# K-12 Programs ## expand\_more **Bring the museum to your students through frameworks-oriented programs! Each program is taught by a museum educator.** [ Schedule a K-12 program arrow\_circle\_right ](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6L2fgrRIQxmgMzs) ## Available Programs **We require at least 2 weeks' notice to schedule a K-12 class.** **Reservations for the 2026-2027 school year will open June 1.** *New fees as of July 1, 2026* - $100 per program plus $10 museum admission for each student. - One chaperone per five students admitted free - $10.00 per additional adult chaperone *Current fees through June 30, 2026* - $250 for up to 25 students (includes admission to museum galleries) - $10 each additional student. - One chaperone per five students admitted free - $10.00 per additional adult chaperone Please note: One chaperone per five students is required for grades K-8. Contact us at about requirements for older students. K-12 programs are scheduled from September through June, Monday–Friday. Programs are typically taught 9:30 am–1:30 pm. Program capacity: 50 students, unless otherwise noted. Programs run 45 min–1 hour unless otherwise noted. ### K–2 programs expand\_more ## Welcome to the Forest (PreK–K) *Class capacity 20 students* *Class runs 30-40 minutes* Who lives in a forest? What sights, smells, and noises make a forest special? Young students will use their senses to explore life in a New England forest. By engaging in group discussion, movement activities, and examination of real specimens of plants, animals, and fungi, students will uncover relationships between living things in their local environment. Strongly supports standards: PreK-ESS2-1(MA), PreK-LS1-1(MA), PreK-LS1-3(MA) Also supports: PreK-ESS2-3 (MA) ## Animal ABCs On an imaginary walk through the park, students will explore differences and similarities in birds, reptiles, mammals, and amphibians. By examining live animals, fur, feathers, eggs, and other natural objects, students will observe how animals look, grow, and behave. We will construct a model comparing life cycles, parental care, and special characteristics that make each group unique. Strongly supports standards: K-LS1-2(MA), 1-LS1-2 ## Dig into Fossils Students will engage in science practices using a compelling topic—fossils! How do ancient animals such as dinosaurs and woolly mammoths compare to living things today? What clues can they give us about the environments where ancient animals lived? Students will become paleontologists as they examine rocks and fossils, and practice making meaningful observations to create an evidence-based picture of Earth’s history. Supports standard: 2-LS4-1 ## Home Sweet Home Students will take a tour around the globe, from lush rainforests to frozen tundra, in search of the plants and animals who call these different places home. Using live animals, plants, and other natural objects, we will explore the individual features and behaviors of these organisms and compare how they survive and thrive in their environments. Strongly supports standards: K-LS1-1, 1-LS1-1, 2-LS2-3, 2-LS4-1 ## Bug World! *Class capacity 28 students* Through close observations of museum specimens and live animals, students will investigate the diverse world of insects, spiders, and their relatives and discover the special features that allow them to live in varied habitats all over the world. Strongly supports standard: 1-LS3-1 ### Grades 3–5 programs expand\_more ## Rocks and Minerals Students will become geologists as they discover the characteristic properties scientists use to identify minerals. Through observations and comparisons of mineral samples, they will learn how properties such as color, shape, hardness, reflectivity, and magnetism are not only used to distinguish minerals but also impact how minerals are used in our everyday lives. Strongly supports standard: 5-PS1-3. ## Forest Ecology *Class capacity 28 students* By examining structures of leaves, fungus, animal skulls, and other natural objects, students will investigate life in a New England forest. Using plants and photosynthesis as a foundation, students will explore how matter moves among producers, consumers, and decomposers. From tiny insects to towering trees, from sun to soil, students will construct a model of the connections between living and nonliving components of an ecosystem. Strongly supports standards: 4-LS1-1, 5-LS1-1, 5-LS2-1 ## Inside Skeletons *Class capacity 28 students* What do all vertebrates have in common? What are the advantages of having bones? In this program featuring live animals and skeletons, students will compare frogs, snakes, and turtles with humans to see basic characteristics shared by all vertebrates and specialized structures that support their behavior, growth, and survival. Strongly supports standard: 4-LS1-1 Also Supports: 3-LS4-3 ## Jaws and Claws What do sharks and dragonflies have in common? They are both amazing predators! Students will observe museum specimens and live animals to construct an argument for how specialized behaviors and structures, including teeth, jaws, eyes, and wings, are used by predators to find and capture prey. Strongly supports standard: 4-LS1-1 Also Supports: 3-LS4-3, 5-PS3-1 ## The Changing Earth Rocks, fossils, and landforms provide clues about the geologic history of our region over the past 600 million years. Through meaningful observations and guided discussions, students will use evidence from geologic materials, maps, and models to discover how oceans, volcanoes, plate tectonics, weathering, erosion, and mountain building have all shaped New England’s landscape. Strongly supports standard: 3-LS4-1, 4-ESS1-1, 4-ESS2-1 Also supports: 4-ESS2-2 ## Mineral Lab *Class capacity 28 students* Students