Let’s be honest, we (adults) may love the outdoors and find a passion in conserving wild places like the Backcountry Wilderness Area, but we won’t be around forever. The education team of the Backcountry Wilderness Area brings top-notch, hands-on environmental education program directly into local second grade classrooms to give each child a chance to learn about conservation in our community and beyond. The goal of our program is to start the conversation on conservation and instill the power in each child that they can start protecting wildlife habitat by learning about it.

When we come to a school for an FCI program, we will visit up to three second-grade classrooms for an identical one-hour program. Our FCI program focuses on habitats, ecosystems, what all living things need – food, water, shelter, space, and differentiating between living and non-living things.

Yes! FCI programs happen in classrooms at no cost to local schools. We don’t want budgets to get in the way of children learning about the nature world and conservation. Our FCI programs are funded completely through donations to the Backcountry Conservation & Education Fund 501c3 nonprofit.

The number of schools we are able to come teach at each school years is dependent the success of the Backcountry Conservation & Education Fund. We aim to visit 20 schools each year. All FCI programs are scheduled in a first-come, first-served basis.

Not at this time. We are focused on providing a specific program for second grade classrooms that meets our goals as a conservation organization, the goals of teachers, and the standards set by the state. We are more than happy to create an in-class field trip or destination field trip to Backcountry Base Camp for any grade level.

Easy! Fill out the request form. We’ll be in touch soon.

Grades

PreK - 8 (Please contact us directly with inquiries for high school programs.)

Length

45-60 minutes

Cost

$125 for first class; $80 each additional class; up to 4 classes per day. Rate based on up to 30 students per class. Multiple programs can be done to fit more students. Title 1 schools please contact us for pricing information.

Payment

A deposit of 50% is due 14 days before the program date. Remaining balance must be paid before the start of the classroom program.

Cancellation Policy

Programs can be rescheduled up to 48 hours before scheduled start at no cost, subject to availability. Cancellations made more than seven days in advance will be refunded with a $50 cancellation fee. Refunds will not be given for cancellations made fewer than seven days before the scheduled program. The BWA reserves the right to modify or terminate any school program to accommodate unforeseen circumstances. In said event, every attempt will be made to notify the planner as soon as possible. If a mutually agreeable alternative date/time cannot be agreed upon by the planner and the BWA, a full refund will be offered. For schoolyard programs we run outside, a classroom or indoor space is required to be available in the event of severe weather or lightning.

Biofact Inquiry

We will bring the biofacts and your students bring the questions! Students will work through the inquiry process to make observations and discoveries about biofacts and learn how to think like scientists.

Food Webs and Energy Flow

From flowers to mountain lions, let your students discover that every organism plays a vital role in the success of the entire ecosystem. See what happens to our biggest predators when grass doesn’t grow and let your students discover why everything has a purpose.

Habitats

Students will think draw their personal habitats and identify how their needs are met. Once they understand components of a habitat we will play a fun game to see how populations change based on the availability of those components, both living and nonliving.

Life Cycles

From small insects to towering trees, what do all living things have in common? Students will learn about the life cycles of several Colorado species and see that all living things share many similarities. Students will share what all living things need and explore the ways in which various organisms meet those needs.

Migrating Monarchs

Learn about the Monarch butterfly life cycle and migrations through this interactive game. Students will see if they can complete a migration while going through many setbacks that Monarchs face on their journeys.

Ocean Acidification

In this fun experiment, students will model ocean-atmosphere interaction to demonstrate how carbon changes the acidity of water. We will learn what effects ocean acidification has on the ecosystem.

Renewable and Non-Renewable Resources

After brainstorming resources available, students will work in groups to determine which are renewable and which are non-renewable. To demonstrate the rate at which we consume and deplete resources, these groups will complete a demonstration to see how fast they use resources and understand the difference in renewable and non-renewable energy consumption.

Resource Extraction

Students will learn about various resources provided by our Earth and Sun and the processes through which we obtain them. After exploring resource availability and extraction in Colorado, students will try their hand at getting all of the “resources” out of a landscape and see the effects that extraction has on an ecosystem.

Rock Cycle

Your class won’t be staying still long, just like a rock in the rock cycle. Students will explore samples of the three types of rocks and learn how rocks are formed and change over time.

Schoolyard Trees

Observe, count, measure, and investigate all aspects of your schoolyard trees. Students will learn what living things need, discover how trees function in an ecosystem, and quantify the trees right in your schoolyard. *Requires schoolyard with trees, can be modified for classroom.

Tracks and Scat

Using scat and track biofacts, your class will explore the similarities and differences in animal groups. After making observations, we will discuss diet, movement, and characteristics belonging to the animals whose scat and tracks they are exploring. Students will gather around our tracking sheet to put their new knowledge and critical thinking to the test and discover who was passing through.

Water on Earth

Working through a demonstration, students will see all the ways water is used on earth and discover just how much we have available to use. In an interactive board game, students will become a water droplet and see where their path takes them to learn how water moves throughout Earth.

Weathering and Erosion

What do the Statue of Liberty and the Great Sand Dunes have in common? Your students will discover the incredible ways in which forces are constantly changing the Earth’s surface. We will learn how weathering and erosion work and understand the processes of each before conducting our own weather and erosion demonstrations.

Who Polluted the Red River?

Your class will help us ruin a river to see how we can protect. Through an interactive demonstration, students will see how all of the small things that enter our waterways add up to a very polluted river!

Contact AnnaKate by email or at 303-471-8876.

When booking a program, please provide the following information:

• Name, address, and phone number of school or organization
• Main contact name and mobile phone number for day of program
• Name of program(s) and curricula requesting
• First and second choice date and time to schedule program
• Group size and grade level 
• Any special education/physical needs of your students

Contact Becca Venable at becca.venable@hrcaonline.org or 303-471-7054.