HARTMAN RESERVE
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    • TRAILS
    • EXHIBITS
  • EDUCATION
    • FIELD TRIPS >
      • PRE K - KINDERGARDEN
      • 1st - 2nd GRADE
      • 3rd - 4th GRADE
      • 5th GRADE and UP
    • EDUCATORS RESOURCES
  • PROGRAMS
    • UPCOMING
    • YOUTH CAMPS >
      • SUMMER CAMPS
    • SPECIAL EVENTS >
      • FROSTY BUNS RACE SERIES
      • MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL
      • UNDER THE HARVEST MOON
    • PUBLIC PROGRAM SERIES >
      • TRAIL RX
      • FOREST BATHING
      • 2ND SUNDAY SPEAKER SERIES
  • RENTALS
    • COMMUNITY ROOM
    • BUCKLES BUILDING
    • SNOWSHOES
  • OPPORTUNITIES
    • BRICKS FOR BIRDS
    • DONATE
    • VOLUNTEER
    • INTERNSHIPS

VIRTUAL LEARNING

click Here: More resources on our YouTube Channel!
Click here: Digital Nature Packs

Backyard Birding

Bird Watching/Identify/Biology
  • Beginning Birding [Video]
  • Migratory Birds (Grades K-3) [Video]
  • Birding by Ear
  • Birding activities for kids (all ages)
  • Bird-focused lesson plans (all ages)
  • Lifelong Learning Birding courses
  • Bird Anatomy (all ages)
  • How birds fly (Grades K-4) [Video]
  • Bird Mystery! (Grades 5-8)
  • Urban Birding by Ear
  • All about woodpeckers [Podcast episode]
  • Migratory Birds (Grades K-5) [Video]
​Bird Feeding
  • What to plant to attract birds 
  • Project Feederwatch Citizen Science Initiative
  • Hummingbird Nectar Recipe
Helping birds
  • Birds & Gardening Lesson plans (6-8th Grade)
  • Ways to help birds
  • Citizen Science opportunities
Local Groups/Resources
  • Prairie Rapids Audubon Society
  • Find local birds (check local hotspots)
  • Iowa Young Birders
  • Iowa Ornithologist Union
  • Bird Fiendly Iowa
  • ​Iowa-centric Birding Facebook Groups:
    • Iowa Birding
    • Iowa Young Birders
    • Iowa Ornithologists' Union
    • Iowa Bird Photography
    • Owl About Iowa
Just for Fun
  • ​John J. Audubon's Birds of America - Each print is also available as a free high-resolution download.

Plants & Pollinators

Identification/Biology​
  • "Bug Hunt" by Tom Story (Ages 4-6) [video of story being read] 
  • Life of a Butterfly (Grades K-3) [video] 
  • How a plant functions (Grades K-3) [video]  
  • Parts of flower and pollination Grades (K-3) [video]  
  • Plant Excretion/Byproducts  (Grades 1-5) [video] 
  • All about Insects (Grades 2-5) [video]  
  • Flower Dissection (Grade 4+) [video]  
  • Plant Terminology (Grades 8+) 
  • Nat'l Park Service Bee Week Curriculum (Grades 5-8)
  • Bee ID Guide (Note: This is for Missouri but many of these species are also found in IA) 
  • US Forest Service - Just for Kids (all ages)
Helping Pollinators/Native Plants
  • Planning a Pollinator Garden lesson plans (Grades 4-8) 
  • General Kids Plants & Gardening lesson plans (Grade K-8) 
  • Bumblebee Watch Citizen Science 
  • Gardening for Pollinators
  • Pollinator Friendly Practices 
  • The Nature Conservancy - Midwest Pollinators
Local Groups/Resources
  • Iowa-centric pollinator/native plants Facebook Groups:
    • Iowa Wildflower Report
    • Iowa Native Trees and Shrubs
    • Monarchs of Eastern Iowa
    • Iowa Prairie Network​
    • Backyard Abundance
    • The Nature Conservancy in Iowa
Just for Fun
  • Blooming Flowers Time lapse [video]
  • Recipe: Dandelion Donuts [video]
  • PBS Nature: Watch a Butterfly Swarm [video] 
  • Story of Flowers: A botanical animation [video]

Backyard Buddies (Mammals)

