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Juneau Nature Seminars: Community and Teacher Classes

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Weekend and evening classes open to the community and providing free professional development for teachers.  Instructors Richard Carstensen and Steve Merli address natural and cultural history with a focusing question  ‘why do we live here?’

Most seminars involve a weekend (both days) outdoors plus two weekday evening classroom sessions.  You may enroll in as many of the three seminars as you wish.

The three 2019 Seminars are:

  • March 2-3, 5-6:  History & geography of Áak’w & T’aakĂș AanĂ­ (land of Auk & Taku people).
  • May 30-June 2:  Landforms (geology) of Áak’w & T’aakĂș AanĂ­: Year-2: Kaxdigoowu HĂ©en (Montana Creek) & EeyĂĄk’w (Amalga Harbor)
  • June 6-9: Habitats of Áak’w & T’aakĂș AanĂ­: Year-2: Kaxdigoowu HĂ©en (Montana Creek) & EeyĂĄk’w (Amalga Harbor)

We recommend a $75 donation for members of the general public, and ask no fee of teachers or professional educators.  *Teachers seeking Ed 581 credit:  Each seminar provides 1 credit. To receive professional development education credit, you’ll register for the course with UAA, and will complete the seminar plus independent study and a final project. Upon successful completion, you may submit your UAA receipt to us for reimbursement!

If a course is full or “out of stock” please join our waitlist here.  We expect to take participants off the waitlist. 

Please see the full Description below for all the details!

 

Details

Nature Studies 2021

Register Now for January Programs!

In lieu of our normal classroom field trips, we’re offering small-group in-person programs for the 2020/21 school year. 

  • Small groups of 6-8 students mixed grades K-5th or 6th-8th, to accommodate siblings participating together
  • 3 hour long programs either 9am-12pm or 12pm-3pm for K-5th graders
  • 6 hour 9am-3pm program available for 6th-8th graders
  • Valley and Douglas all outdoors locations- specified when you select the different options below
  • January’s themes include Winter Adaptations, Animal Tracking, and Outdoor Skills.
  • We will follow our pandemic protocols which include: small groups, cloth face coverings, social distancing, health screenings and exclusively outdoors

You can see more details in the “Description” tab below, and please send us an email info@discoverysoutheast.org if you have any questions. 

Children may enroll in one 3-week session, families may sign up on waitlist if we have room to accommodate a child in multiple groups.  Tuition is free (just list the price as “0”), though you may pay, if you like, our suggested price of $15/day.

We can bill HomeBridge or Raven directly for you, please indicate in the appropriate box below when registering and we’ll take care of the rest.

Tuesdays 

Jan 12, 19, 26

Wednesdays 

Jan 13, 20, 27

Thursdays 

Jan 14, 21, 28
9AM-12PM

K-5th 

Valley Locations 

Animal Tracking:

Looking for and investigating signs that animals leave behind in the woods.

6th-8th Graders Sayeik School

Tracking and Snow Science:

Exploring the Gastineau Meadows looking for animal signs and learning how to safely explore the snow.
12PM-3PM

K-5th Skater’s Cabin 

Outdoor Skills: Shelter Building, navigation, fire safety, and wild edibles. 

K-5th 

Valley Locations

Animal Adaptations:

Staying warm, traveling through (or on) snow, we’ll discover what it takes for animals to thrive in the winter. 

K-5th Fish Creek North Douglas

Animal Tracking:

Looking for and investigating signs that animals leave behind in the woods.
Select options
Summer Camp!Out Of Stock

Outdoor Explorers Summer Camp 2018

From: $0.00

Let’s explore!

Discovery Southeast  offers weekly day camps, plus kayak camping for middle schoolers and overnight cabin trips.  We’re outside having fun every day!

Small group sizes allow travel by van to a different location daily, as we explore Juneau’s gorgeous natural areas and the Tongass National Forest.   Our open format allows inquiry-based STEM learning, and plenty of unstructured time to explore and enjoy.

