Grades 9-12
Request a program at www.WaukeshaCounty.gov/EnvironmentalEd
Retzer Nature Center Programs
Additional Retzer Nature Center programs for grades 9-12 can be adapted from all grades 6-8 programs.
Engineering Alternative Energy for a Changing Climate
Nature Exploration
Students will rotate through three stations where they will develop a deeper understanding of alternative energy applications. Stations include a tour of Retzer’s geothermal heating and cooling system, a look at the Eco-house’s solar panel to learn how sunlight is captured to create energy and the planetarium show, Dynamic Earth, that explores the inner workings of Earth’s climate system.
Using our powers of observation and sensory skills, we will have a hands-on outdoor experience exploring the natural treasures of the season. Naturalists will modify the exploration according to the season and may cover a sampling of the following topics: animal habitats, plant and animal identification, food chains and webs, and plant and animal adaptations.
1 hour or 1.5 hours Add snowshoes (weather dependent) for adults and students for $3 / person.
2.5 hours Retzer Nature Center and Planetarium fees apply
Hidden Threats
3 hours Retzer Nature Center and Planetarium fees apply
Students will explore local threats to the land and water, their impacts, and how these threats may be mitigated. Students will investigate invasive species threatening the ecosystems of southern Wisconsin, specifically, the challenges these species present at Retzer Nature Center. In addition, students will use a watershed model to see what threats to water quality are affecting our waters and how they get there. This program includes a planetarium show, Dynamic Earth, that explores the inner workings of Earth’s climate system.
Land Resources Programs
Environmental Sciences Careers
I Live in a Watershed
In this fast paced program, students get an introduction to the science and careers associated with water quality and recycling. This overview is designed to be short for use in a career days, high interest days, or other situations where smaller groups of students rotate through multiple stations to accommodate large numbers. Students will learn the science behind the careers and the requirements to get into the field.
Our watershed model provides a hands-on, interactive demonstration of the sources and effects of runoff pollution. Students will learn about the watershed they live in and see how it connects...all the way to the ocean! By the end of this program, students will understand what a watershed is, how it functions and how they are part of it.
25 minutes at your school Minimum of 15 participants required
Program Offered Virtually
45 minutes Also available as an At-School Program Maximum of 30 participants
30
Collaborative Curriculum Program (See pg. 5)
