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EARTH'S CLASSROOM

Where nature is our blackboard, and adventure sparks education.

OUR MISSION

To use experiential education to advance awareness, understanding and appreciation of ecology, cultural history and their interrelationship.

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"This was the most inspiring group of events I have ever been involved with and Bill and Jody are so educated and full of energy it makes you enjoy every moment with them!"

- Hannah S.

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CALLING ALL JUNIORS and SENIORS in high school! (Please Share. And PLEASE share with high school science teachers so they can share with their students. :))

The free, fantastically-experiential, resume-building, scholarship-assisting, FSCE (Field Science Career Experience) certification program's application is NOW OPEN! View the on-line application and watch the informational video HERE:
https://www.earthsclassroom.org/fsce

If you are a junior or senior in high school for the 2026-2027 school year and are interested in any career field that works with biology, chemistry, or physics, you will want to take advantage of this fun, vibrant, hands-on, certification. So, if you are interested in the medical field, agriculture, being a science teacher, wildlife biology, sustainable architecture, or any other related field, know that we bring science to life by sharpening your observation skills and introducing many different career options, all while using the natural resources in our local outdoor landscapes to show you how biology, chemistry, and physics exists all around us.

You must be able to commute on your own to the course locations once a month (Sept. thru June), most being at Earth's Classroom's location south of Rosebud, MO.

Again, this opportunity is FREE (other than your transportation)! It is FREE because of the following current sponsors: ONONDAGA FRIENDS ASSOCIATION, RIVER CITY OUTDOORS, THE L.A.D. FOUNDATION, KANSAS ASSOCIATION for CONSERVATION and ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION, STREAM TEAMS UNITED, and AMEREN TRANSMISSION! Thank you sponsors!!!

You know yourself the best. If you are ready to go outside your comfort zone while learning from fun professionals in the field of science, apply now!

Applications due September 4th, 2026 by 6pm!
https://www.earthsclassroom.org/fsce

We had a fabulous time yesterday sharing about the unique upper Big Piney river during the open to the public Ecology Canoe Day-Trip. We caught critters, looked at unique geology, and listened to young turkey vultures growl/hiss at us. It was a day filled with learning, great visiting, and adventure.

If you want to get involved in our open-to-the-public programs, check out the details here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/events-public-programs

If you would like to be the first to know what is happening and join in on adventurous, educational, programs at a discounted rate, check out the details here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/join-as-a-member

The best classroom with no walls...Earth's Classroom!

This week Earth's Classroom took 6th-8th graders from three different states down the upper Meramec River for three days, living out of canoes, sharing about the dynamic life that lives in these free flowing waters.

We gave these middle school kiddos lots of education about river dynamics, camping, and ecology, but also plenty of time for free adventuring. No watches, no phones, just time in the present moment.

These adventures are open to the public and are open for registration by January of the calendar year. First come, first served. Enjoy the pictures! (many more photos on Facebook)

The 2025-2026 FSCE (Field Science Career Experience) high school students just completed their 90-hour field-science certification! Congratulations to all the students, from 7 regional high schools and home-school programs, for going outside their comfort zone while learning multiple sciences in a hands-on capacity!

The online application for the 2026-2027 school year for the free FSCE certification program is NOW LIVE and due on Friday, September 4th by 6pm! https://www.earthsclassroom.org/fsce
Pictured is the capstone trip which is a 3-Day Ecology Canoe Trip where we live out of canoes (with no cell phones and no watches) and study Missouri's most biologically diverse river to understand the interrelationships between all the sciences that were taught throughout the school year. (Not pictured are a few students who will be finishing their certification later in the summer on a different Ecology Canoe Trip.)

This is Earth's Classroom's 19th year of providing the FSCE program to juniors and seniors in high school for FREE!
We would like to again, thank the following sponsors for helping us provide this powerful learning opportunity that builds the FSCE participant's awareness, passion, and resumes for their future endeavors: Bass Pro Shops/Cabela's OUTDOOR FUND, Sierra Club Eastern MO Group, Miramiguoa Watershed Coalition, Quails Forever MO River Valley Chapter, Gloria Attoun & Michael Bauermeister, and Paula Josette Coffman. In addition, we were able to provide every student with a ACA (American Canoe Association) Level 2 Canoe Skills Certification Card because of a grant (written by our AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, Taelor Vanous) from ACA known as the Mike & Marge Cline Memorial Grant.