Identification/Biology​
  • ​Backyard Mammals​ [video] (Grades 1-5)
  • National Geographic Kids: Raccoons [video] (Grades 1-5)
  • National Geographic Kids: Bats [video] (Grades 1-5)
  • National Geographic Kids: Recording Chipmunks [video] (Grades 3-6)
  • Iowa Bats​
  • Top 7 Amazing Opossum Facts [video]
  • Can you name all of these backyard animals? [game] (Ages PreK-3)
  • Rabbits vs. Hares: Remarkable Rabbits [video] (Grades K-3)
  • PBS Learning: Opossums [video] (Grades 5+)
Helping Backyard Mammals​​
  • Bat Box building plans
  • UNI Springtime Segment: How to build a bat house [video]
  • How to tell if baby animals are orphaned, injured, or perfectly fine.
Local Groups/Resources
  • Iowa-centric mammal Facebook Groups:
    • ​IOWA Critters ​
Just for Fun
  • Outdoor camera catches groundhog raiding a garden [video]

Amazing Amphibians

Identification/Biology
  • Amphibians [Video] (Grades 3-5)
  • Frogs and Toads of Iowa 
  • Differences in Iowa Toads by appearance and sound
  • From Egg to Frog in 7 Weeks [Video] 
  • From Egg to Salamander in 11 Weeks [Video] 
Helping Amphibians
  • Iowa Outdoors: Frog Call Monitoring [Video]
Local Groups/Resources
Iowa-centric amphibians Facebook Groups:
  • Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
  • Midwest Snakes Turtles Lizards Frogs Salamanders Reptiles
Just for Fun​
  • ​Make Froggy Bread! (Adult supervision)
  • Toad makes waves with its song

Little Bitty Babies

Identification/Biology
  • Learn the names of baby animals of the forest [animated video] (Grades PreK-2)
  • Baby animal names from A to Z 
  • Hartman Reserve Nestling Naturalist program 5/21/20 [video, story, activity] (Ages 2-5)
Helping Animal Babies
  • How to tell if baby animals are orphaned, injured, or perfectly fine.
Local Groups/Resources
  •  Black Hawk Wildlife Rehabilitation
​ Just for Fun​
  • ​Cute baby animals Kitten, hedgehog, opossum, bunnies, and more! [video] 
  • Pip: A Short Animated Film [video] 

To Infinity & Beyond: Space and Weather

Identification/Ologies
  • United States Geological Survey (USGS) (Grades 7+) Cool maps, videos, photos of Mars' surface, webcams, and more!
  • NASA: Space Place (Grades 5+) Space and Earth science interactive games, hands-on learning, play, and more!
  • To Scale: The Solar Systems [video] (Grades 5+)
  • Solar System 101 | National Geographic [animated video] (Grades 4+)
  • Earth 101 | National Geographic [video] (Grades 4+)
  • Space Compilation: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 6+) Includes constellations.
  • Exploring Our Solar System: Planets and Space for Kids [video] (Grades 3+)
  • SOLAR SYSTEM - The Dr. Binocs Show [animated video] (Grades 1-4)
  • Weather Current Events: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 4+)
  • Weather Channels: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 4+)
  • Severe Weather: Crash Course Kids [video] (Grades 3+)
  • Fly Guy Presents Weather [book video] (Grades 1-3)
  • Weather|National Geographic Kids [book video] (Grades K-3) Quiz and weather jokes included. :-D
  • What to Do in Severe Weather: FEMA [video] (Grades K-3)
Local Groups/Resources/Facebook pages 
  • Facebook:
    • US National Weather Service Des Moines Iowa
  • ​Zach Sharpe Storm Chaser
Just for Fun
  • Real images of the Planets (Grades 3+) [video and images]
  • ​Outer Space: "We are the Planets," The Solar System Song by StoryBots | Netflix Jr [animated video] (Grades 3+)
  • Weather Song for kids | "Sun, Rain, Wind, and Snow" [animated song] (Ages 2-5)

Fantastic Fishes

Identification/Biology
  • Iowa State DNR (Ages 9 - Adult) Identify Iowa fish species
  • Iowa Association of Naturalists: Iowa Fish (Ages 9 - Adult) Types of Iowa fish, living environments, etc.
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Fish and Aquatic Conservation, Environmental Education Resources (All Grades)
  • US Fish and Wildlife Service Junior Ranger Let's Go Fishing! (Grades 3-7) 
Local Groups/Resources/Facebook pages
  • Iowa State DNR (Ages 9+) Fishing tips and how to, buy a fishing license, and more!
Just for Fun
  • ​2 Hours of Viewing Fish in Ocean and Aquariums with Relaxing Music 

Insect Investigations

Identification/Biology
  • Life Cycle of a Butterfly (Grades PreK-2) [Animated video]
  • All About Insects (Grades 3+) [Video]
  • Caterpillar Turns Into a Puss Moth (All ages) [Video]
Local Groups/Resources/Facebook pages
  • Insects of Iowa (Grades 4+) Identification, local collections, and more.
Just for Fun
  • ​The Hungry Caterpillar (Ages 2+) [Animated video and narration]
  • Life-Size Insect Sculptures Made Completely Out of Bamboo 
  • 9 Bugs to Eat in a Survival Situation (And 4 You Want to Avoid) (Grades 6+) 

