Free and paid programs
Nature Connections Workshops
Illustrated talks and hands-on programs in nature observation, animal tracks, and wildlife behavior.
For teachers and families
Education Resource Hub
Place-based learning tied to the public lands of the Black Hills and western Nebraska. Search by grade, book a Field School program, or point your class at a park.
Place-based learning, made simple
What you’ll find here
The Education Resource Hub connects teachers, homeschool families, and curious visitors to hands-on learning tied to real public lands. Search by grade for field trips, distance learning, and standards-aligned lesson plans across South Dakota and western Nebraska, or sign up for a program taught outside by our Field School.
Black Hills Parks and Forests Association is the nonprofit cooperating association for these lands. We fund school field trips and Junior Ranger programs and teach our own Field School courses. The National Park Service and Forest Service run the parks; we help pay for the learning that happens in them.
Search by grade
Click the grade you teach
Each grade band collects field trips, distance learning, outreach programs, and curriculum kits by subject: earth science, life science, social studies, and Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. Everything lines up with South Dakota and Nebraska standards.
K-2
First trips outside, senses, and picture-book science. Cave country and fossil beds, sized for the youngest learners.
Browse K-2 resources
3-5
Fossils, ecosystems, and the people of this place. Field trips and lesson kits for upper elementary.
Browse 3-5 resources
Middle school
Deeper earth and life science, plus social studies and the living cultural history of the region.
Browse middle school resources
High school
Inquiry-driven programs on geology, ecology, and the history of public lands.
Browse high school resources
Find your path
Who’s this for?
Same public lands, three ways in. Pick the one that fits.
Classroom teachers
Bring your class outside
- Search by gradeField trips, distance learning, and lesson plans sorted by grade band and subject, aligned to South Dakota and Nebraska standards.
- Book a field tripEach park has an education specialist who schedules ranger-led trips and classroom visits. You will find them listed on the grade pages.
- Field trips are fundedBHPFA helps cover buses, materials, and Junior Ranger books so cost is not the reason a class stays home.
Field noteBus budgets are tight out here. Ask us early and we plan the funding around your calendar.
Homeschool families
Learning days in the field
- Homeschool Nature AdventuresMonthly hands-on outdoor learning days for homeschool families, all skill levels welcome.
- Grade-band resourcesThe same field trips, lesson kits, and distance-learning links teachers use, open to families too.
- Seasonal nature programsCheck current listings for dates, fees, locations, and participation details.
Heads upHomeschool Nature Adventures registration opens each season and fills quickly.
Families and first-timers
Turn a visit into a lesson
- Junior RangerPick up a free activity book at any park visitor center, earn the badge, and take the pledge.
- Free ranger programsWalks, talks, and story times across all seven sites. Check the calendar before you go.
- Nature Connections WorkshopsIllustrated talks and hands-on programs in nature observation, animal tracks, and wildlife behavior.
Why it mattersThe Junior Ranger books and free programs you enjoy are printed and funded by BHPFA.
BHPFA Field School
Programs we teach ourselves
BHPFA also offers illustrated talks and hands-on nature programs. Check each listing for current dates, fees, and participation details.
Families · Monthly
Homeschool Nature Adventures
Hands-on outdoor learning days for homeschool families, all skill levels.
Who pays for the field trip?
We do, so cost is not the reason a class stays home
Black Hills Parks and Forests Association funds school field trips, transportation help, classroom materials, and the Junior Ranger books kids take home. The parks provide the rangers and the ground; we provide the budget that gets students there.
- Field trips and buses to the partner parks
- Junior Ranger activity books, printed and free at every visitor center
- Distance learning that reaches classrooms too far to visit
More from the parks
Teacher resources by park
Each grade page points to the parks’ own education pages. Here they are in one place. Our partner parks are Wind Cave, Jewel Cave, Scotts Bluff, and Agate Fossil Beds; the hub also links neighboring National Park Service sites teachers ask about.
- Wind Cave National Park
- Jewel Cave National Monument
- Scotts Bluff National Monument
- Agate Fossil Beds National Monument
- Badlands National Park
- Devils Tower National Monument
- NPS Teachers (all sites)
- Forest Service Learn
Every grade page sorts resources by earth science, life science, social studies, and Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings. For the standards themselves, see the Next Generation Science topics and the Oceti Sakowin Essential Understandings (PDF). We are still adding partners and lesson-plan resources, so check back.
Good to know
Common questions
Are BHPFA education programs free?
Some programs are free; others have a fee. Check each program listing for current costs and participation details.
Who teaches the programs?
Naturalists, educators, and National Park Service and Forest Service rangers. BHPFA staff and trained volunteers run the Field School courses, and park rangers lead the field trips and classroom visits at each site. The people teaching your students work on these public lands every day.
How do school field trips get funded?
Black Hills Parks and Forests Association pays for them. As the nonprofit partner for these lands, we cover buses, materials, and Junior Ranger books so a class can visit without the cost stopping them. The parks supply the rangers and the ground; we supply the budget.
How do I book a program for my class?
Start on the grade page that matches your students. Each one lists the parks offering field trips, distance learning, and outreach, along with the education specialist to contact at that site. For a BHPFA Field School course, register from its program page. Questions? Email [email protected].
Which program fits my child’s age?
The hub sorts everything into four grade bands: K-2, 3-5, middle school, and high school. Homeschool Nature Adventures welcomes a mix of ages, and free ranger programs and Junior Ranger books work for all ages. Click the grade you teach to see what fits.
Get outside
Find a program on the calendar
New field trips, workshops, and free events post every season across all seven sites.