Classes & Activities at LLCC

When planning a visit to Long Lake, classroom teachers determine which classes & activities best suit their students and curricululm. After discussing with you how to make your Long Lake trip the best possible learning experience, we schedule your visit accordingly.

LLCC's classes & activities are sorted according to season.

• Year-round

• Fall & Spring

• Winter

• Downloadable PDF: Classes and Activities

• Downloadable PDF: LLCC Classes and State Science Standards

Year-Round Classes & Activities

Along the Portage

Minnesota’s history is closely tied to the land, and way of life for Minnesotans has changed dramatically over the years. Through an interactive character program, students explore the history of the local landscape during the fur trade. As students learn about the lives of voyageurs, they will get a chance to test their strength and skills and will gain a greater appreciation for years gone by.

Birding Basics

Take flight as we learn about the birds around us. Students will learn what makes birds unique among animals as well as the basics of bird identification. Then, using high quality binoculars and a field guide for identification, groups will visit feeders for a close-up peek at some well known songbird species, explore the trails for a glimpse of forest dwellers, and have the chance to sit quietly as wild Chickadees approach.

Can't See the Tree Thru the Forest

Trees surround us. We spend time in them and under them as youngster and use their shade to cool us as we age. Trees play an important role in our world; from providing oxygen and influencing ecosystems to producing food and wood products that we use daily throughout our lives. Students will go on an outing with our Naturalists in the forest to explore more closely a tree and examine the layers of the a tree to learn more on how trees function and grow. Students will also age 80+ year old trees and write a history of the tree using biological event and historical bench markers

Fireside Stories

Gathering around the fire to hear stories of legends and the natural world leaves students with warm memories. Our staff will read these stories to your students in a setting that is calm and comforting. If you and your staff are interested in doing a more lively activity after the story telling or in place of it, please inform our staff and you will be welcome to lead your students in these types of activities during this time.

Who Gives A Hoot?

An owl has special tools that make it an efficient hunter. A volunteer role plays in costume as the owl's adaptations are discussed. The activity is a favorite in which students play as owl & mice, demonstrating how an owl can capture prey without even seeing it.

Loons, Lore, and More!

The haunting call of Minnesota's state bird intrigues all who come to the north country, but what does it mean? This class teaches loon communication, basic loon biology and ecology, and enchanting stories and lore from Native American culture. Practice your loon feeding skills in an outdoor game that enforces these concepts.

The Scoop on Poop

Ew, poop? Yes, poop. We have a mystery to solve, and a pile of poop is one of our best clues. Examining “scat” can uncover indicators not only of an animal’s species, but also its basic eating habits, health, population numbers, and much more. This topic may sound gross, but students leave talking about all they learned, and they don’t soon forget.

Long Lake Jeopardy

How much did we learn at LLCC? Here’s an opportunity to reinforce the learning from other classes; in addition, we get answers to questions about how much information is actually carried away from those classes. With the class set up like a trivia game show, students are eager to show off their knowledge and walk away champions.

Go BATS!

Bats get tangled in your hair, give you rabies and will even suck your blood." Naw! Uncover the truth about this much maligned night creature during a discussion and role-playing activity. Students have the opportunity to learn about the popular misconceptions and benefits of Minnesota's seven species of bats. During a predator/prey simulation activity, they experience first-hand the adaptation of echo-location.

Log/Journal Writing

A must for all students, writing (and illustrating) is individual quiet time activity that can be scheduled for short periods after meals and during canteen. You decide the format and content of journals. Some groups prefer specific writing assignments, and others start with blank pages. A great way to work toward graduation standards.

Global Positioning Systems (GPS)

Navigating through the woods, making waypoints, and searching for something—that’s GPS class. Students love GPS technology and following our course in search of their next destination. With these opportunities at their fingertips, they quickly master the basics of GPS, discover the uses and limitations of GPS, and eagerly find their way through the woods.

Great Games

Just for fun, these active, noncompetitive games burn off energy and establish group cohesiveness. We have games or request your own.