Clean Water

Water Basics​
  • Water Cycle (Grade K-5) [Video]
  • Recycled Water (Grade K-5) [Video]
  • Hydrologic Cycle (Grades 1-4) [Info sheet]
  • What is a Watershed Activity (Grades 2-8)
  • Types of Clouds (PreK-3rd) [Video]
Water Problems
  • Pesticide Movement through Groundwater (Grades 4+) [Video]
  • Plastics & Bioaccumulation Activity (Grades 6+)
  • Global Climate Change (Grades 3+) [Video}
  • Flooding (Grades 1-4) [Video]
  • Types of Pollution (Grades 1-4) [Video]
  • Plastic Pollution (Grade 1-4) [Video]
  • How you can prevent polluted runoff coloring sheet (Grades 2-8)
Water Project/Experiments
  • Make your own Rain Barrel (Grades 5+)
  • Take a Stormwater Walk (Grades 2+)
  • How I use water in my daily life Activity (Grades 3+)
  • Save our Soils (Grades 6+) 
Interactive Activities
  • Down the Drain Interactive Game (Grade 2+)
  • Rock your Watershed Interactive Game (Grade 2+)
Local Groups/Resources
  • Clean Water Iowa
  • Black Hawk County Soil & Water District
  • Green Iowa AmeriCorps
  • Iowa Stormwater Education Partnership
  • Iowa Flood Center
Just for Fun
  • We all live in a watershed coloring sheet (Grades PreK-3rd)
  • Water Rocks! Music Videos (PreK+)
  • Edible Aquifer Activity (Grades 1+)

Reptiles

Identification/Biology
  • Bill Nye the Science Guy: Reptiles (All ages) [Video]
  • DK: Reptiles (Ages 6+) [Interactive page]
  • How to tell an alligator from a crocodile (Ages 8+) [Video]
  • ​Cool Facts About Snakes, Lizards & Dragon (Ages 5+) [Video]
  • Cool Facts About Alligators and Crocodiles (Ages 5+) [Video]
  • Reptile Facts for Kids (Grades 3+) 
  • Snakes (Grades 2+) [Lessons and games]
  • Lizards (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
  • Turtles and Tortoises (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
  • Crocodiles (Grades 1+) [Lessons and games]
  • Reptiles (Grades 1-5) Facts and activities.
Local Groups/Resources/Facebook pages
  • ​Facebook: Reptiles and Amphibians of Iowa
Just for Fun
  • National Geographic: Snakes have friends too (All ages) [Videos]
Picture
OUR MISSION
​

​Hartman Reserve Nature Center is dedicated to understanding our environment through education, recreation and community involvement and to stewardship of a unique natural area.
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CONTACT INFO

​Hartman Reserve Nature Center
657 Reserve Drive
Cedar Falls, Iowa 50613
Phone: (319)-277-2187
Fax: (319) 277-4420
NATURE CENTER WINTER HOURS
Monday - Friday: 8 am - 4:30 pm
Saturday: CLOSED
Sunday: CLOSED
​No cost to enter and enjoy the exhibits and library.
*Beginning February 1st, 2022, we will be open on Sundays from 1-5pm.
​
TRAILS
Open every day from
​sunrise to sunset. Free to use.

OUTDOOR-ACCESSIBLE RESTROOM
The restroom on the south side of the building is open every day from
​sunrise to sunset.
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • HISTORY
    • WHAT WE ARE
    • VISION
    • STAFF
    • OUR PARTNERS
    • CONNECT
  • VISIT
    • NATURE CENTER HOURS
    • TRAILS
    • EXHIBITS
  • EDUCATION
    • FIELD TRIPS >
      • PRE K - KINDERGARDEN
      • 1st - 2nd GRADE
      • 3rd - 4th GRADE
      • 5th GRADE and UP
    • EDUCATORS RESOURCES
  • PROGRAMS
    • UPCOMING
    • YOUTH CAMPS >
      • SUMMER CAMPS
    • SPECIAL EVENTS >
      • FROSTY BUNS RACE SERIES
      • MAPLE SYRUP FESTIVAL
      • UNDER THE HARVEST MOON
    • PUBLIC PROGRAM SERIES >
      • TRAIL RX
      • FOREST BATHING
      • 2ND SUNDAY SPEAKER SERIES
  • RENTALS
    • COMMUNITY ROOM
    • BUCKLES BUILDING
    • SNOWSHOES
  • OPPORTUNITIES
    • BRICKS FOR BIRDS
    • DONATE
    • VOLUNTEER
    • INTERNSHIPS