The 2026-2027 FSCE program is currently sponsored by Onondaga Friends Association, River City Outdoors, and the L.A.D. Foundation. If you would like to help us grow our capacity to TWO classes of FSCE students for our 20th anniversary year of providing FSCE, please contact us at 573-437-7628!

Here at Earth's Classroom, we are thoroughly proud of the FSCE students and their accomplishments. Enjoy the 3-Day Ecology Canoe Trip photos!

WELCOME, SKY!! We are very ecstatic to be hosting another AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer here at Earth's Classroom! Sky will be at our site for one full year. She is already diving into Earth's Classroom's mission to pilot new ambitions. Stream Teams United is sponsoring the AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer program here in the state of Missouri. More information about it can be seen HERE:
https://www.streamteamsunited.org/americorps.html

Here are a few words from Sky:

Hi, I’m Skyler Grimm Hardin from Union, Missouri! Here’s a little bit to get to know me: I love going on hikes with my dog Beau, rock climbing, swimming and paddling, painting and making pottery, and even a good movie night with friends or family. But one of the things I’m most excited about right now is my amazing new role as an AmeriCorps VISTA Volunteer with Earth’s Classroom.

I’ve always wanted a life and career that feels meaningful, especially one connected to protecting ecosystems, wildlife, and helping others appreciate the world around them. I hope to do that through teaching, fieldwork, and supporting grant writing and fundraising. Earth’s Classroom has already given me the opportunity to experience all three, which truly feels like a dream come true and a full-circle moment for me.

As a former FSCE student with Earth's Classroom, I had the chance to learn from the incredible Wild Bill and Tame Jody, and that experience had a huge impact on both my life and the direction I wanted to take. Earth’s Classroom's mission, “To use experiential education to advance awareness, understanding and appreciation of ecology, cultural history and their interrelationships,” continues to guide and inspire me. It serves as a compass and reminds me why this work matters so much to me.

🙂 SO, HUGE WELCOME TO SKY!! Excited for this year of service!

This Saturday we took our Family/Public Ecology Wild Caving Trip and went deep underground! From cave formations and geology to Missouri’s underground history, there was plenty to discover! Of course, no wild caving trip is complete without a little clay on our clothes!

BUSY, BUSY, BUSY, but we wanted to take the time to share Earth's Classroom's fun we endured this past weekend.

These photos are a blend of two programs/trainings we led. An ACA L2 Canoe Skills course on the Missouri River for the wonderful people with Mississippi River Water Trail Association AND the Tarantula Glade Hike.

The ACA L2 Canoe Skills course introduced skills paddling on big river dynamics, correct paddling strokes, and how to do open water rescues in big rivers. A great group!

The Tarantula Glade Hike introduced the amazing world of our wild tarantulas here in Missouri (the most north and east range for our continent). We shared about the unique research the EC instructors have done with tarantulas, their distinct display of behaviors, their adaptability to the geology/environment, how long they live, and why they should be protected in the wild--not in captivity. SO MUCH FUN!

ENJOY the fun photos!

We were lucky to spend Earth Day with an awesome group of volunteers from Lakeside Book Company here at Earth’s Classroom!

They hiked our property alongside our AmeriCorps member, Taelor, helping locate invasive (exotic) species in the prairies so we can begin removing them. Early detection like this plays a big role in protecting native ecosystems.

Along the way, we made a few fun discoveries too...like bird nests (pictured), and even spotted some turtles and lizards!

We’re really grateful for their time and energy, and for choosing to spend their Earth Day supporting this work!

FIVE DAYS AWAY till the BOURBEUSE BLUEBELL RACE https://www.earthsclassroom.org/bourbeuse-bluebell-race !!

This is Earth's Classroom's largest fundraiser and we have racers coming from as far as Colorado!!

If you are registered, check your email for all the important details just sent today!!

IT IS OFFICIAL. We are sticking to our original route, ROUTE A, Tea Access to Mill Rock Access. It is just not high enough for prep in the upper stretches.

This crew of EC folk worked hard this past Saturday making sure the 18.2 mile route was safe. (Look at all those Virginia bluebells in the background. Hope they hang in there for another week.)

Again! Go check your emails if you are registered. Important stuff there. LOOKING FORWARD TO SATURDAY!

