Fall
Activities may include observing the elk rut, seed collection, and early season changes on the land.
Paused Until Spring 2027
Nature School
Tuition-free, place-based learning for grades 3 to 8, held across the ranch. The program is paused and will return in spring 2027.
Join the Interest ListYouth Experiences
Our Philosophy
Students study one place well, and learn how to study anywhere
Nature School is an experiential learning program held outdoors, where the setting is a real watershed, a real forest, and a working ranch, all changing while students watch.
Because students return to the same ground week after week, they begin to notice change: how the seasons move, where wildlife travels, how the land responds to weather. That kind of attention grounds curiosity, observation, and care.
Learning Through Experience
Experience first. Understanding follows
Every session follows the same rhythm: an activity, observation and reflection, making sense of what happened, and adjusting before trying again. Instructors resist giving answers early. The space between doing and explaining is where the learning happens.
- Field ecology, watershed awareness, and native plant identification
- Wildlife tracking, sign, and predator and prey dynamics
- Journaling, observation, and place-based writing
- Outdoor awareness and low-impact skills
- Land stewardship projects alongside our field crews
- Leadership, responsibility, and working with others
A Day at Nature School
Six hours outside, structured but never rigid
9:00 AM
Gathering
Circle up and set the question for the day.
9:30 AM
Field Time
Out on the land, observing and exploring.
11:30 AM
Making Sense
Journals open to record and talk through what students noticed.
12:00 PM
Lunch
Shared meal outdoors, then free exploration within boundaries.
1:00 PM
Skills or Stewardship
Age-appropriate skills or a project alongside our crews.
2:30 PM
Reflection
What worked, what surprised us, and what we will look for next time.
Seasonal Learning
The curriculum follows the calendar of the land
Winter
Activities may include animal tracking, warmth and shelter awareness, and reading the bare structure of the land.
Spring
Activities may include observing runoff and creek dynamics, nesting birds, and native planting.
Summer
Activities may include insect and pollinator study, night sky observation, and long field days.
Weekly Schedule
Three days. Three cohorts
Mondays
6th to 8th Grade
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Wednesdays
3rd to 8th Grade
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Fridays
3rd to 5th Grade
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
What Families Can Expect
Straightforward about the day, careful about the details
Outside in most weather
Students are outdoors nearly all day. Families receive a clothing and layering list before the first session.
Small groups, known mentors
Cohorts stay small so instructors know each student and can adjust the day to the group.
Hands-on, always supervised
Students engage directly with the land under the close supervision of trained instructors.
Steady communication
Instructors and families stay in touch about the program and how each student is doing.
Students learn to move through country that wildlife uses every day, and to leave it the way they found it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Questions families ask first
Who is Nature School for?+
Northern Colorado students in grades 3 through 8. The program was built with homeschool families in mind and remains open to them first.
What does it cost?+
Nothing. Nature School is tuition-free, funded entirely by donors and sponsors. You can help sponsor a student's season by visiting our support page.
Is there a waitlist?+
Nature School is paused until spring 2027. Families can join the interest list now and we will reach out as the 2027 program takes shape.
What happens in bad weather?+
We go out anyway, with adjustments. Lightning, extreme cold, and high fire danger are the exceptions, and families are notified early.
Do students need experience outdoors?+
No. Instructors teach the skills from the beginning, and mixed-experience groups tend to learn faster than uniform ones.
How do I enroll?+
Email our Nature School team to join the interest list for spring 2027. We will follow up with dates and gear guidance as the program approaches.
Paused Until Spring 2027
Join the interest list, or help keep it tuition-free
Nature School is not currently enrolling. Families can join the interest list for spring 2027, and sponsoring a student is how this program stays tuition-free for every family, not only those who can pay.