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American Prairie Field School

The Field School is a residential education program for Montana middle school students.

American Prairie, in partnership with the Montana Outdoor Science School (MOSS), offers 6th through 8th grade students the opportunity to spend three days and two nights learning in the field under Montana’s big prairie skies. Classes study a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) curriculum with visits from Smithsonian Institute and American Prairie research scientists. Subjects will include astronomy, plant biology, wildlife ecology, geology, natural and human history.

Through this unique partnership, American Prairie Field School is creating early and enduring connections to Montana's prairie ecosystem among Montana students.

For more information, contact Education Coordinator Dusty Rixford: dusty@americanprairie.org.

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American Prairie Field School instructors bring a broad range of expertise to this program, including astronomy, plant biology, wildlife ecology, geology, and natural and human history.

Meet the Instructors
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Overview

The program takes place each May at a science field camp at American Prairie’s Antelope Creek Campground near Zortman, Montana. Meals, lodging, and a busing stipend are all provided for participating schools.

Each class will have a maximum of 30 students. Students will stay in heavy-duty expedition-style four-person tents at American Prairie's Antelope Creek Campground. Groups have an 8:1 instructor-to-student ratio.

Smithsonian 2020 Research Recap
After a busy year in the field, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute ecologists Hila Shamon, Ph.D. and Andy Boyce, Ph.D. sat down with American Prairie Wildlife Restoration Manager Daniel Kinka, Ph.D. to reflect on their work in 2020 and to discuss how this unique partnership is advancing our understanding of the prairie ecosystem.