Events Search and Views Navigation
November 2016
Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Hibernation Station (Tuesday AM)
All aboard for Hibernation Station! Hoard facts about what animals do to prepare for winter while playing games, singing songs and making crafts.
Find out more »Blue Marble
Photo Credit: Andrew Jalbert For millennia, humans have stood on our planet and gazed out at the stars. This month, we are taking a step back to look at Earth from space – a relatively new concept, but something many in modern society take for granted. With countless ecosystems, overwhelming numbers of species, and billions of people, it’s easy to think about the seemingly endless resources and the vast differences and diversity that cover our globe. Heading out into space…
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): Relationships 101
We’ll explore the relationships between earth’s life forms. We’ll search for examples of these many relationships on how different species interact in nature throughout the ALNC grounds.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): Relationships 101
We’ll explore the relationships between earth’s life forms. We’ll search for examples of these many relationships on how different species interact in nature throughout the ALNC grounds.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Hibernation Station (Tuesday PM)
All aboard for Hibernation Station! Hoard facts about what animals do to prepare for winter while playing games, singing songs and making crafts.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Hibernation Station (Wednesday)
All aboard for Hibernation Station! Hoard facts about what animals do to prepare for winter while playing games, singing songs and making crafts.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Hibernation Station (Thursday)
All aboard for Hibernation Station! Hoard facts about what animals do to prepare for winter while playing games, singing songs and making crafts.
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9:00am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm on Friday, November 4th, 2016. You can drop off and pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Weird Science
A day of weird and wacky science experiments are coming your way! We’ll learn some basic science principles of science while conducting science experiments, including reactions, volcanic eruptions, and many, many more! (MMSD Friends, please feel free to join us after your early release between 11am-12pm—see reduced rate below)
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Hibernation Station (Friday)
All aboard for Hibernation Station! Hoard facts about what animals do to prepare for winter while playing games, singing songs and making crafts.
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Camping Adventure (Junior Girl Scouts)
Discover all that can be found in nature with this overnight trip to the Aldo Leopold Nature Center in Black Earth. Sit around the campfire, share stories and watch the stars light up the night sky. After breakfast (provided), we will learn how to plan for an outdoor adventure and then head into the forest to test your camping skills from building a campfire to leaving no trace.
Find out more »Wonders of Water (Brownie Girl Scouts)
Learn to LOVE, SHARE, and SAVE water during this fun-filled program! We’ll help you earn your LOVE water journey award as we learn all about the water cycle and the importance of wetlands to water quality as we search for critters in the pond.
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Outdoor Painting (Brownies)
Use your creativity to make your own paintings! We will work together to paint a mural, and then allow our own creativity fly as we paint using a variety of materials.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: LBJ All the Way (Tuesday AM)
We’ve got sparrows yes we do. We’ve got sparrows how about you? Come and root for the little brown jobs that sometimes get overlooked.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): Edna Taylor Discovery Day
Adjacent to the NatureCenter is the City of Madison’s EdnaTaylorConservationPark. Rich with wetland habitats, Edna Taylor is a wonderful place to observe the fall migrations of birds, including Mallard ducks, Blue-winged teals, and Sandhill cranes!
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): Edna Taylor Discovery Day
Adjacent to the NatureCenter is the City of Madison’s EdnaTaylorConservationPark. Rich with wetland habitats, Edna Taylor is a wonderful place to observe the fall migrations of birds, including Mallard ducks, Blue-winged teals, and Sandhill cranes!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: LBJ All the Way (Tuesday PM)
We’ve got sparrows yes we do. We’ve got sparrows how about you? Come and root for the little brown jobs that sometimes get overlooked.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: LBJ All the Way (Wednesday)
We’ve got sparrows yes we do. We’ve got sparrows how about you? Come and root for the little brown jobs that sometimes get overlooked.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Phenology Through Photography
Phenology is the study of changes over time and is happening all around us! Even though fall is settling in, there is still plenty happening outdoors to observe! We will learn about phenology and the connection Aldo Leopold had with recording observations over time.
