbursement
Science Enrichment Series Curriculum Choices

Invertebrate Investigators
Grades: 1-2
Observe and explore the different invertebrates that live in, on, and under the ground right outside your classroom!

Neighborhood Nature Detectives
Grades: 3-5
Discover the plants and animals that make up some of the nature in your neighborhood!

Urban Wildlife Explorers
Grades: 6-8
Become a community scientist and explore the biodiversity of your neighborhood!
Implementation Schedule
Teacher Workshops will be held at the beginning of each quarter, for implementation in that quarter, on a schedule that works for your after school programming.
Registration is currently open for programming held in any of the quarters below.
Quarter 1
September 18, 2023 –
November 10, 2023
Quarter 2
November 13, 2023 –
February 2, 2024
Quarter 3
February 5, 2024 –
April 5, 2024
Quarter 4
April 8, 2024 –
May 31, 2024
Cost & Registration
- $1,600/classroom or group
- To ensure the quality of the interactive experience, schools may not combine multiple classrooms into one group.
- Maximum group size is 30 students.
- Distance limitations may apply.
- Payment or an open PO is due 14 days prior to the program date or the program will be cancelled.
Complete the registration form linked below to share your group specific information and start planning with the Nature Museum Education Department.
Questions? Email us at studentprograms@naturemuseum.org.