Please review the details, participant agreement, cancellation policy, and more info in the “Description” tab below.  Some highlights:

  • No more than 3 weeks per child, please.
  • Camps are for 7-12 year olds, except those specified for middle schoolers or 10-12 year olds.
  • Recommended full tuition is listed below. However, thanks to donations, we offer pay-as-you-can tuition, all the way down to $0!
  • If a week is full/”out of stock” sign up for our waitlist. We take children from the waitlist regularly.
  • Also use the waitlist if you wish to register a child too young, too old, or for more than 3 weeks.  Include a note on the waitlist and we will accept them on a case by case basis.
  • Info about Middle School Kayaking Trips is here.  Info about cabin trips is below under the “Description” tab.
  • After registering you’ll need to complete our Participant Agreement, noted below in the “Description” tab.

 

Click here for detailed list of dates

June 4th-8th
– Rocks Week

June 11th-15th
– Adventure Week

June 18th-22nd
– Oceans Week
– Overnight #1 (backpacking cabin to cabin, 10-12 year olds)

June 25th-29th
– Photo Camp (better for the older kids, 9-12)
– Animal Camp (better for the younger kids, 7-10)
– Kayak Expedition #1 (middle schoolers, overnight camping) more info

July 2nd-6th No summer Camp this week

July 9th-13th
– Survival/Outdoor Skills Camp
– Kayak Expedition #2 (middle schoolers, overnight camping) more info

July 16th-20th
– Peak Week #1 (10-12 year old enthusiastic hikers please, a few days may be longer this week)
– Adventure Hikes (less strenuous)

July 23rd- July 27th
– Salmon Week

July 30th- August 3rd
– Photo Camp
– Botany/Wild edibles
– Overnight #2 (backpacking cabin to cabin, 10-12 year olds)

August 6-10
– Maps/Orienteering Week
– Peak week #2 (10-12 year old enthusiastic hikers please, a few days may be longer this week)

August 13-17
– Stream Camp

Details
Out Of Stock

Outdoor Explorers Summer Camp 2019

From: $0.00

In the bullet points below you’ll find links for special camps like K-1, after care, and middle school kayak camp.

For regular Outdoor Explorers camp, registration is closed/full, but we’re working to move children off the waitlist as fast as possible. You can sign up on the waitlist here.

Discovery Southeast offers weekly day camps, plus kayak camping for middle schoolers.  We’re outside having fun every day!

We explore Juneau’s gorgeous natural areas and the Tongass National Forest, traveling by van to different locations daily.   Our open format allows inquiry-based STEM learning, and plenty of unstructured time to explore and enjoy.

Please review the details, participant agreement, cancellation policy, and more info in the “Description” tab below.  Some highlights:

  • No more than 3 weeks per child, please.
  • Grades listed are the grades the child is going into.  Camps are for 2/3 graders & 4-6 graders, except those specified for middle schoolers.
  • Regular tuition is $260, but if that isn’t appropriate for your family, you can name your own price. *This year we’ll ask anyone paying $150 or less to apply for the city-wide scholarship funds.
  • After registering you’ll need to complete our Participant Agreement, noted below in the “Description” tab.
  • If a week is full (”out of stock”) sign up for our waitlist. We take children from the waitlist regularly. We’ll also try to keep a couple spots available for the Summer Youth Activity Expo at Centennial Hall on March 30.
  • Also use the waitlist if you wish to register a child too young, too old, or for more than 3 weeks.  Include a note on the waitlist and we will accept them on a case by case basis.
  • Info about Middle School Kayaking Trips is here.
  • Info about the K/1 program is here
  • Info about “after care” (until 5:30pm) for the weeks of July 22 and 29 is here.

Click here for detailed description of week themes

June 3-7
– Oceans & Streams (grades 2-6)

Ocean, streams, rivers, lakes and even rain. Grab your tallest pair of boots and join us for a wet and wild week in Alaska’s great rainforest. This week we’ll be focusing on Juneau’s aquatic ecosystems and all the fun they have to offer. Activities will include tide pooling, stream mapping, marine mammal research, trips to NOAA and DIPAC and much more.