Oh Deer!

Food, water, shelter and space are the essential components of habitat. In this Project Wild activity, students become deer and habitat components in order to understand the importance of good habitat, limiting factors, and wildlife population fluctuations. The game is active and physical game.

Orienteering

Learn the "art of staying found." Orienteering teaches basic direction-finding with a compass. First indoors, then outdoors on the orienteering field, students use a compass to shoot and find bearings. The class can be expanded to include computing distances, map symbols, contour map reading, and map-and-compass orienteering.

Orienteering Race

"5­4­3­2­1­Go!" Compasses and cards in hand, the students dash to the starting clue board. "Yellow course, to your first control go 253 degrees..." The orienteerers are off in one of LLCC's most exciting activities. A race to find controls, using bearings as clues and compasses as guides, students run to beat the clock and, perhaps . . . set a new World Record!

Quick Frozen Critters

A snowshoe hare feeding along the edge of the forest suddenly freezes when danger lurks near. The lynx is on the prowl. Students in this activity learn about population dynamics, relationships between prey species and their predators, and how animals are specially adapted for the best chance to eat but not be eaten. A freeze-tag game helps students understand survival in the wild. Class concludes with a role playing discussion of wildlife management techniques.

Resource Distribution: "Wants vs. Needs"

All humans consume natural resources. Concerns are growing, however, that our "wants" are depleting the earth's ability to provide for our basic needs into the future. Explore the topic of resources through a game-show format that simulates a global village and encourages students to think-and act-wisely.

Snakes Alive!

Few critters carry the negative image that snakes do, yet few animals are so expert at controlling pests. Students learn about Minnesota's native snakes, how they are adapted for their roles in ecosystems, and how they are beneficial. Students are fascinated when they get to see (and touch) our live examples, including garter, bull, gopher, and fox snakes.

Star Gazing

The nighttime sky over LLCC is unmatched for brilliance because of our distance from light pollution. We'll introduce the major circumpolar constellations plus a few of the seasonal constellations. Class contingent upon weather. (Indoors or outdoors.) (not available in Spring)

Wilderness Snack

Just one match? That’s the challenge: build an environmentally sound fire, cook your dessert, and “leave no trace”. . . but be careful, because you only get one match! Along with environmental ethic and outdoor skills, Wilderness Snack is an exercise in the life skills of teamwork and cooperation as students work together to succeed.

Web Works

Meet Charlotte, our larger-than-life, in-house spider. As Charlotte introduces the fascinating world of arachnids to students, they gain an appreciation for the role that invertebrates play in relation to other living things. Students get actively involved through an outdoor, predator-prey game.

Weasel Watch

Savage, blood-thirsty, hyperactive, and with a nose for trouble. . . who could we be talking about? The weasel family is one of the most interesting and mysterious of our native neighbors. Facts and stories about the biology of these fascinating critters will entertain and educate students. An outdoor game will simulate the challenge weasels face in feeding their extraordinary metabolisms while evading predators themselves.

Fall and Spring Classes & Activities

Archery

The student slowly draws the bow, takes aim and lets the arrow fly. Archery is the oldest form of hunting in the world, and students quickly learn the skills required to be a successful archer. Safety is our number one concern!

Beaver: Gnawin' Again

What Minnesota mammal is equally at home on land or in water, eats birch branches like corn-on-the-cob, and closes its nose and ears when swimming? Students explore the world of the beaver through props, a volunteer who "dresses" as a beaver, and a visit to an active lodge.

Bog Trek

Situated in the center of glacial Lake Aitkin, LLCC is an ideal location to investigate the exciting environment of the bog. See unusual plants including the carnivorous pitcher plant and tamarack tree. Be prepared to trek through water and peat­tall rubber boots are best for this walk, but old tennis shoes will do in warmer weather.

Canoeing

The waters of Long Lake provide the perfect setting for the beginning canoeist. Because we strongly emphasize safety, canoeing is available from about late April through October. Safety and basic paddling strokes are first taught on land. Life vests must be worn at all times. All canoeing is done with adult supervision.