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs after programming from 4:00-5:30pm on Wednesday, November 9th, 2016. You can pick up at any point within this time period.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: LBJ All the Way (Thursday)
We’ve got sparrows yes we do. We’ve got sparrows how about you? Come and root for the little brown jobs that sometimes get overlooked.
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm on Friday, November 11th, 2016. You can pick up at any point within this time period.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Edna Taylor Discovery Day
There is so much to do and see on the 60 acres that adjoin ALNC in Edna Taylor Conservation Park! We’ll explore the oak savannas and wetlands, hike the trails, search for animal signs, explore and investigate in the marsh, see and learn about the Native American mounds there and much more!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: LBJ All the Way (Friday)
We’ve got sparrows yes we do. We’ve got sparrows how about you? Come and root for the little brown jobs that sometimes get overlooked.
Find out more »Blue Marble
Photo Credit: Andrew Jalbert For millennia, humans have stood on our planet and gazed out at the stars. This month, we are taking a step back to look at Earth from space – a relatively new concept, but something many in modern society take for granted. With countless ecosystems, overwhelming numbers of species, and billions of people, it’s easy to think about the seemingly endless resources and the vast differences and diversity that cover our globe. Heading out into space…
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Three Cheers for Ears! (Tuesday AM)
Close your eyes and let the natural world come alive around you. Turn up the audio today and discover the sounds of spring. It will be an unheard of budding world experience! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): Marvelous Mushrooms
Lion’s Mane, Chicken of the Woods, Puffballs, Fairy Rings and Inky Caps—it’s such fun being fungus! Fungus is mysterious, grows by moonlight and is quite unlike any other organism.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): Marvelous Mushrooms
Lion’s Mane, Chicken of the Woods, Puffballs, Fairy Rings and Inky Caps—it’s such fun being fungus! Fungus is mysterious, grows by moonlight and is quite unlike any other organism.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Three Cheers for Ears! (Tuesday PM)
Close your eyes and let the natural world come alive around you. Turn up the audio today and discover the sounds of fall. It will be an unheard of budding world experience! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Three Cheers for Ears! (Wednesday)
Close your eyes and let the natural world come alive around you. Turn up the audio today and discover the sounds of fall. It will be an unheard of budding world experience! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Three Cheers for Ears! (Thursday)
Close your eyes and let the natural world come alive around you. Turn up the audio today and discover the sounds of fall. It will be an unheard of budding world experience! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Three Cheers for Ears! (Friday)
Close your eyes and let the natural world come alive around you. Turn up the audio today and discover the sounds of fall. It will be an unheard of budding world experience! Hip, Hip, Hooray!
Find out more »Family Public Program: Families on the Frontier
Celebrate fall and the harvest season by going back in time to a world much different than today! We'll visit the Children's Shack to do pioneer chores and play games, churn butter, sing songs, and learn about living off the land in the spirit of Aldo Leopold.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Coming Up Green (Tuesday AM)
Bring some green back as things start to turn brown! Recycle your way to a better environment and explore the evergreen world of conifers. Go green!
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): White-Tailed Deer Ecology
We hear a lot about white-tailed deer in Wisconsin in November! It’s no wonder--able to leap tall fences in a single bound, the white-tailed deer is an animal of incredible beauty and power.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): White-Tailed Deer Ecology
We hear a lot about white-tailed deer in Wisconsin in November! It’s no wonder--able to leap tall fences in a single bound, the white-tailed deer is an animal of incredible beauty and power.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Coming Up Green (Tuesday PM)
Bring some green back as things start to turn brown! Recycle your way to a better environment and explore the evergreen world of conifers. Go green!
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm on Wednesday, November 23rd, 2016. You can pick up at any point within this time period.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Tree-Mendous
We’re going out on a limb and saying this day will be ‘tree bien’! We’ll spend the day learning all about the forest, making tree & leaf art, homemade paper, taking measurements in the ALNC woods, examining how and why leaves change color and so many more tree-mendous topics!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Coming Up Green (Wednesday)
Bring some green back as things start to turn brown! Recycle your way to a better environment and explore the evergreen world of conifers. Go green!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Watch Out Meow (Tuesday AM)
…Bobcats are on the prowl. We’ll focus on this feline, their looks, and their sounds; cat games, crafts and songs all around. So pounce on in- you know the way.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): Gobble Gobble
Calling all Jakes and Jennies—come join us for a very “fowl” afternoon of fun as we celebrate fall by learning all about turkeys. Learn how (and why) they gobble while practicing your best turkey call, explore the habit and habitats of wild turkeys and how to identify turkey scat, tracks, feathers and more through games, crafts and outdoor explorations!
