Wild Compass After School Programs

When the school day ends, the adventure begins! Our Science Beginnings After School Program invites students in grades 3-6 to learn about the scientists who taught us all we know. Students will explore different areas of science, conduct experiments, and reenact the earliest of discoveries.

Each month features a new topic with hands-on activities led by Wild Compass naturalists, encouraging curiosity, observation, and exploration.
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Our After School programs are grant-funded and completely free for participating schools. Wild Compass is proud to provide opportunities for kids to discover science, connect with nature, and build curiosity that lasts a lifetime.
November – Name That Animal!
Have you ever wondered why a snake and a turtle are both called a reptile? Or why an ostrich and a cardinal are both called birds? Find out how early scientists sorted animals into groups and create your own wacky animal. Maybe you will even discover a new way to classify animals!

December – Nature's Adaptations
Learn how animals are able to survive in their habitats through changes in the way they behave or look. Explore bird beaks and the food they eat, why giraffes have such a long neck and tongue, create your own miniature ecosystem, and learn about the scientists who discovered how these adaptations are formed!

January – The Gene Pool
DNA is the tiny material in our cells that make us blonde or brown-eyed or tall. But did you know every living thing on the planet has DNA? In this class we will learn how DNA works, how traits are passed on, and will even get to extract real DNA from a plant! 

February – If I Ran the Zoo
Enter the life of early zoologists as you explore habitats looking for unique animals! Assemble skeletons and study the behavior of a real animal in this fun class!

March – Mapping the Stars
Nearly 2,500 years ago, people knew how big around the earth was, could navigate to distant lands using the stars, and knew of the existence of planets. But how? Find out as we learn all about these early astronomers and how they studied the night sky.
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