Calling all Educators and School Administrators! This winter, sign-up for free, enriching programs that bring the natural and cultural wonders of Voyageurs National Park to your students!
Voyageurs Conservancy and the National Park Service have crafted engaging K-8 and high school educational experiences that connect students to Minnesota’s national park through hands-on learning. Our lessons support national and state standards, including the Next Generation Science Standards and Minnesota Social Studies Standards.
Keep reading to discover and sign-up for Winter 2024 Voyageurs Classroom programs open to local communities, Minnesota youth, and classrooms across the nation! Spots are limited, so register early. Questions? Please email our Education Team at education@voyageurs.org
Boreal Stargazing Week
February 10 - 18, 2024
Grades K-12
Open to any school in the nation!
Bring your students out of their desk and into the largest International Dark Sky Region in the world - right here in Minnesota! By signing up for the Boreal Stargazing Week, your classroom will receive live FREE virtual programs from the Voyageurs Conservancy, Friends of the Boundary Waters, Expeditions in Education, and NASA on the wonders of dark skies.
Students will learn about these protected lands, the importance of dark skies, and how we can protect them.
Virtual Kickoff to Boreal Stargazing Week
Pre-recorded video intro, released Week of February 5th
Winter Night Skies & The Aurora Borealis with Voyageurs Conservancy (Virtual Program)
Monday, February 12th
1pm CST/2pm EST
Grades 4 - 12
Dark Sky Magic with Expeditions in Education (Virtual Program)
Tuesday, February 13th
12pm CST/1pm EST
Grades K - 6
The Long Tour and The Big Plunge: The Lucy and DAVINCI missions at NASA Goddard (Virtual Program)
Thursday, February 15th
1pm CST/2pm EST
Grades 4 - 12
Credit: Mark Miller / NPS
Snowshoeing at Voyageurs National Park
February 26 - March 8, 2024
Grades 2-5
Open to local schools in Koochiching and St. Louis County
Snowshoe Field Trips are back! Bring your students to the Rainy Lake Visitor Center for a day of winter exploration while learning about animal tracks and snowshoes.
Basic Snowshoe: Snowshoe Shuffle
Grades 2 - 5
This program is geared towards younger students or students who have never snowshoed before
Students will learn how to put on snowshoes as well as learn about the history of snowshoes and the different types available. Afterwards, students will go on a snowshoe hike along the Oberholtzer trail.
Intermediate: Tracking by Snowshoe
Grades 4 - 5
This program is for 4th and 5th graders that have previously participated in the Snowshoe Shuffle or have some prior snowshoe experience.
Students will start indoors and learn how to identify different animal tracks found in the park. Once outdoors, students will lace up their snowshoes and practice their tracking skills using a track ID card.
Voyageurs Dark Sky Virtual Classroom
March 11 - April 19, 2024
Upper Elementary
Open to any school in the nation!
The Dark Sky Classroom brings the wonder of the night sky and Voyageurs National Park to your classroom! Our lesson plans support national and state standards, including Next Generation Science Standards.
Choose from Northern Lights, Light Pollution, and Moon Phases lessons featuring the Ojibwe Lunar Calendar!
Teachers complete the pre-activity before joining Voyageurs Conservancy for a LIVE virtual classroom visit. The post-activity gives students a chance to dive into the topic and share what they've learned with a dark sky expert!
Thanks to generous support from our grant partners, all Voyageurs Virtual Classroom programs are FREE to schools in 2024.
MN National Parks Teacher Workshop
Saturday, January 20
10am - 2pm
Free, Registration limited to 40 participants, 4 CEUs available
Calling all teachers! Minnesota has National Park sites across the state - do you know how to connect? How are you bringing the National Parks to your classroom?
Join the education teams from Wild Rivers Conservancy, Mississippi Park Connection,and Voyageurs Conservancy to learn more about how you can connect your students to these unique and wild places in our state!
This interactive workshop will introduce you to the varied landscapes of the National Park Service stewards in our state, and give you a chance to give feedback about the programs that will impact your students most. We’ll review our standards-aligned programs and field trips, and network with other like-minded teachers. Finish out the day with a snowshoe hike led by NPS Park Rangers along the wild and scenic St. Croix River.
Credit: Lissa Maki
Program Highlight: Voyageurs National Park Mobile Classroom
Students across Duluth area schools have been thrilled with seasonal visits from the Voyageurs National Park Mobile Classroom since its debut last spring. This exciting learning experience brings programs on the history, ecology, wildlife, and dark skies of Minnesota’s only National Park right to elementary classrooms! Students learn about the land of Voyageurs National Park, then go outdoors themselves to explore the land near their school through scientific observation.
This pilot initiative has already reached more than 450 students in Duluth and connected future generations to their national park! Lessons from the Mobile Classroom meet Minnesota state education standards, and are beloved by teachers. This fall, registration slots filled up less than 24 hours after they opened!
The Voyageurs Mobile Classroom is an energizing experience for students of all ages that immerses students in nature from their school - no transportation needed!
Thank you Voyageurs Classroom Supporters
Funding for this project was provided in part by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.
