We’re Happy to Support Your Educational Journey

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources’ Horicon Marsh Wildlife Education Program offers fun and exciting ways to explore the worlds of science and environmental education while meeting state academic standards. There are now classes offered in the winter and summer months too!

All programs are free, though donations are appreciated!

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Interactive Trunks

The Horicon Marsh State Wildlife Area has three interpretive trunks that can be reserved for up to two weeks. Teachers, scout leaders and other educators are welcome to borrow them.

Pick up and drop off times are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment at the Horicon Marsh Education & Visitor Center.

To reserve a trunk, please contact Liz Herzmann at 920-387-7893 or elizabeth.herzmann@wisconsin.gov.

The Closer Look at Whooping Cranes trunk provides information about whooping crane ecology and biology, details the story of the whooping cranes’ decline and reintroduction, and 14 hands-on activities to share with students. The education trunk contains teaching tools such as crane skull, egg, and bone replicas as well as the isolation rearing costumes worn by biologists who raise whooping crane chicks in captivity.

The trunk was developed for students in grades 4–8, but the activities can be adapted for students of all ages and adults.

The Wisconsin Mammals trunk is designed to teach youth about the state’s wealth of mammals, their natural history and management. This self-contained education trunk consists of an interdisciplinary curriculum paired with hands-on materials and audiovisuals. The trunk includes pelts, skulls, track molds, pictures, videos, books and games that emphasize some of Wisconsin’s most popular — and several misunderstood — mammal species. Also included is a 16-program curriculum covering such topics as Mammals and Their Signs, Trail Tracker and The Story of Wildlife Management.

The lesson plans are intended for school children from kindergarten through 10th grade, and all are correlated to Wisconsin Department of Instruction state academic standards.

Two trunks comprise the World of the Whitetail education program. Twenty-four different hands-on activities explore subjects such as biology, ecology, wildlife management, social studies, history, math, reading and creative writing.

World of Whitetail was developed for students in grades 6–8.