On-Grounds Field Trips

The Wyoming State Museum delivers free on-grounds field trips to more than 3,000 students a year. These classes utilize technology, human artifacts, animal biofacts, small group activities, and museum scavenger hunts to create world-class educational programming for students of all ages.

The times below show how long is required for each program's full curriculum; this includes the educational lesson, activity/craft, scavenger hunt, and time to explore the museum. However, each school program can be shortened to fit any time restraint that teachers may have.

The information below also shows the suggested age for each program. Every program can be aged up or down, depending on the students’ grade level, for any of the grades listed.

Most of the museum’s school programs can also be taught as virtual field trips.

 

 

North American Bison Culture

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 2-12

 

Your students will journey back in time to learn about the unique relationship between Native Americans and the bison. They will learn how the native people of the Great Plains utilized the bison in their every day life. They will see preserved bison biofacts (including pelt, skull, bones, stomach, brain, and more) and the Native American artifacts that were made from the bison.

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Mountain Men and the Beaver

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

This field trip teaches students what happens when human history and conservation converge.  Students will learn about the life of mountain men, what it was like on the frontier, and how trapping impacted beaver populations.  This program features mountain man artifacts from the 1800s, artifacts from the beaver hat industry, and beaver biofacts.
 

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Travel the Oregon Trail

Time: 2 Hours

Grades: 4-12

 

Students will learn what it was like to travel the Oregon Trail by playing an immersive game. They will pack their own wagon, learn about major trail landmarks, frequent dangers, and other difficulties of the journey. Their wagons will determine whether they get to Oregon alive or not. Students will see many phenomenal human artifacts from the 1800s along with various animal biofacts.   

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What Makes an Animal

Time: 90 Minutes (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: PreK-3

 

In this field trip, specially designed for young students, we’ll learn about what animals all have in common! We’ll also learn about the different major taxon of animals, and how they are different. For example, all mammals have hair, are born alive, and drink milk! Your students will also see some amazing biofacts… including full animal mounts, giant feathers, pelts, and skulls!

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Animal Defenses

Time: 90 or 120 Minutes (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: PreK-6

 

Across the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains, animals have some amazing special defenses! Your students will learn about the exciting, funny, and gross ways that animals (both large and small) keep themselves safe. They will also be able to see many animal biofacts, including insects specimens, mammal pelts, animal skulls, antlers, feathers, and full animal mounts!

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Animal Adaptations to Winter

Time: 90 or 120 Minutes (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: K-6

 

The animals of the Great Plains and Rocky Mountains have amazing adaptations to survive the frigid, snowy winters! In this field trip, students will learn about some of these animals and their survival techniques to beat the cold. Students will learn about migration, hibernation, brumation, warm/cold blooded, and more.
 

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Wyoming Animals

Time: 90 Minutes (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: PreK-3

 

This program is designed to teach younger children about some of the animals that can be found in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains! We've picked some of the most interesting and fun animals for your students to learn about! We'll discuss what they eat, how they move, what noises they make, and other fun things! Your students will also see some amazing animal biofacts! 

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Habitats and Food Webs

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

Our Habitats and Food Webs program allows students to learn about one of the many ecosystems that can be found within Wyoming, chosen by the teacher booking the program! Students will learn about what makes that habitat special, what animals live there, and learn about a unique food web within the habitat. They'll also see some amazing animal biofacts.   

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Endangered Species

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened) 

Grades: 3-12

 

This engaging program teaches your students about different endangered species that can be found within Wyoming and around the World. We will look at what negative behaviors from humans impacted these species, what happened to them because of these behaviors, and how humans saved the species. Students will see skulls, pelts, feathers, and full animal mounts.

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Live of Wolves

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

In this exciting field trip, your students will learn about what makes the wolf an apex predator. They will learn about the different habitats that wolves live in, their unique adaptations, and species in their food webs. We will learn about adaptations, predator/prey relationships, hunting techniques, and more. We will also see a real wolf pelt, wolf skull, and other biofacts.

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Life of Bears

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened) 

Grades: 3-12

 

This fun program focuses on the three bears species that you can find in North America – the American black bear, the brown bear, and the polar bear. Your students will learn all about these amazing animals, the habitats they live in, their food webs, and their adaptations for survival. We will look at pelts, skulls, and claws for all three of these species! 

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Life of Canines

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

This exciting program teaches your students all about the five species of canines that you can find in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains! We’ll learn all about the swift fox, gray fox, red fox, coyote, and wolf. Your students will learn all about these awesome animals, their habitats, their food webs, and their adaptations for survival. We will look at pelts, skulls, and even full animal mounts!

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Life of Felines

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

In this program, your students will spend time learning about the three species of cats that life in the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains! We’ll discuss the mountain lion, Canada lynx, and bobcat! These animals are adapted for different habitats, which we’ll learn all about. We’ll also talk about their social and survival adaptations. Your students will see full mounts, skulls, and pelt for these animals!

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Life of Ungulates

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

If your students love huge animals, this is the program for you! In “Life of Ungulates” we will learn all about the large, hooved animals that call the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains home. Your students will learn about bison, moose, elk, deer, big-horn sheep, mountain goats, and pronghorn! We’ll look at skulls, hooves, antlers, horns, and pelts during this fun program!

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Life of Birds

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened)

Grades: 3-12

 

This fun field trip allows your students to learn about some of the many birds that call the Rocky Mountains and Great Plains home. We will learn about different birds, from many different categories! This includes songbirds, owls, hawks, falcons, eagles, game birds, and more! Your students will see life-sized, full mounts for these amazing avian animals!
 

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Life of Raptors / Life of Owls

Time: 2 Hours (Can Be Shortened) 

Grades: 3-12

 

If your students love avian predators, this is the program for you! This engaging program is all about birds of prey or owls. You can choose Life of Raptors to learn about eagles, falcons, hawks, vultures, and owls... or choose Life of Owls to focus on the snowy owl, great-horned owl, and Northern saw-whet owl. Either way, we promise you a great class with lots of feathery fun!

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If you have any questions, please reach out to the Museum’s Curator of Education:

 

Jeremy Thornbrugh

Curator of Education

This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

307-286-8627