Outreach Programs

The Nature Institute (TNI) offers outreach programs for all ages! Our Education Team will bring nature exploration to your school, library, afterschool program, scout meeting, and more! Programs are available Tuesday through Friday during the school year. Very limited summer slots are available. Outreach programs must be booked 2 weeks in advance.

Program Length: 30 – 60 minutes
  • Educational programs are facilitated by our staff and volunteers
  • All materials needed for the program are brought to you!
Program Size: 30 students/program
  • Programs can be scheduled back to back for multiple classes.
  • Contact us if you would like to arrange a large group program or assembly.
Program Cost: Contact Us for Pricing
  • Mileage fees ($0.70/mi) will apply for organizations more than 15 miles away.
  • Additional programs booked on the same day receive a discounted fee.
  • Program fees vary depending on size, time, and additional details. Please reach out to us for accurate pricing.

Outreach Booking Procedure:

  1. Please contact us at (618) 466-9930 or lscull@thenatureinstitute.org.
  2. Please include your name, group size, location, and requested topics or programs.
  3. We will create a custom program for you. After both parties have agreed on a date, time, and program, you will receive an electronic invoice.
  4. Invoices must be paid 1 month in advance of the program.

Questions? Contact us at lscull@thenatureinstitute.org.

Students

Description: TNI educators will bring our inflatable planetarium to your classroom. Identify stars and planets up close. Learn the stories behind constellations! 

Special requirements: Our planetarium is 10 feet high and requires an outlet. The planetarium can be set up inside or outside. Maximum of 20 students inside the planetarium at a time. Not recommended for outside use in temperatures above 75oF.

Length: 30 minutes

Grade: 2nd and up

Description: Round and round we go, exploring the water cycle! Play a game as a water droplet, examine what lives in the water, and investigate how water moves through our watershed.

Length: 45 minutes

Grade: 3rd – 5th

Get down and dirty with all of the things that make soil interesting. Students will get to examine worms up close, use their sense of touch like a mole underground, and pretend to be a plant growing in the ground!

Length: 30 minutes

Grade: PreK – 1st

Description: Investigate mammal characteristics through skull, track, and fur activities! 

Length: 45 minutes

Grade: 2nd – 5th

What effect does the human population have on local wildlife? What about the factors affecting wildlife populations? Find out the answers to these questions and more in this special interactive program.

Length: 45 minutes

Grade: 4th – 8th

Did you know that Illinois is home to 13 species of bats? Students will practice using tools like a bat biologist, such as weighing and measuring some North American bat models. 

Length: 45 minutes

Grade: 4th – 8th

Adult Programs

These 45–60-minute programs provide an overview of the topic listed and include audio visual elements.

Learn more about how you can make your yard more friendly to native pollinators and birds by adding native flowering species to your home landscaping. Native plants are adapted to live in our sometimes harsh midwest environments and will come back year after year. While they are not maintenance-free, generally they are better at thriving with less intense work.

Length: 45-60 minutes

Let’s identify some common birds in Illinois. We will discuss their adaptations and behaviors based on the season. We will talk about bird feeding and the different types of feeders to attract different birds.

Length: 30-45 minutes

Do you know how the Mississippi River came into existence? Let’s explore a little bit about how the river was formed and how humans impact the normal flow of the river. We will discuss tectonic movement, glaciers, and flooding as part of this talk.

Length: 30-45 minutes

Did you know that Illinois is home to 13 species of bats? Dive into the morphology, adaptations, and study methods for bats.

Length: 60 minutes

Professional Development for Educators

The Nature Institute offers professional development opportunities for formal and nonformal educators. Workshop fees vary based on the selected training and group size. Please contact us for more information or to schedule. Workshops can take place at TNI or at your site.

Deposit/Cancellation Policy

Effective Spring 2020, TNI will require full payment for outreach programs received no later than 30 days before the program date. You will receive an invoice and a final confirmation from our staff once your program is on the calendar.

This payment is only refundable in the case of TNI needing to cancel the program due to unforeseen circumstances. If a school cancels their outreach program within two weeks of their scheduled date, payment amount minus a $25 processing fee will be returned to the school.

Contact

If you would like more information regarding Outreach Programs at TNI, please call us at 618-466-9930 or email us at info@thenatureinstitute.org.

Interested in a custom, virtual, or college outreach program? Contact Lauren Scull, the Director of Education, at lscull@thenatureinstitute.org.