Field Trips & Presentations

Naturalist Led Programs

Walking Tour with Naturalist Tour Guide: An AWCC staff member will lead students on a one-hour long walking tour through the sanctuary. Students will learn about the Alaska wildlife represented by ambassadors at AWCC and hear stories of how some animals came to be in our care. Grades: K – 12 (1 hour)

Porcupine Presentation: Students are introduced to one of our porcupines while learning about unique adaptations, life history, and similarities and differences between predator and prey. Grades: K – 12 (30 minutes)

Alaska Animals Puppet Show: Learn about Alaska animals with the help of AWCC’s puppets and staff! The puppet show lasts approximately 25 minutes and is followed by hands-on activities with animal skulls, hides, and antlers. Grades: Pre-K – 2 (45 minutes total)

Awesome Adaptations: Students will learn how Alaska animals have uniquely adapted to live in a harsh environment. Students will have hands-on experience investigating skulls, fur, teeth, and bones. Grades: 3 – 6 (1 hour)

Adaptation Stations: Students learn about the AWCC’s wildlife from this interactive, bio-fact based drop-in program. At this station, our Naturalist staff will engage students with short activities about animal adaptations and answers questions. This option is ideal for groups to interact with on a rolling basis during their visit and for larger groups. Grades: K-12 (booked in hour increments)

Adaptation Station Options:

1. Tracks and Scat: Become familiar with animal tracks and signs. Learn how to recognize what wildlife has passed through your area.
2. Skull Morphology: Learn to identify different animal skulls based on their features. Test your knowledge with a matching game.

Endangered Cook Inlet Beluga Monitoring: Join AWCC staff for a beluga whale monitoring session at the point. Students will use data sheets to collect information about beluga presence, behavior, and environmental data. While learning about life history and Cook Inlet beluga population recovery as a critically endangered population. On selected available dates. Grades: 4 – 12 (approximately 2 hours)

Beluga Conservation Conundrum Workshop: This workshop walks students through the challenges of creating a species conservation plan. Students will learn about the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale as well as the values and opinions of different interest groups. Using what they learn, students will create a mock conservation plan for the Cook Inlet belugas and compare their plan with current conservation efforts and discover ways they can help as community scientists. Grades: 9 – College (2.5 hours)

Interacting in Wild Spaces: This program is offered in collaboration with U.S. Forest Service and Begich, Boggs Visitor Center. Come to Portage Valley to learn how to interact with wildlife and learn all about wildlife safety and awareness. Participants will also travel down the road to visit the Chugach National Forest’s Begich, Boggs Visitor Center and surrounding trails to learn about exploring your national forest and how to recreate responsibly. Grades: 3-5 in Anchorage School District (This full day program begins at 10:00am and concludes at 2:00pm)

Career Presentation: Hear from our staff about careers at the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center. Grades: 8 – College (1 hour)

Career Presentation Options:

1.  General AWCC Careers: Learn about all the roles at our sanctuary and how they each contribute to our mission.
2. Animal Care at AWCC: This presentation, given by our animal care staff (not members of our veterinary team), is specifically designed for students interested in a future career in animal care and/or veterinary medicine.

Contact the Education Department at education@alaskawildlife.org or 907-783-0058 x 8 for more information.

Please read our cancellation policy.

Colleges visiting the AWCC (September 15 – May 15)

Below are opportunities for you and your students while visiting the sanctuary. These options are available during the school year from September 15 – May 15:

1. You and your students can explore the wildlife center on your own! Self-guided options include:
   1. Students can self-guide themselves through AWCC using interpretive signs and audio guides.
   2. Teachers can lead a tour using audio guides or AWCC’s tour guidebook (available by request, email education@alaskawildlife.org for access)
2. You and your students can explore the wildlife center with a Naturalist Tour Guide!
3. You and your students can explore the wildlife center with a Naturalist Tour Guide and participate in another Naturalist Led Program! See program descriptions above.

Click this link to Request a Field Trip to the AWCC

Colleges visiting the AWCC (May 16 – September 14)

Below are opportunities for you and your students while visiting the sanctuary. These options are available during the summer from May 16 – September 14:

• You and your students can explore the wildlife center on your own! Self-guided options include:
  1. Students can self-guide themselves through AWCC using interpretive signs and audio guides
  2. Teachers can lead a tour using audio guides or AWCC’s tour guidebook (available by request, email education@alaskawildlife.org for access)
• You and your students can explore the wildlife center with a Naturalist Tour Guide!

Click this link to Request a Field Trip to the AWCC