Provide students with hands-on exploration of one of the last remaining tallgrass prairies in North America with a field trip to Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve in Strong City, Kansas. This unique ecosystem provides an outdoor classroom where students can engage with lessons on bison, pollinators, plant life, and prairie ecology. Park rangers lead interactive programs tailored to elementary and middle school students, incorporating both science and language arts. From studying the life cycle and adaptations of bison to exploring the role of pollinators like butterflies and hummingbirds, students gain a deeper understanding of the delicate balance that sustains this diverse habitat.
For middle school groups, the Environmental Prairie Science program offers an immersive field experience where students conduct experiments, play ecological games, and examine prairie food webs. Programs like “Flowering Plant Reproduction in the Tallgrass Prairie” and “Bison and the Food Web” help students connect classroom learning with real-world science. Whether observing wildlife, analyzing plant adaptations, or discussing the historical significance of the prairie, this field trip fosters a strong connection to nature while enhancing students’ critical thinking and observational skills.