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): Gobble Gobble
Calling all Jakes and Jennies—come join us for a very “fowl” afternoon of fun as we celebrate fall by learning all about turkeys. Learn how (and why) they gobble while practicing your best turkey call, explore the habit and habitats of wild turkeys and how to identify turkey scat, tracks, feathers and more through games, crafts and outdoor explorations!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Watch Out Meow (Tuesday PM)
…Bobcats are on the prowl. We’ll focus on this feline, their looks, and their sounds; cat games, crafts and songs all around. So pounce on in- you know the way.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Watch Out Meow (Wednesday)
…Bobcats are on the prowl. We’ll focus on this feline, their looks, and their sounds; cat games, crafts and songs all around. So pounce on in- you know the way.
Find out more »December 2016
Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Watch Out Meow (Thursday)
…Bobcats are on the prowl. We’ll focus on this feline, their looks, and their sounds; cat games, crafts and songs all around. So pounce on in- you know the way.
Find out more »December 2016 – Solar Celebrations
Craving a little sunshine on these dark, cold days? Prepare for Winter Solstice by helping us celebrate our Sun and all things solar! Immerse yourself in high-definition solar energy wavelengths, help us monitor our solar power with our real-time energy dashboard, understand why it’s so dark this time of year, and learn all about our main star and how it sustains life on Earth. Special Programs & Activities: SPECIAL FEATURE! NASA Solarium Featured in the ALNC Immersion Theater, December 10-30,…
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Edna Taylor Adventure
There is so much to do and see on the 60 acres that adjoin ALNC in Edna Taylor Conservation Park! We’ll explore the oak savannas and wetlands, hike the trails, search for animal signs, explore and investigate in the marsh, see and learn about the Native American mounds there and much more!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Watch Out Meow (Friday)
…Bobcats are on the prowl. We’ll focus on this feline, their looks, and their sounds; cat games, crafts and songs all around. So pounce on in- you know the way.
Find out more »December 2016 – Solar Celebrations
Craving a little sunshine on these dark, cold days? Prepare for Winter Solstice by helping us celebrate our Sun and all things solar! Immerse yourself in high-definition solar energy wavelengths, help us monitor our solar power with our real-time energy dashboard, understand why it’s so dark this time of year, and learn all about our main star and how it sustains life on Earth. Special Programs & Activities: SPECIAL FEATURE! NASA Solarium Featured in the ALNC Immersion Theater, December 10-30,…
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter 2016-2017 Package (Tuesday AM)
Save with our package option! Join us this spring to explore a different seasonal topic each week through hikes, outdoor exploration, music, puppetry, songs, stories and more. This package includes all of the Tuesday sessions December 6th through February 28th (12 sessions).
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Scarlet Feather (Tuesday AM)
Cardinals color winter with their red feathers and cheery song. Fly in this week to learn some cardinal rules and explore the world through red-colored glasses!
Find out more »Home School (Ages 5-8): Far Out!
It’s time for some out of this world exploration. Planets have fascinated scientists and humans for many years. What does it take to be a planet? We’ll take a look at each of the planets in the solar system and what makes each unique.
Find out more »Home School (Ages 9-14): Far Out!
It’s time for some out of this world exploration. Planets have fascinated scientists and humans for many years. What does it take to be a planet? We’ll take a look at each of the planets in the solar system and what makes each unique.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter 2016-2017 Package (Tuesday PM)
Save with our package option! Join us this spring to explore a different seasonal topic each week through hikes, outdoor exploration, music, puppetry, songs, stories and more. This package includes all of the Tuesday Afternoon sessions December 6th through February 28th (12 sessions).
