Curriculum 3-12 demo - Heartland Outdoor School

Heartland Outdoor School offers over 20 classes in a variety of subjects for grades three and up. Click on a subject below or scroll through the classes to view the class opportunities and more information.
Life Sciences Language Arts Geography

Physical Science Team Skills Social Studies

Geology Other Electives High School Classes

Life Science

Amazing Aviators is a Life Sciences class designed to introduce students to the importance of bird species in the area and around the world. The students will also use scientific inquiry to investigate their own questions about bird species found at Heartland.

Amazing Aviators

Arthropods

Use scientific inquiry in this Life Sciences class to learn about the amazing arthropods native to Ohio. Use field sampling techniques to capture arthropods and observe characteristics of the specimens caught. Students will then compare similarities and differences between the classes of each specimen and discuss how these characteristics affect survival of the arthropods.

Backyard Buffet

Discover unusual and unexpected edible plants as we hike through the woods for this Life Sciences class. Nature is our “grocery store” as students learn to identify and safely sample native wild edible plants growing in and around our woods and fields.

Critter Scene Investigation

We need your help! We have stumbled across several crime scenes and we need YOU to aid us in our investigation! Predators run rampant all over Heartland property. For this Life Sciences class, put on your investigator caps, brush up on Sherlock Holmes and exercise your critical thinking to help us solve our wildlife mysteries!

Eco-Explorers

This Life Sciences class gives students a better understanding of the various relationships in the different ecosystems of Ohio. Hands-on exploration of forest, grassland, and wetland ecosystems will further knowledge and understanding of the intricate balance between living organisms and their habitat.

Eco-X-Stream

Discover the various relationships within an aquatic ecosystem stream through this unique and hands-on Life Sciences class. The students will further their knowledge and understanding of the intricate balance between living organisms and habitats through exploration and study of Alum Creek.

Mad About Mammals

Discover habitats at Heartland where mammals are found in this Life Sciences class. Students will journey off trail and put themselves in the paws of some of the wildlife of Ohio. They will also experience hands-on contact with live mammals from our nature center as well as some mammal artifacts, such as pelts and skulls.

Reptiles and Amphibians

What’s the difference between reptiles and amphibians? Find out in this Life Sciences class as we discuss the characteristics of these animals using a Venn diagram. Students will then have the unique opportunity to hold both native and exotic reptiles and amphibians.

What's in a Name?

3…2…1…Blast off! Students in this Life Sciences class are adventurers and scientists tasked with the job of classifying and naming the life on a newly discovered distant planet. Leave Earth behind and step into an unexplored frontier (that looks suspiciously like Heartland’s prairie) to uncover what new life awaits discovery.

Poet-Tree

Learn about four of the kinds of poems that are used when writing about nature: diamante, cinquain, haiku, and impressionistic. In this Language Arts class, students will work together to create one of the four different kinds of poems. Finally, students will have an opportunity to write their own poetry.

Pathfinders

This orienteering class introduces students to the purpose, parts, and proper use of a compass. This Geography class also provides practical experience on how to navigate with or without maps and charts. Students will have the opportunity to use a compass on a course to further their understanding of orienteering.

Mad Scientist

Enjoy creating a unique chemical reaction between a borax solution and glue during this Physical Science class. The result is a spec-gak-ular specimen! Observations will be recorded and students should conclude at the end of this activity the uniqueness of a chemical reaction, and that The Law of Conservation of Mass is in fact true!

Archery

The archery class gives students a good introduction to the sport of archery. Students will learn basic form and shooting techniques. This Team Skills class also helps develop student’s motor skills and awareness of safety.

Construction Zone

Construction Zone develops teamwork and cooperation skills through building giant structures. This Team Skills class emphasizes positive communication as teams overcome physical and psychological obstacles. Facilitators personalize challenges to enhance the experience of each student and the group.

GPS

Group Problem Solving (or GPS, for short) uses cooperative games and activities to help develop Team Skills, communication, cooperation, and motor work. Students will be given a variety of mental and physical obstacles that they must work together on to successfully complete.

Team Challenge

This Team Skills class involves a physical set of obstacles or problems within a sequence of activities that will physically and mentally challenge participants. This allows students to move out of their comfort zone into a place where they can experience new ways to look at themselves and others.

Wilderness Survival

This Team Skills class will give students hands-on experience in dealing with survival situations. Students will practice building and igniting a fire, making a shelter, finding suitable drinking water, and signaling.

Ohio Living History

Step back in time to Alum Creek Settlement. Follow 1798 settlers through a forest notorious for attacks. Once safely in the village, interact with historic characters and take part in period activities such as candle making, crafts, games, blacksmithing, carpentry, militia and outdoor cooking. This can be done as a daytime Social Studies class or as an evening activity.

Earth ROCKS 101

This Geology class will teach students how to identify rocks in three geological classifications through a visual and hands-on rock cycle explanation. Students will also experience an introduction to mineral testing and discover characteristics of minerals. A specimen table will offer actual examples of rocks and minerals the students might find not only here in Ohio, but throughout the world.

Earth ROCKS 102

Building on earlier geology knowledge, this interactive outdoor Geology class will give students the opportunity to explore the banks of Alum Creek and surrounding tributaries as we observe Ohio terrain and the rocks found here in Ohio.

Climbing Wall

Watch students “climb to new heights” as they challenge themselves on our multi-pitch climbing wall. Located indoors, this Elective class is offered year-round with one-on-one instruction from our trained and experienced staff members. Climbers of all levels, from beginner to advanced, will enjoy the thrill of the climb.

Tie-Dye

Join in the fun and use bright, vivid colors to create your own masterpiece t-shirt! Our experienced staff will guide this Elective class through a series of twists and turns that, in the end, will produce uniquely tie-dyed t-shirts. Complete with our Heartland Outdoor School Logo, the shirts come preshrunk and are available in adult sizes S-XXL. Additional charge of $6.00 per student.

DiversiTree

Trees are an important resource all around us. They are easily overlooked and taken for granted. In this class for High School students, students will investigate the importance of trees in our lives and the ecosystem. They will study the tree diversity in Heartland’s woodlot and draw conclusions about the biodiversity based on their observations, results, and past experiences.

High Quality H2O

The stream study class gives students a better understanding of how to conduct an investigation within a stream ecosystem. Through the use of the proper tools and hands-on exploration, High School students will discover the importance of water quality and the water quality status of Alum Creek along with the many organisms living within it.