June 10-14
– Outdoor Skills (grades 2-6)

Do you have the skills to thrive in the wilderness? Come find out with Outdoor Skills camp. We’ll be building shelters, practicing fire safety, learning navigation skills and identifying edible plants along the way to becoming experienced wilderness explorers. Tap into your wild side and get ready for fun.

– Kayak Expedition (Middle Schoolers)

June 17-21
– Birds Week (grades 2-6)

We’re going birding, whatever the feather! Birds capture our imagination as they navigate the skies, but we’ll learn how truly creative birds can be. We will follow birds into every ecosystem, discovering how they adapt to fly thousands of miles or dive beneath the waves. We’ll visit with guests from the Juneau Raptor Center, build our own nests, and learn to identify and spot common species around Southeast Alaska.

June 24-28
– Insect Week (Grades 2/3)

Bees, beetles, and bugs, we’re going to be looking under logs, inside flowers and in streams in search of our favorite six legged friends! We’ll grab our magnifying glasses and zoom in to the miniature world of insects

– Nature Art & Writing (grades 4-6)

Living in a place like Southeast Alaska it’s hard not to be inspired by the outdoors. This week will be spent channeling that inspiration into time spent creating outside. Activities will include journaling, rhyming, drawing, acting, and more! Join us for a week filled with creative pursuits with nature as our muse.

July 1-5 No Summer Camp this week!

July 8-12
– Photo Camp (grades 2/3)

Each day we will head out to a new location and take on a new adventure! We will focus on team-building, goal-setting, orientation skills, environmental stewardship, and of course having a lot of fun along the way. This week is all about the joy of hiking. Get ready to get out and get moving, both on-trail and off-trail. Previous years’ Adventure Hikes camps have included hikes to local Forest Service cabins, hikes to Juneau’s waterfalls, and venturing off to a whole variety of notable features in the landscape, great views, and discovering the world of possibilities that comes from stepping off the trail.

– Adventure Hikes (grades 4-6)

Do you like to connect with nature through pictures? We do, too! We will find waterfalls, wildflowers, and maybe even wildlife to practice the art of a beautiful shot. We will learn how to take action shots, close-ups, landscapes and portraits from Discovery photographers and local experts. No experience necessary. Cameras preferred over smartphones and other communications devices. Discovery Southeast can provide for students in need of a camera — let us know you would like to use one of ours.

– ORCA/SAIL Communication (grades 3-6)

How do you communicate with the land? Lend your listening ears to nature this week as we explore how plants, humans, and animals communicate. We will traverse the microscopic mycelial networks of our forests, analyze birdcalls, and search for personal connections with the land this week.

July 15-20
– Dirt Week (grades 2-6)

Dig into the wonder of the world beneath your feet! We’ll be spending the week learning about why dirt and rocks are so important and how they shape our ecosystems. Activities will include identifying and interviewing rocks, comparing dirt and rocks in different ecosystems, learning about different types of soil, and nature art with dirt and rocks. Prepare to get a little muddy and make space for a few new rocks in your collection!

– Peak Week (grades 4-6; enthusiastic hikers please, a few days may run long this week)

It’s back! A long-time favorite, this fun and rigorous week is all about getting up high. Based on strong teamwork, leadership building, and trail safety, we venture up some of Juneau’s most beautiful peaks. Mt. Juneau, Mt. Roberts, John Muir Cabin, Dan Moller Cabin, Thunder Mountain and Eaglecrest have all been peak destinations of past years. Bring your best boots, your best trail energy, and a big bottle of water — this week is all about the climb!

July 22-26
– Salmon Week (grades 2-6)

Don’t feel gill-ty if this is your favorite week of camp! We’ll be following salmon from birthplace to the ocean this week, exploring how salmon affect both the natural world and the lives of Alaskans. Expect stream-walking, dissections, and visits to NOAA and DIPAC to learn from experts in the field. If that doesn’t tip the scales, we will try catching our own too!

