Residential Programs

Operating in the fall, winter, and spring these 3-5 day programs provide an unforgettable learning experience for 5th and 6th grade public, private, charter and homeschool students.

Students learn in small teams and are taught by University of Idaho graduate students, faculty, and staff. Each day, teams of 5-8 students accompany their instructors to field sites to scientifically characterize local ecosystems. They collect data on local atmospheric conditions, vegetative cover, soil characteristics, and aquatic ecosystems' physical, chemical, and biological conditions.

Finally, students work with fellow teammates and instructors to synthesize and analyze the data they've collected, compare it to data collected elsewhere, and make inferences based on their findings.

The 5 "Cs" - communication, collaboration, caring, connection, and cooperation - are reinforced during the entire week, in the field, while sharing chores, and in small group living. Low instructor-student ratios allow us to give abundant individualized attention.