Courses

Choose from our courses below or customize one to match your interests!

Birds of Montana

  • 2 hours

    • Scientists and experts from various agencies may join us when available.

    • Learn how to focus and use binoculars correctly for bird observation.

    • Identify several Montana bird species and learn about each observed species.

    • Determine the family, genus, and species of the birds observed.

    • Use bird calls to identify individual birds.

    • Observe and classify mounted bird specimens.

    • Utilize field guides for accurate identification.

Owl Pellet Dissection

  • 2 hours

    • wildlife biologist from varying agencies may accompany us when available

    • learn about the 15 different species of owls that live in Montana

    • be able to identify them by sight and vocalizations

    • explore the vocalizations that owls make

    • dissect an owl pellet to identify their prey

    • classify the bones in the pellet into rodent, bird or other

    • label the bones that are found in the pellet

Local trapper

  • 2 hours

    • Bob, a local resident, will come and talk about trapping and tell stories of his trapping days

    • identify the skins of several animals

    • examine different kinds of traps and determine how they work

    • learn how to get a dog out of a trap

    • identify the best locations for a trap and then set one

Map and Compass

  • 2 -3 hours

    • learn how to use a compass

    • use a Silva compass to walk a determined bearing

    • determine your location using an overhead photo and compass

    • see how fire fighters and lookout tower personnel use compasses to determine the location of a fire

    • use the new skills to make a scavenger hunt for your friends

    • Add another hour or two and use the new skills to get through an orienteering course set up by Grizzly Orienteering. If this extra hour is added a portion of your fees will go towards Grizzly Orienteering to continue the sport throughout Montana.

Hike to Morell Falls

  • 5 hours

    • easy 5 mile round trip hike to the falls in the mountains of Montana

    • learn about and observe the trees, plants, and some animals in the area

    • pending approval

Topographic Maps

  • 2 Hours

    • be able to interpret a topo map

    • learn about elevation, slope, scale

    • create a 3D model of a given section of the topo map

    • create a topo map of the area

    • identify land features

    • use a compass to find a bearing to a land feature

    • difference in contour lines and contour intervals

Montana Mammals

  • 2 hours

    • scientists/experts from varying agencies may accompany us when available

    • if there is a certain mammal that you are interested in we will locate a scientist that works with that animal or is studying it and bring them out to the campus

    • explore different species or specialize in a few (choose the MT mammals you want)

      • learn how to identify them, their habitat, diet and vocalizations

    • Determine the family, genus and species of each

    • observe and classify mounted specimens

    • use field guides

MT Native & Invasive Plants

  • 2 hours

    (Spring is the best time for this course)

    • botanist/scientist/experts from varying agencies may accompany us when available

    • this course has a heavy focus on dichotomous keys

    • use dichotomous keys to identify several common native and invasive plants that live in Montana

    • describe the plants’ role in the ecosystem

    • learn common leaf morphologies

    • students make their own dichotomous keys of a few plants that others will use to identify the plant

    • learn the difference between grasses, forbs, shrubs and trees

Native American Games

  • 2-3 hours

    (Pick a few or do a little bit of each)

    • be able to identify the tribes in Montana and locate them on a map

    • play these games:

      • double ball

      • stick and bone

      • tie up game

      • hoop and arrow (design and make the hoops and arrows for the game)

      • run and scream

      • make the stick jump

Skull Identification

  • 2 hours

    • observe the skulls of over 15 different species

    • learn about the names of several bones in the skull

    • determine if the skull is one of a predator or prey

    • place skulls in family groups

    • use a skull dichotomous key to determine the identity of the skull

Glaciers

  • 2 hours

    • learn how glaciers erode the land

    • get the facts on Glacial Lake Missoula

    • examine and make the landforms that glaciers make

Water Bottle Rocketry

  • 3-4 hours

    • STEM awesomeness!!

    • create individual rockets

    • launch them

    • make modifications and relaunch

    • make more modifications and relaunch

    • maybe even add a parachute and relaunch

    • experiment with different PSI’s and see how it affects the height

Identify Animal Tracks

  • 2 hours

    • wildlife biologist from varying agencies may accompany us when available

    • use guides to accurately identify tracks

    • measure tracks, gait, stride and straddle

    • interpret the tracks

    • identify and follow game trails

    • age the tracks

    • classify tracks by family (ex. ungulate, mustelids, ursidae)

    • probable reasons why the animal is in the area

    • cast tracks when available

    • make your own tracks with molds and casts

Wild Skies Raptor Center

  • 1.5 hours

    • Wild Skies Raptor Center is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization dedicated to providing rescue, rehabilitation, and release of injured raptors in western Montana.

    • Brooke and Jesse will get you up close and personal with live raptors

    • learn about diet, habitat, and other cool facts about individual raptors such as great horned owls, red tailed hawks, merlins, and kestrels, to name a few

    • if this course is selected, a portion of your fees will be donated to Wild Skies to help feed the raptors or get the supplies they need

Telemetry

  • 2 hours

    • Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks or a Blackfoot Challenge employee will host this course

    • receive hands on instruction on how to use telemetry equipment to locate a radio collar and then try it out

    • determine what animals may have radio collars on them and why

    • examine what data can be collected from the radio collars

Break in Boxes

  • 2 hours

    • students will use their problem solving skills and knowledge to figure out the clues to unlock the locks to see what is inside the boxes

    • the topics of these boxes can be earth, life or physical science

Geocaching

  • 4 hours

    • find hidden treasures in the woods off the campus using a GPS unit

    • each student will learn how to enter the latitude and longitude in a GPS unit

    • small groups of students work together to find their geocache while others wait their turn

G Wiz

  • 1-2 hours

    • retired chemistry professor will bestow his magic of chemistry

    • students will get to try out some of the magic

    • learn about different kinds of reactions and how they work

    • for the second hour he has a PPT on how bees were trained to sniff out explosives

Forestry

  • 2 hours

    • foresters from varying agencies may accompany us when available

    • learn about and use the tools that foresters use

    • look at a day/week in the life as a forester

    • take a look into forest management

    • identify individual tree species

    • analyze the cones

    • learn about the areas that certain trees grow

    • use an increment borer to get the age of the tree

    • learn about tree structure

    • get heights of trees using:

      • trigonometric functions

      • a stick and pacing

      • a clinometer

      • a laser

Fire on The landscape

  • 1.5 hours

    • learn about the pros and cons of wild fires

    • explore the fire triangle

    • learn about ladder fuels and experiment with them

    • create a tree to see how it will hold up against a ground fire

    • work with a group to create a forest and see how it holds up to a ground fire

    • When available a Department of Natural Resources and Conservation Fire Operations Specialist will be the lead instructors for this course

Primitive Skills

  • 2-3 hours

    • use an atlatl to throw arrows

    • throw knives

    • make a fire

    • see primitive weapons

    • use a bow drill

    • do some flint knapping

Garnet Ghost Town

  • 4 hours

    • travel to one of the most intact and well preserved ghost towns in Montana

    • BLM Park Rangers or volunteers will teach you about the history of this gold mining town that was booming in 1898

    • take a tour of the Sierra Mine with BLM employees

    • capture some photographs of the area

    • have some time to explore

Archery

  • 2-3 hours

    • learn how to shoot a compound bow at targets

    • understand the physics behind how a bow works

    • learn about local wildlife as we go through the course

Photography

  • 2 hours

    • local professional photographer will help students fine tune their photography skills

    • students use their own phones to take pictures of the outside world

“In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks.” 

― John Muir