Winter Ecology & Snowshoeing
*Note: Snowshoes are available for 2nd grade on up.

Snowshoe Program Options

Preschoolers
Winter Wonders 45 minutes (no showshoes)
You can never be too young to explore nature in winter. During the hike, students will explore their surroundings in search of all winter wonders they can find. We will learn to make tracks, find food, and look for shelter just like the animals do!

Winter Explorers (suggested K-1) 45 minutes (no showshoes)
Our snowshoes don’t fit smaller adventurers, but K-1 students can still enjoy a winter hike to invigorate their senses! We’ll look at animal tracks and other interesting signs as we explore nature in winter. Please make sure students are prepared with sturdy winter footwear.

Second through Twelfth Grades
Snowshoe Adventure (suggested for grades 2-12) 1 hour
A great way to experience snowshoeing and learn about nature in winter. This program focuses mainly on the sport of snowshoeing and getting students outside during the winter months. Some ecology will be introduced, but the main idea is to have them enjoy physical activity in our colder months.

Third and Fourth Grades
Bounders, Waddlers & Hoppers, Oh My! (suggested for grades 3-4) 1 hour
Learn how different animals move by walking, hopping, bounding or running. Students become ‘Nature Detectives’ and search for signs of the animal they are assigned. They learn tracking vocabulary (“stride” and “straddle”) and observation skills by asking detective questions such as: Where did it go? What is the shape of it’s foot? After gathering information, they try to identify the animals.

Fifth through Eighth Grades
Winter Tracks & Signs (5 & up) 1 hour
Searching for tracks is one of the most exciting things to do in the winter. Snow is an excellent surface for tracking an animal and learning about its behavior. This program introduces students to common tools and techniques for identifying animal signs in winter. After instruction on how to use tracking tools, students will trek into the woods with a Naturalist where they will begin their tracking adventure.

Winter Navigation (5 & up) 1.5 hours
Use a compass to create a map while we snowshoe into the deeper parts of a forest. Students will be challenged to use their self-created maps to find their way back. A nice addition to a unit on early
explorers. This program is also a good follow-up to the
Conservancy’s fall orienteering course.

Students encounter many signs of wildlife such as tracks, scat, winter habitats, and what non-hibernating animals do for nutrition.  Other topics discussed range from migration and hibernation to snowshoe history and winter safety.