Challenge Cooperation Course

An excellent team-builder for any group, CCC presents a series of challenging tasks designed to make students work cooperatively and think "outside the box." Venture through the "Lava Flow," "Bird on a Wire," and others.

Frog Pond

Find out why frogs are considered an indicator species for environmental health. By viewing live specimens (including tadpoles in spring and summer), students explore frog biology and habitat requirements. An active outdoor game enlivens indoor learning.

The Hidden Life of Insects

What are the most common animals on the face of the earth? Creepy, crawly, fascinating insects! Take a closer look, and we’ll find insects are just as awe-inspiring as a wolf or an eagle. Students “build their own” camouflaged insect to hide in our indoor “habitat,” and may also participate in an active, outdoor game modeling insect life.

Lake Bottom Organisms

The littoral zone around the lake's edge teems with life, from microscopic plankton to crawdads and minnows. Using dissecting microscopes, students are introduced to the complex and diverse world of aquatic life.

Minnesota Trees

Enjoy a hike through upland woods, pine plantation, and bogs while learning the names of some of Minnesota's trees. Trees will be identified by leaves and other characteristics.

Night Trek

Just because the sun goes down doesn't mean we have to stay indoors. Students find that the night forest isn't really a scary place, but rather a wonderful time to observe and study our environment.

Woodcock Sky Dance

"Peent...peent...peent," the call of the woodcock is a prelude to one of the most unusual courtship rituals of the spring sky. Male woodcocks come to LLCC's meadow to strut, peent, and perform a unique sky dance. This is a show that must be seen to be believed. (April-May only)

Winter Classes & Activities

Alpha Wolf

The Timber Wolf. Perhaps no other creature evokes as much fear, emotion, and misunderstanding in people. In this, one of LLCC's most popular activities, students examine the natural history of wolves to gain an understanding of their role in the ecosystem. The alpha wolf activity is a game in which wolf sociology and communication are played out in the woods, as sub-packs try to locate their leader by howling.

Cross Country Skiing

Students learn the basic equipment and elements of cross country skiing­kick and glide, climbing up hills and, perhaps the most important, falling down! Each student skis on our closed loop trail, at his or her own pace.

Deer Browse

Just how does the white-tailed deer survive Minnesota's harsh winter? Students discover that the deer's life is not an easy one; feeding almost constantly and always on guard for predators. Students browse on preferred plants, snipping off buds and collecting them in a "rumen." All the time, they are vigilant for the "wolves" in the area. At the end of the activity we weigh the browse collected by each deer. Did they survive or starve?

Hypothermia/Winter Survival

Hypothermia, killer of the unprepared, can strike anyone, anywhere. Students learn how to prevent hypothermia, recognize its symptoms, and treat the condition. Included are tips to be prepared for winter survival, especially on the road in a car.

Snow Caves

Even with less than a foot of snow, it is possible to build a snow shelter that will keep one warm and comfortable. In the morning, students pile snow. In the afternoon they dig snow caves. Students then learn the insulating capabilities of snow by measuring temperature, and learn how wildlife use this feature of snow.

Snow Snakes

Introduce your students to a traditional winter pastime with cultural significance. After learning how and why Native Americans made "snow snakes" (carved and decorated tapered sticks), we'll venture outdoors to a packed snow track. There, students will hone their skills at gliding the "snakes" accurately and swiftly down the track, avoiding obstacles and striving for distance. We provide the "snakes".

Snowshoeing

After a brief instruction, students venture out to explore the breathtaking beauty of LLCC's winter forests and bogs. An outstanding experience for all! Note: A minimum of 12 inches of snow is required to make this a successful activity. Check with LLCC staff when scheduling.

Thicket

How well can you hide? Students become "predator" and "prey" in a Project Wild version of hide and seek. Students realize how easy, or challenging, it is for an animal to hide, and what adaptations are necessary. A great activity for all seasons in dry conditions.