Youth

From the list provided below, you can select a topic appropriate for your youth group. Due to the number of requests, we ask you to electronically submit your request via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Youth Programs at least 30-45 days prior to your event. Each request will be reviewed in the order of the date received. After scheduling a program, we will email you speaker information and program details. Currently, youth presentations are offered at no cost. However, donations are always accepted.

Kids Learn About Series for Ages 5-12

Birds in Our Backyard

Ages 5-8 Children will move through three stations* and learn about three different “types” of birds: cardinal (songbird), goose (waterfowl), and red-tailed hawk (raptor). Each station includes:

• bird’s habitats,
• anatomy (the goose table will include an activity related to webbed feet),
• food (the cardinal table will include making a bag of food for songbirds),
• and nest descriptions (the red-tailed hawk table will include a craft making a red-tailed hawk mini nest).

A passport is provided for the children to use at each station or separately to provide take-home information. 45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person 

Compost Pizza

Ages 5-10 This lesson introduces children to the process and value of composting. They learn what compost is, what materials are needed to make compost, the process that makes compost, specifically the role of decomposers, and how using compost benefits our plants and the earth. The lesson involves the children placing laminated photos of various materials on a "compost pizza" form. The presenter will bring a plant grown in healthy composted soil and one grown in clay to emphasize the importance of soil quality. 20-30 minutes (depending on age), in-person lecture with hands-on interaction

Leave the Leaves: Who's Hiding in Your Yard Over Winter?

Ages 5-10 This interactive lesson teaches children the importance of the presence of leaves under the trees and other natural elements to provide overwintering habitats for our butterflies, moths, queen bumblebees (and even a toad). Life-sized replicas of different life stages of five butterflies and moths that overwinter are hidden, along with a queen bee and toad, in a large plastic bin with soil, leaves, logs, stones, and plants for the children to gently hunt. When found, the children (individually) must place their animal on a box, eventually opened, that contains informational photos of that animal. The presenter will emphasize how these animals would not survive over the winter if no leaves, soil, logs, or stones were available in their yard. Older children can be taught that without these animals, the food web will break down, resulting in an unhealthy ecosystem in the yard. 20-30 minutes (depending on age), in-person lecture with children, hands-on interaction

Make a Pretend Compost Bin!

Ages 5-10 program combines the Compost Pizza lesson plus hands-on material for making a pretend compost bin, which includes “clean” leaves, straw, paper, cardboard, grass, plant debris, soil, some real vegetables, etc., and simulated wooden food (meat, cheese, milk, etc.) Plus, there are photos and plastic figures of decomposers (insects, millipedes, flies, worms, bacteria, and fungi). Children (and even adults) will learn what brown and green items are by removing them from a pretend garbage bin and placing them into the green, brown, and BAD STUFF buckets before placing applicable items into the compost bin. The presenter will bring the same items as the Compost Pizza program (composted soil, plants grown in composted soil vs. plants grown in poor soil) to show the benefits of using the compost method. 30 minutes (depending on age), in-person lecture with hands-on interaction

Our Fantastic Fireflies!

Ages 6-10 Children will move through three stations* and learn about:

• the fireflies and their importance (includes a demo of their habitat, including larvae),
• a demo of the different species’ light patterns (with a related activity children can do),
• and craft making a firefly using plastic egg and tea light. 

45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person

Pollination…Using Simplified Interactive Flower Parts!

Ages 5-10 Children learn the basic parts of the flower that are involved in cross-pollination and seed production with a board containing removable flower parts. The connection between pollination and resulting seed/fruit production is emphasized, including the importance of what foods they eat that require pollination. If time permits, examples of real flowers will be available for the instructor to demonstrate the similarities and differences between the flower parts. 20-30 minutes, in-person lecture with children, hands-on interaction

Seed Germination and Beyond: A Sneak Peek at the Life Cycle of a Plant

Ages 5-8 Children learn the basics for seed germination and continued growth to occur. Using a felt board with a removable felt flower pot, soil, seed, plants in progression, and sun and water, children can observe and interact with what happens in the soil, from seed germination to flowering plants. 20 minutes, in-person lecture with children, hands-on interaction

Spring Pollinators: Our Spring Bees

Ages 6-10 Children will move through three stations* and learn about:

• the spring mason and leafcutter bees and their importance (includes making a “fortune teller” for mason bee info),
• their nest description (by observing an enlarged example of the insides of a mason bee column and a nest),
• and making their own mason bee house with plant stems. 

45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person 

The Amazing Monarch Butterfly

Ages 8-12 Children will learn all about the Monarch butterfly, including what the egg, caterpillar, chrysalis, and adult stages look like and what metamorphosis means. They will be shown photos of milkweed and review how important this plant is for the Monarch caterpillar. The presentation will finish with an explanation of the Monarch's amazing migration and the beauty of the overwintering sites in Mexico.

30 minutes, PowerPoint/lecture, virtual or in-person*

*Depending on the season, we will bring milkweed seeds and Monarch caterpillars, chrysalids, and adults.

What Makes a Bug an Insect?

Ages 6-8 Children will move through four stations* and learn about:

• the anatomy of an insect (which includes creating one on a piece of paper),
• making an insect with playdough (this can be replaced with another craft if playdough is not advisable),
• an insect scavenger hunt with insect replicas hidden in the designated area,
• and a LIVE station that has a variety of insects to observe (so spring/summer is best for this program).

45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person 

Why Leaves are to be Loved!

Ages 6-8 Children will move through three stations* and learn about:

• the different types of tree leaves & why leaves are important for the tree,
• learn why leaves are important for the ecosystem while on the tree and fallen to ground (includes an activity of hunting for simulated creatures (caterpillars, pupae, adult butterflies and moths, queen bees) in the leaves/soil/rocks under trees,
• and a craft involving leaf rubbings.

45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person 

Worm Farming

Ages 5-10 Children will move through three stations* and learn about:

• worms & anatomy (can pet a worm),
• spinner game on food acceptable for worms to decompose,
• and make a mini worm farm to take home.

A passport is provided for the children to use at each station or separately to provide take-home information. 45 minutes (or shorter if selecting the “a la cart” option), in-person   

* Presentation does NOT need to be in station format. Each section (station) can be selected by the organization "a la cart."

Please submit your request at least 30-45 days prior to your event via the Speakers Bureau Request Form - Youth Programs.