The Cargill Future STEM Leaders program brings free programming to high schools who historically have populations with >50% free or reduced lunches. For the ‘24-’25 school year, we will be expanding this programming to a middle school audience! The programs will be slightly modified to meet Minnesota State Science Standards, and will still include live raptors.

The two part curriculum offers students a standards-aligned deep dive into the world of raptors, conservation, and evolution. The first class in the program is all about species-specific adaptations that allow raptors to survive and thrive in the ecosystem roles they occupy. It covers concepts like bioaccumulation, convergent evolution, and both intra-and inter-species adaptations, all through the lens of live birds on the glove. 

Teachers can pick from two follow-up programs, either Animal Behavior: which covers operant conditioning, bird body language, and the science of behaviorism; or Scientific Illustration: which digs into the intersection between science and art, and how good science communication happens visually. Both programs will have two live raptors on the glove, and have interactive components to enrich and engage students in the experience.

Join The List

More information will be shared late August to get you class officially scheduled.

Through funding by the ENRTF, The Raptor Center is providing free environmental programming to elementary schools that historically have >40% student populations receiving free and reduced lunch. The programming consists of two engaging, standards-based programs featuring positive interactions with raptors. In both programs students will explore the important role raptors play in our environment, learn to identify the three adaptations that all raptors share and how those adaptations help each species of raptors survive. 

For the first program 2 live raptors will be brought to your school and educators can choose from 3 standards-based lessons that focus on learning objectives in either Feathers, Habitat or Flight. Each focused topic will bring students to the understanding of how raptors live: Who is this bird? Where do they live? How do they hunt? What do they hunt? When do they hunt?

• In Feathers, students will dive deep into the many functions of feathers and use observational and investigation skills in preparation for making a work of art - a line drawing of a feather of their choice.  Students will also explore different types of feathers, learn how to identify feathers from different raptor species and understand what feathers can tell you about how that raptor lives.
• In Habitat, students will explore the basic elements that all people and animals need in order to survive - these elements make up the habitat. Through learning the habitat of each raptor species they meet and the niche they fill in that habitat, students will also come to understand the importance of raptors in our environment.
• In Flight, students will investigate the wing variations between raptors and how that affects their flight. Students will measure wings and feathers and have a basic understanding of the physics of flight. By understanding the feather/wing and flight differences between species of raptors, students will be able to tell the story of how that bird lives.

Teachers can pick from two follow-up programs, 

Either a virtual tour of The Raptor Center where students will go behind the scenes and be brought virtually into our center for a live, interactive field trip experience. 

OR

We will come back to you with 3 live raptors. Students will experience a Raptors of Minnesota presentation and learn more about the raptors that could be living in their neighborhoods. 

Join The List

More information will be shared late August to get you class officially scheduled.