July 29- August 2
– Botany/Wild edibles (grades 2-6)

We’re headed out to find out what our backyard, the forest, and our kitchen have in common: food! From berries to seaweed to labrador tea, join us on a tasty week of adventures, games, and discovery. In forests, muskegs, tidal flats and riverbanks, we’ll get to know what is edible, what is medicinal, and what look-alikes to wisely avoid.

August 6-10
– Adventure Hikes (grades 2/3)

Each day we will head out to a new location and take on a new adventure! We will focus on team-building, goal-setting, orientation skills, environmental stewardship, and of course having a lot of fun along the way. This week is all about the joy of hiking. Get ready to get out and get moving, both on-trail and off-trail. Previous years’ Adventure Hikes camps have included hikes to local Forest Service cabins, hikes to Juneau’s waterfalls, and venturing off to a whole variety of notable features in the landscape, great views, and discovering the world of possibilities that comes from stepping off the trail.

– Photo Camp (grades 4-6)

Do you like to connect with nature through pictures? We do, too! We will find waterfalls, wildflowers, and maybe even wildlife to practice the art of a beautiful shot. We will learn how to take action shots, close-ups, landscapes and portraits from Discovery photographers and local experts. No experience necessary. Cameras preferred over smartphones and other communications devices. Discovery Southeast can provide for students in need of a camera — let us know you would like to use one of ours.

August 13-17
– Mammals (grades 2-6)

In the summer, we mammals abound. From honing our tracking skills to learning to see the world from another mammal’s point of view, we’ll be getting to know these critters in-depth this week. Join us for animal games, animal stories, and some great hikes into the various forests, stream banks, mountains, and beaches that make this place many mammals’ ideal home.

Details
Out Of Stock

Outdoor Explorers Summer Camp 2020

From: $0.00

We are running 3 types of camps this summer!

  1. Customizable “Bubble” camp- families and friends team up and we provide the camp. If you have a group of 4 or more and want to make your own camp, complete the bubble camp interest list here.
  2. Outdoor Explorers- for kids going into grades 3-6.
  3. Outdoor Leaders- for teens going into grades 7-9

Please register by July 1st to help us plan. If we do not have enough sign ups in a session by that point, we may have to cancel it and will offer to switch those enrolled to other weeks still open.  As always, please give us a call (907) 463-1500 or send an email info@discoverysoutheast.org if you have any questions. 

Outdoor Explorers and Outdoor Leaders Weekly Themes:

(click for more details)

June 22nd-26th

Kids entering 4th-6th Grade  Oceans & Streams Week!  9:00 am- 2:00 pm 

Ocean, streams, rivers, lakes, and even rain. Grab your tallest pair of boots and join us for a wet and wild week in Alaska’s great rainforest. This week we’ll be focusing on Juneau’s aquatic ecosystems and all the fun they have to offer.

Kids entering 7th-9th Grade  Outdoor Skills and Leadership Week! 9:30 am- 2:30 pm 

Do you have the skills to thrive in the wilderness? This week we’ll be building shelters, identifying edible plants, learning navigation, and outdoor leadership skills.

 

June 29th-July 3rd

Kids entering 3rd-5th Grade  *New Theme* Bushwhack Camp 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Downtown/Douglas)

Be an Off-trail explorer! Learn to navigate and play in Juneau’s wildest backyards. No Trails? No problem. We’ll use our senses as tools, read the landscape and learn about maps and compasses. Adventure locations may include forests, wetlands, streams, and basins!

Kids entering 6th-9th Grade  *New Theme* Treadwell Ditch Adventure Hike! 9:00 am- 3:30 pm Douglas 

 Cancelled due to low enrollment. 

