Education at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
Discover. Explore. Connect with Nature.
The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge is more than a place to see birds—it is a living classroom where students, families, educators, and community members can explore wetlands, wildlife, migration, and the importance of protecting our natural world.
Friends of the Bear River Refuge supports education opportunities that help people of all ages connect with nature, learn about the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, and become inspired to care for the Refuge and the wildlife that depend on it.
Whether you’re planning a school field trip, looking for activities to do with your family, or bringing nature into your classroom, there are many ways to learn at the Refuge.
🚌 School & Group Field Trips
A visit to the Refuge gives students the opportunity to step outside the classroom and experience science firsthand.
The U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service offers educational field trips designed around age-appropriate science concepts and Utah curriculum standards. Programs allow students to explore the Refuge’s wetlands and habitats while learning about the plants, animals, and ecological processes that make this place special.
Field Trip Topics Include:
🐦 Birds & Their Adaptations
Discover what makes birds unique and how their bodies, behaviors, and habitats help them survive. Older students can explore migration and the important habitats birds depend on along their journeys.
💧 Wetland Ecology & Macroinvertebrates
Explore the Refuge’s wetlands and discover the tiny creatures that play an important role in a healthy ecosystem. Students can learn about watersheds, wetlands, wildlife, and the ways people depend on these habitats.
🦋 Insects & Pollination
Learn about insects and their incredible diversity while discovering why pollinators are essential to healthy ecosystems and our everyday lives.
Field trips are available for a variety of age groups. Teachers and group leaders should contact the Refuge in advance to schedule a visit.
🎒 Bring the Classroom to Life
Lessons in a Trunk
Teachers can bring hands-on environmental education directly into their classrooms through the Refuge’s Education Trunks.
These ready-to-use resources include lesson plans, activities, crafts, books, and hands-on materials. Trunks are available on a first-come, first-served basis and may be checked out for two weeks.
Available Education Trunks Include:
🦇 Going Batty — Grades K–5
Explore the world of bats and learn about their unique adaptations and behaviors through hands-on activities, crafts, books, and real bat specimens.
🐦 Build-A-Bird — Grades K–5
Discover how a bird’s habitat and diet influence its physical characteristics through an interactive activity where students become the bird.
🐸 Build-A-Frog — Grades K–5
Learn about frog adaptations and life cycles while exploring the differences between amphibians and reptiles.
🪶 Bills & Beaks — Grades K–5
Students investigate adaptation and natural selection by using different “beaks” to determine which tools work best for finding different types of food.
🌊 Build-A-Shorebird — Grades K–5
Learn about shorebirds and the remarkable adaptations that allow them to survive in their environments.
🦅 Birds of Prey — Grades 3–7
Explore raptor adaptations including vision and talons, and learn through hands-on activities featuring feathers, talons, skulls, owl pellets, and other materials.
Interested in an Education Trunk?
Contact the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge at 435-723-5887 or bearriver@fws.gov for availability and checkout information.
🌿 Explore on Your Own
You don’t need to be part of a school group to learn at the Refuge!
Families, homeschool groups, youth organizations, clubs, and other groups can plan a self-guided educational visit.
Depending on the age of your group and the amount of time you have, activities can include:
- Exploring the Visitor Center’s Exhibit Hall
- Hiking Refuge trails
- Completing a scavenger hunt or bingo activity
- Watching the Wings of Thunder Refuge film
- Exploring the Nature Play Area
- Completing Junior Ranger activities
- Driving the Auto Tour Loop
- Watching and identifying wildlife along the way
The Refuge offers activities for younger children as well as students in grades 6–12, making it a great destination for families and youth groups of all ages.
🦆 Junior Duck Stamp Program
The Junior Duck Stamp Program combines art, science, and conservation.
K–12 students from public, private, and home schools can participate in the annual Junior Duck Stamp Art Contest by creating artwork featuring North American waterfowl.
Teachers can also incorporate the program into their classrooms using educational materials, art trunks, art kits, and programming opportunities available through the Refuge.
The Utah contest deadline is March 1 each year.
🦅 Become a Junior Refuge Ranger
Kids can become Bear River Junior Refuge Rangers while exploring the Refuge!
Junior Ranger activity materials and backpacks are available at the Visitor Center. The backpacks contain tools and guides designed to encourage children to explore the Refuge’s wetlands and grasslands.
Children can complete the Junior Ranger Activity Booklet and earn an official Junior Ranger badge.
It’s a fun way to turn a visit to the Refuge into an adventure!
☀️ Learning Beyond the Classroom
Education at the Refuge doesn’t stop with school field trips.
Throughout the year, Friends of the Bear River Refuge and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge provide opportunities for the public to learn through special events, environmental education programs, wildlife viewing, hands-on activities, and family programs.
From discovering shorebirds and pollinators to learning about wetlands and migration, these experiences help people of all ages understand why the Bear River ecosystem is so important.
The Refuge is a place where learning happens outdoors, questions are encouraged, and connecting with nature is part of the experience.
💚 How Friends Supports Education
Friends of the Bear River Refuge helps strengthen educational opportunities at the Refuge by supporting programs, educational materials, special events, and experiences that connect people with the natural world.
Your support helps make it possible for children and families to explore, learn, and develop a lifelong appreciation for the Refuge and its wildlife.
1,900+
Fourth-grade students connected with the Refuge
1,000+
Students received a Federal Recreation Pass
500+
Hours of staff and volunteer support
Help Us Connect More People With Nature
Become a Friend. Volunteer. Donate. Participate.
Together, we can help ensure that the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge remains a place where future generations can discover the wonder of wetlands and wildlife.
Join Friends of the Bear River Refuge
Support Education
Volunteer