Earth's Classroom

05/29/2026

BECAUSE OF OUR BIG WAIT LIST, Earth's Classroom is adding a second 9th-12th grade Ecology Canoe Trip on the Eleven Point River for the dates of July 27th-29th!! They could go fast! REGISTER HERE https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/9th-12th-graders-3-day-2-night-ecology-canoe-trip-2026-2

In addition, participants could acquire an ACA (American Canoe Association) Level 2 Canoe Skills Card (thanks to the Mike & Marge Cline Memorial Grant from ACA) that is fabulous for your resume! Get ready for an adventure filled with learning! Get ready for the freedom that Ozark flowing waters can bring! No watches, no phones, just an escapade of education.

05/28/2026

This is Training Season for us, and the last two full days Earth's Classroom instructors, "Wild" Bill and "Tame" Jody, had the honor of working with and training Big Muddy Adventures staff in the ACA Level 3 River Safety and Rescue Skills!

What a great group of river rats! If you haven't experienced St. Louis in this unique way, we highly recommend it! CHECK THEM OUT HERE https://www.2muddy.com/ before all their trips are full!

This was our third year to instruct the Big Muddy staff. We stepped it up with in-depth discussions and multiple scenarios, flipping the big 30' voyageurs three times in the Mississippi River for training. Lots of refining and communication skills built! These humans, with Big Muddy, are resilient, hard workers. (We bet they slept hard last night.) It was an honor to work with them.

CHEERS to a wonderful river season!

05/26/2026

This Saturday we took our Family/Public Ecology Wild Caving Trip and went deep underground! From cave formations and geology to Missouri’s underground history, there was plenty to discover! Of course, no wild caving trip is complete without a little clay on our clothes!

05/21/2026

AND THAT'S A WRAP! Our Spring Field Trip Season has come to an end. Nearly 3,000 participants in the last couple months. It has been adventurous, fun, learning filled with a deeper appreciation for our unique natural and cultural resources surrounding us.

A deep THANK YOU to all the schools/educational groups that have participated with us:
South Point Elementary, Owensville Elementary, Gerald Elementary, Owensville Middle School, Campbellton Elementary, Sullivan Elementary, Immanuel Lutheran School, Owensville Homeschool Coop, Steelville Elementary, Hermann Elementary, St. Joseph Westphalia School, St. George School, Linn Elementary, Beaufort Elementary, Phelps/Crawford Counties Home School Coop, Our Lady of Lourdes School, Central Elementary, CASCO Learning, Edgar Murray School, Reining Trails, Whitegate Montessori, Washington West Elementary, Osage R-1 Schools, St. Gertrude School, Prairie Dell Elementary, Clearview Elementary, the FSCE students from seven different regional high schools and Mississippi River Water Trail Association. (Hopefully we didn't miss anyone!...It's been busy.)

Now we shift to ACA trainings and High Adventure Programs!! Woo Hoo!

05/20/2026

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, but we wanted to take the time to share Earth's Classroom's fun we endured this past weekend.

These photos are a blend of two programs/trainings we led. An ACA L2 Canoe Skills course on the Missouri River for the wonderful people with Mississippi River Water Trail Association AND the Tarantula Glade Hike.

The ACA L2 Canoe Skills course introduced skills paddling on big river dynamics, correct paddling strokes, and how to do open water rescues in big rivers. A great group!

The Tarantula Glade Hike introduced the amazing world of our wild tarantulas here in Missouri (the most north and east range for our continent). We shared about the unique research the EC instructors have done with tarantulas, their distinct display of behaviors, their adaptability to the geology/environment, how long they live, and why they should be protected in the wild--not in captivity. SO MUCH FUN!

ENJOY the fun photos!

05/14/2026

CHECK IT OUT, FOLKS! A free day on the Missouri River, paddling into Jefferson City! Hosted by Stream Teams United, Earth's Classroom professionals are the lead educators. Check out the details below and sign up! We are looking for 1st time Missouri River paddlers! What a unique, educational experience. If you know a Lincoln University student, please share this with them. SYOTR!

05/12/2026

THIS SUNDAY! MAY 17th from 1-4pm! Are you feeling adventurous? Do something different! Hike into the backcountry of Meramec State Park. Learn from educators that conducted research on tarantulas in Missouri. Learn about tarantula's unique behavior and life story on Missouri's glade habitats. FREE SLOTS FOR GASCONADE COUNTY R-2 OMS, GES, and OES! Click below for all the details! AND REGISTER SOON!

Join expert guides on a hike through the glades, the tarantula’s natural habitat. Along the way, you will uncover the secrets of these unique arachnids. FREE slots for Gasconade County R-2 families (OES, GES, OMS)

05/05/2026

We've been busy with so many different types of Outdoor Education...including NATURE FROM THE SADDLE with Reining Trails. Cool experiences you can have with us! Check out all the experiences to be had on our website! Thank you Reining Trails!

04/27/2026

We were lucky to spend Earth Day with an awesome group of volunteers from Lakeside Book Company here at Earth’s Classroom!

They hiked our property alongside our AmeriCorps member, Taelor, helping locate invasive (exotic) species in the prairies so we can begin removing them. Early detection like this plays a big role in protecting native ecosystems.

Along the way, we made a few fun discoveries too...like bird nests (pictured), and even spotted some turtles and lizards!

We’re really grateful for their time and energy, and for choosing to spend their Earth Day supporting this work!