 

July 8th-10th (3 longer days)

Kids entering 4th-6th Grade  3 Peaks in 3 days! 9:00 am- 5:00 pm 

*Must be experienced/avid Hiker

This fun and rigorous camp is all about getting up high. Longer days will give the group the time needed to attempt summits! Based on strong teamwork, leadership building, and trail safety, we venture up some of Juneau’s most beautiful peaks. Mt. Juneau, Mt. Roberts, John Muir Cabin, Dan Moller Cabin, Thunder Mountain and Eaglecrest have all been peak destinations of past years. Bring your best boots, your best trail energy, and a big bottle of water — this week is all about the climb! 

Kids entering 7th-9th Grade  3 Peaks in 3 days! 9:00 am- 5:00 pm

This fun and rigorous camp is all about getting up high. Longer days will give the group the time needed to attempt summits! Based on strong teamwork, leadership building, and trail safety, we venture up some of Juneau’s most beautiful peaks. Middle Schoolers: email us requests for where you want to climb! We’ll try to bring us to some new heights and views from your elementary school days.  Bring your best boots, your best trail energy, and a big bottle of water — this week is all about the climb! 

 

July 13th-17th

Kids entering 3rd-6th Grade Outdoor Skills Week! roughly 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Valley)

Do you have the skills to thrive in the wilderness? We’ll be building shelters, learning navigation skills, practicing leadership, and identifying edible plants along the way to becoming experienced wilderness explorers.

Kids entering 7th-9th Grade Peak Week! roughly 9:00 am- 5:00 pm 4 days Only Monday-Thursday

Cancelled due to low enrollment. 

 

July 20th-24th 

Kids entering 3rd-6th Grade Oceans and Streams! 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Downtown/Douglas)

Cancelled due to low enrollment. 

Kids entering 6th-9th Grade Photography Camp! 9:00 am- 3:00 pm (Central Locations)

Do you like to connect with nature through pictures? We will visit a variety of habitats for a variety of photography opportunities. Mountaintop Monday, Tidepool Tuesday, Wetland Wednesday, Tributary Thursday, Forest Friday. No experience necessary; must have your own camera (phone is acceptable, but must be on airplane mode). 

 

July 27th-31st

Kids entering 3rd-5th Grade BushWhack Camp 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Valley)

Be an Off-trail explorer! Learn to navigate and play in Juneau’s wildest backyards. No Trails? No problem. We’ll use our senses as tools, read the landscape, and learn about maps and compasses. Adventure locations may include forests, wetlands, streams, and basins!

Kids entering 4th-6th Grade Nature Art & Writing 9:00 am- 3:00 pm (Central Locations)

Cancelled due to low enrollment.

Kids entering 6th-9th Grade Ecology Camp 9:30 am- 3:30 pm (Valley)

Cancelled due to low enrollment. 

 

August 3rd-7th

Kids entering 3rd-5th Grade  Outdoor Skills! 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Douglas)

Do you have the skills to thrive in the wilderness? We’ll be building shelters, learning navigation skills, practicing leadership, and identifying edible plants along the way to becoming experienced wilderness explorers.

Kids entering 6th-9th Grade Ecology Camp 9:30 am- 3:30 pm (Douglas) 

Looking to ‘dig deep’ into Juneau’s nature? Practice being a naturalist with us this summer! This camp is for budding ecologists who will learn to think like a naturalist, expanding their outdoor knowledge and observation skills. We will be exploring a variety of habitats and follow our curiosity, documenting our most interesting finds in a field notebook of the participant’s making.

 

August 10th -14th

Kids entering 3rd-6th Grade  Botany/Wild Edibles! 9:00 am- 2:30 pm (Central Locations)

We’re headed out to find out what our backyard, the forest, and our kitchen have in common: food! From berries to seaweed to labrador tea, join us on a tasty week of adventures, games, and discovery. In forests, muskegs, tidal flats, and riverbanks, we’ll get to know what is edible, what is medicinal, and what look-alikes to wisely avoid.

Kids entering 6th-9th Grade  Traverses and Verses! 9:30 am- 3:30 pm (Central Locations)

Cancelled due to low enrollment. 