will become mineralogists as they explore the characteristic properties of minerals in a lab-like setting. Students will use scientific tests and careful observations of properties such as color, hardness, reflectivity, density, and magnetism to carry out investigations. By interpreting evidence and constructing arguments, students will identify minerals the way geologists do. Strongly supports standard: 5-PS1-3 ### Grades 6–12 programs expand\_more ## Under Our Feet: The Geology of New England The rocks, fossils, and landforms we see around us provide evidence of how the Earth changes on scales both large and small. With a focus on New England geology, students will interpret geologic materials, maps, and models to discover how Earth processes such as plate tectonics, weathering, and erosion gave rise to both past environments and the landscape we see today. Recommended for grades 6-8. Strongly supports standards: 6.MS-ESS2-3, 6.MS-LS4-1, 7.MS-ESS2-2 Also supports: 6.MS-ESS1-4 ## Exploring Evolution *Class capacity 28 students* How does a population change over time? How can mutations result in new traits? What role does environmental change have in driving evolution? Through guided classroom discussion based on observations of fossils and museum specimens, students will consider three examples of the process of evolution through natural and artificial selection. Recommended for grades 6–8 or as an introduction to evolution for grades 9–12. Strongly supports standards: 8.MS-LS4-4, 8.MS-LS4-5, HS-LS4-2, HS-LS4-5 ## Climate Change How do we know our climate is changing? What impact is this change having on our planet? How does this differ from extreme climate change in the past? Using evidence from fossils, rocks, maps, and scientific data, students will learn how scientists understand paleoclimates. Together, we will construct a model to compare the temperature, greenhouse gases, and sea level of two ancient time periods with today’s changing conditions. Strongly supports standards: 6.MS-LS4-1, 8.MS-ESS3-5, HS-ESS2-2, HS-ESS2-4, HS-ESS2-6, HS-ESS3-5 Also Supports: 6.MS-ESS2-3, 7.MS-LS2-4 ## Human Origins *Class capacity 28 students* How did environmental changes drive the evolution of our species? Students will act as evolutionary biologists as they analyze and interpret fossil evidence from bones and skulls of our ancient human relatives. By comparing anatomical structures, they will uncover and construct an argument about differences between extinct hominins and ourselves, and the role of environment in shaping evolution. Recommended for grades 6-8. Strongly supports standards: 6.MS-LS4-1, 6.MS-LS4-2 Also Supports: HS-LS4-1. HS-LS4-5 ### Spanish Language Programs expand\_more The following programs can be taught in either Spanish or primarily in English, with key terms reinforced in Spanish. Please indicate your preference on the reservation request page. See grade level sections above for class descriptions. Welcome to the Forest (Prek-K) Animal ABCs (K-2) Dig Into Fossils (K-2) Home Sweet Home (K-2) Bug World! (K-2) Forest Ecology (3-5) Inside Skeletons (3-5) Jaws and Claws (3-5) The Changing Earth (3-5) Under Our Feet: The Geology of New England (6-12) Exploring Evolution (6-12) Climate Change (6-12) Human Origins (6-12) ## How to Schedule a Visit Please [complete the online Reservation Request Form at least two weeks in advance ](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6L2fgrRIQxmgMzs)to begin the reservations process. When the request has been reviewed, you will be contacted by the Education Department to complete the reservation. Following a confirmed reservation, you will be emailed an invoice for your visit. Please review the information carefully, and be sure to contact us if anything is incorrect. The reservations desk can be reached at or by calling 617-495-2341. #### **Payment and Attendance Policy** - We request payment by credit card, if possible, which supports our environmental sustainability goals and reduces administrative costs. - Payment is due by the day of the scheduled visit. Payment in advance is welcome. Please reach out if this is not possible for your group. - **Accepted Payment Methods:** Credit Card (preferred), Cash, or Check (payable to ***Harvard University***). *Purchase Orders (PO) must be arranged with our office in advance.* - **Refunds:** No refunds will be issued if your group arrives with fewer people than booked. - **Headcount Changes:** You may adjust your participant numbers up to **three business days** before your trip. - **Day-of Additions:** If you bring more than three (3) unexpected students or adults, they will be charged regular walk-in rates ($15 per student / $20 per adult). #### **Financial Aid** - Fee reductions are available for schools with financial need. Please note if this may apply to your school in the comments/questions section of the [Reservation Request Form](https://harvard.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6L2fgrRIQxmgMzs). #### **Delays and Cancellations** - **Delays:** If your group is running late, call **(617) 495-2341** (weekdays) or **(617) 495-3045** (weekends). - **Cancellations:** Notify the Education Department immediately by email . Groups canceling within two weeks prior to a scheduled program will be charged the full fee. - **Snow Emergencies:** Groups forced to cancel the morning of their visit due to a snow emergency will not be charged and are welcome to reschedule. #### **Additional Information** - Educators are invited to visit the museum for free in advance to develop assignments for their students’ visits. Please contact to arrange your free visit. - Looking for a free activity to use on your visit? Try these [gallery activities](/gallery-activities "Gallery Activities").