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Scarlet Feather (Tuesday PM)
Cardinals color winter with their red feathers and cheery song. Fly in this week to learn some cardinal rules and explore the world through red-colored glasses!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter 2016-2017 Package (Wednesday)
Save with our package option! Join us this spring to explore a different seasonal topic each week through hikes, outdoor exploration, music, puppetry, songs, stories and more. This package includes all of the Wednesday sessions December 7th through March 1st (12 sessions).
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Scarlet Feather (Wednesday)
Cardinals color winter with their red feathers and cheery song. Fly in this week to learn some cardinal rules and explore the world through red-colored glasses!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter 2016-2017 Package (Friday)
Save with our package option! Join us this spring to explore a different seasonal topic each week through hikes, outdoor exploration, music, puppetry, songs, stories and more. This package includes all of the Friday sessions December 9th through March 3rd (12 sessions).
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Scarlet Feather (Friday)
Cardinals color winter with their red feathers and cheery song. Fly in this week to learn some cardinal rules and explore the world through red-colored glasses!
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Geocaching (Juniors) AM session
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go on a treasure hunt? We will use technology to find hidden treasures known as “caches.”
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Geocaching (Juniors) PM session
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to go on a treasure hunt? We will use technology to find hidden treasures known as “caches.”
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter Storm Watch (Tuesday AM)
The long cold nights of winter are coming! Games, songs, and wild coolness in effect for all 2-5 year olds this week. Come chill out and celebrate some frosty conditions with us today!
Find out more »Home School (9-14): Snowshoe the Winter Landscape
Some animals in nature have “built-in” snowshoes, but humans have had to invent their own! Learn the Native American history of snowshoeing and try out snowshoes for yourself in this winter exploration! We’ll practice some snowshoe “calisthenics,” have a snowshoe race, and take a hike by snowshoe to observe early winter animal activity.
Find out more »Home School (5-8): Snowshoe the Winter Landscape
Some animals in nature have “built-in” snowshoes, but humans have had to invent their own! Learn the Native American history of snowshoeing and try out snowshoes for yourself in this winter exploration! We’ll practice some snowshoe “calisthenics,” have a snowshoe race, and take a hike by snowshoe to observe early winter animal activity.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter Storm Watch (Tuesday PM)
The long cold nights of winter are coming! Games, songs, and wild coolness in effect for all 2-5 year olds this week. Come chill out and celebrate some frosty conditions with us today!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter Storm Watch (Wednesday)
The long cold nights of winter are coming! Games, songs, and wild coolness in effect for all 2-5 year olds this week. Come chill out and celebrate some frosty conditions with us today!
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Winter Storm Watch (Friday)
The long cold nights of winter are coming! Games, songs, and wild coolness in effect for all 2-5 year olds this week. Come chill out and celebrate some frosty conditions with us today!
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Winter Art-Venture!
Spend the day alternating art projects with outdoor adventures in this fun winter day. Make bird feeders and then head out bird watching, go on a nature scavenger hunt and make a mobile with your discoveries, make owl art and learn about owls,
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Little Critters
Learning about little critters can be BIG fun! We’ll spend the day learning about mice, voles, moles, shrews, bats and more. Go on a food scavenger hunt, search for signs and scat, find out how they stay warm in winter, dissect an owl pellet to put together a little critter skeleton,
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Sherlock in the Snow
Some of the best detective work can be done in the winter time! There is a lot of evidence that animals have been out and about. We will get a chance to look for some animal tracks in the snow and keep our eyes open for other evidence left by animals.
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Frozen Forts
People and animals in cold climates have come up with some special ways of staying warm. We will learn about some of their strategies to find inspiration for a
day’s worth of fort building.
Girl Scout Program: 5 Flowers, 4 Stories, 3 Cheers for Animals (Daisies)
Animals are all around us in nature. Some of them build nests way up in trees while others dig burrows underground. In the winter time, many animals are hibernating or have migrated, so it is hard to see them, but some animals stay in Wisconsin.
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Energize! (Juniors)
We will be well on our way to earning our Energize after learning all about energy today! What are some forms of energy and how do we see examples of them?