What are we doing for COVID-19? Detalis are in a blog post here, but the basics include daily health screenings, smaller groups, social distancing and mask wearing (with breaks!), staying outdoors and avoiding shared supplies, no van transportation, and slightly older kids than prior years.

Registration Guidelines:

  • Children may enroll in multiple weeks, but must take at least a week off in between camps.
  • Regular tuition is $260, but if that isn’t appropriate for your family, you can name your own price. If you’re enrolling multiple children, list the price per child, the internet will do that math.  *Like last year, we’ll ask anyone paying $150 or less to apply for the city-wide scholarship funds, linked below.
  • After registering you’ll need to complete both our Participant Agreement and a special acknowledgment pertaining to the pandemic, which are linked below.
  • Note that this year parents pick-up and drop-off children at the day’s trailhead!  (Accomodating COVID, we’re not using the van).

If a week is full (”out of stock”), or if you are unsure, sign up for our waitlist – we almost always pull from it.

Details
Out Of Stock

Spring Break Camp

From: $0.00

**Camps are currently on hold while we all social distance to prevent the spread of coronavirus.  We are looking into small group camps, and hope to start up opportunities like that as soon as it is safe for our community.  Please stay tuned, and be sure to follow Discovery Southeast’s online resources as you look for ways to engage your children outdoors – it’s more important now than ever.**

We’re excited to have you join us to explore outdoors! Spring Break Camp offers programs outdoors exploring Juneau’s parks and natural areas.

New this year! In addition to our week-long program for 2-6th graders, we’re offering a three day, half day K-1st program based out of Sandy Beach, details below.

Times:
For 2nd-6th Graders: Monday-Friday, the drop off time is 8:30 AM and the pick up is 3:30 PM.  Drop off and pick up are both at Twin Lakes, by the Caouette skating cabin.

K/1st grader program is half days, and only Monday-Wednesday. The drop off time is 9:00 AM and the pick up is at 12:00 pm. Drop off and pick up are both at Sandy Beach Shelters.

Registration:

The recommended/full tuition for Spring Break Camp is $250 for 2-6th grade and $100 for K-1st grade. However, we proudly offer sliding scale tuition; enter the amount that’s right for you.

When enrolling multiple children, please list the price you’ll pay per child. The internet will do the math. You’ll receive a link to our online Participant Agreement, which you need to complete at least ten days before the Discovery Day(s).  Please view the details and more info below in the “Description” tab.

If the day is full (or “Out of Stock”), you can join our waitlist here. We usually end up adding participants from the waitlist, so do sign up if interested.

Registration Deadlines:

Spring Break Camp will close on March 15th.

 

 

Details
Out Of Stock

Spring Break Camp & Discovery Days

From: $0.00

Registration is now closed! If you have any questions or concerns regarding camp, please contact Andrew at either (503)-407-6910 or andrew@discoverysoutheast.org.

We’re excited to have you join us to explore outdoors! Discovery Days and Spring Break Camp offer day-long outdoor programs exploring Juneau’s parks and natural areas.

The recommended/full tuition is $50 for the Discovery Day or $250 for Spring Break camp. However, we proudly offer sliding scale tuition; enter the amount that’s right for you.  (If you’re a Glacier Valley student looking for the Feb. 18 Discovery Day, find it at this link.)

Times (New!):
The drop off time is 8:30 AM.  For Discovery Days, the pick up is 4pm.  For Spring Break Camp, the pick up is 3:30 PM.  Pick up and drop off are both at Twin Lakes, by the Caouette skating cabin.

When enrolling multiple children, please list the price you’ll pay per child. The internet will do the math. You’ll receive a link to our online Participant Agreement, which you need to complete at least ten days before the Discovery Day(s).  Please view the details and more info below in the “Description” tab.

If the day is full (or “Out of Stock”), you can join our waitlist here. We usually end up adding participants from the waitlist, so do sign up if interested.

Registration Deadlines:
March 1st registration will close on February 25th, and Spring Break Camp will close on March 11th.

 

 

Details