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Winter Olympics
The Olympics are happening in Monona this year with a nature theme! Participate in your favorite outdoor nature games, including snowshoeing, snow animal sculpture
contests, glacier races and much more!
Girl Scout Program: Snowshoeing (All ages)
It’s snowing! Winter is full of so many opportunities to play in the snow, from snow angels to snowmen and snow forts; winter provides us with great activities outside! Join us for an activity that allows us to experience all of winter’s beauty: snowshoeing.
Find out more »Girl Scout Program: Snow Art (All ages)
There are so many colors and images that nature provides. We will use our natural world to make some beautiful paintings and even paint with ice! Learn how to paint an outdoor landscape, try painting without a brush and even work together to paint a mural!
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Winter Survival
Any of us could find ourselves in a situation where we need to use winter survival skills. In this adventurous program, we’ll learn what nature provides to help us survive, learn how to dress appropriately, pack a survival kit and work cooperatively.
Find out more »January 2017
Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Wonderful Winter Science
Winter is a magical event! Where does snow come from? How does it form? What causes winter? We’ll learn the answers to all of these questions and more through hands-on experiments, winter exploration, and, of course, some play!
Find out more »January in the Exhibits: Corals & Seas
Warm up with a trip to the tropics! This month, plunge into Earth's beautiful blue waters to learn about the nature of our oceans. Discover important underwater ecosystems and the mysterious organisms that live beneath the surface of the sea. Explore ocean food webs, coral science, and how these amazing undersea forests are being affected by climate change and other threats. Dive into our exhibits 7 days a week during January to learn all about Corals & Seas and the relationships between oceans,…
Find out more »Vacation Day Add-On: Extended Day
This extended day session runs before programming from 8:30-9am and after programming from 4:00-5:30pm. You can drop off or pick up at any point within these time periods.
Find out more »Vacation Day: Happy Birthday, Aldo!
Did you know that Aldo Leopold’s birthday is in January? Let’s celebrate his birthday by doing some of his favorite activities! We will learn how to observe nature and record what is happening outside.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Do You Snow Aldo? (Tuesday AM)
It is Aldo’s birthday! Are you ready to party? We will have fun with snow, food, and games that are fun, filling and hearty.
Find out more »Home School: 2017 Spring Semester Package (Ages 5-8)
Let us add an environmental education component to your home school curriculum with our 2017 Spring Semester Package option! The package includes all 21 sessions from January 3rd, 2017 through May 23rd, 2017.
Find out more »Home School: 2017 Spring Semester Package (Ages 9-14)
Let us add an environmental education component to your home school curriculum with our 2017 Spring Semester Package option! The package includes all 21 sessions from January 3rd, 2017 through May 23rd, 2017.
Find out more »Home School (Age 5-8): Happy Birthday, Aldo!
Aldo learned from his grandfather how important habitat was to the birds that followed the Mississippi River near his childhood home. The cold months after the New Year
are an especially harsh time for birds and other wildlife.
Home School (Age 9-14): Happy Birthday, Aldo!
Aldo learned from his grandfather how important habitat was to the birds that followed the Mississippi River near his childhood home. The cold months after the New Year
are an especially harsh time for birds and other wildlife.
Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Do You Snow Aldo? (Tuesday PM)
It is Aldo’s birthday! Are you ready to party? We will have fun with snow, food, and games that are fun, filling and hearty.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Do You Snow Aldo? (Wednesday)
It is Aldo’s birthday! Are you ready to party? We will have fun with snow, food, and games that are fun, filling and hearty.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Do You Snow Aldo? (Friday)
It is Aldo’s birthday! Are you ready to party? We will have fun with snow, food, and games that are fun, filling and hearty.
Find out more »Wonder Bugs Preschool Program: Howl About That (Tuesday AM)
Tim-ber! Wolf that is. Join the pack as we learn about these wild canines. It will be a howling good time. Raise your head and let it out! Hoowwl…
Find out more »Home School (Age 9-14): Winter Survival
Any of us could find ourselves in a situation where we need to use winter survival skills. Not only must we respect natural forces but also learn what nature provides to help us survive. Learn how to dress, pack a survival kit and work cooperatively when faced with a survival situation.
Find out more »