We’re thrilled to be the 2026 recipient of the Mike & Marge Cline Memorial Grant from the American Canoe Association (ACA)!
This summer, Earth’s Classroom will take 36 high school students, many first-time paddlers, on multi-day canoe camping trips along the Ozark rivers, and thanks to this grant, we can now include an ACA Level 2 skills course alongside our educational programming, giving students extra confidence, safety skills, and river knowledge. By providing these experiences in a safe, guided setting, Earth’s Classroom hopes to continue the legacy of Marge “River Mom” Cline, inspiring students to respect their rivers and give back to their paddling communities.
A big thank you to the ACA for helping us make these trips even more meaningful!

Last week was a busy one for us here at Earth’s Classroom! From elementary students to high schoolers and adults, we were teaching in every capacity.

Some afternoons were spent teaching herpetology to Owensville and Gerald Elementary students, where they got up close and hands-on with slimy yet fascinating amphibians, many caught right on their own school campus. We got to watch curiosity and wonder grow in real time as students connected with the ecology in their own backyard.

We also hosted our second Professional Development Day, bringing together both new and experienced interpreters from organizations across the region. We were joined by professionals from DNR State Historic Sites, Missouri State Parks, Missouri Department of Conservation, Saint Louis Zoo, Missouri Botanical Garden, Shaw Nature Reserve, Endangered Wolf Center, Missouri Master Naturalists, Forest City Village School, and Tower Grove Park. It was a great opportunity to share ideas, build skills, and strengthen the impact of outdoor education!

To wrap up the week, our high school FSCE students built observation skills through ornithology at the Audubon Center at Riverlands in West Alton. They observed hundreds of ducks and waterfowl, including a horned grebe in its molting adult stage, amongst so many other birds. We also heard from EC board member Dr. Sage Rohrer about her microbiology research on Galapagos penguins and Eurasian tree sparrows.

A full and rewarding week doing what we love!

AL-PINT NIGHT is TONIGHT! 🍻

We’re here at the Alpine Shop in Columbia, MO until 7pm for a beer from 4 Hands Brewing Company and a chance to win our raffle: Dinner with the Founders or Caving with the Founders.

Can’t make it? You can still grab raffle tickets on Venmo @Earths-Classroom. One winner gets to choose their adventure!

All proceeds help replace Earth’s Classroom’s 19-year-old canoe fleet for future programs.

Come out for good beer, good company, and to support Earth’s Classroom! 🌎

Hey all our COMO friends! We are so, so ecstatic that the ALPINE SHOP in Columbia, MO is hosting a AL-PINT NIGHT as a benefit for Earth's Classroom on Thursday, March 12th from 5-7pm!! (Local brew and non-alcoholic beverages will be provided, but not milk. ;))

IN ADDITION, there will be a very unique raffle going on! The winner can choose from DINNER WITH THE FOUNDERS or WILD CAVING WITH THE FOUNDERS! (See flyer pictured.) Chances go on sale NOW! https://venmo.com/u/earths-classroom (Please provide a contact number or email when purchasing.)

DINNER WITH THE FOUNDERS is a visit for you and three of your friends to be guests at Earth's Classroom's founders green home on the upper Bourbeuse River. The visit can start with a 1/2 mile hike through an open woodland forest and glade to their river deck for drinks, appetizers, and fun conversations. Then we will stroll back for the main course and more fun conversations.

WILD CAVING WITH THE FOUNDERS is a specialized tour for you and up to five of your friends! Totalling about 4 hours in the underground world, you will see and learn research projects the founders were a part of, beautiful hidden passageways. and the stories of the bizarre creatures that occupy Missouri caves.

So, we are excited to see all of our Columbia, MO friends! We can chat about the upcoming Bourbeuse Bluebell Race (many of COMO racers have registered) or just hang out knowing you are supporting Outdoor Education!
THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT! CHEERS!

Campbellton Elementary experienced FIRE yesterday 🔥

Students in Pathways to the Outdoors learned the science behind prescribed (controlled) burns and how fire supports healthy ecosystems and biodiversity. They explored the tools our team uses and then watched a live prescribed burn led by Earth’s Classroom’s team…right there on their own playground! The students can’t wait to see their native plant plot flourish this spring!

Always such a fun group to work with!

Earth's Classroom stays busy educating all winter long! For example, we've recently worked with Campbellton Elementary, St. Gertrude School, Owensville Elementary, Gerald Elementary, and Owensville Middle School. Pictured here is our Cultural Pre-History Program with our FSCE (Field Science Career Experience) high school students from this past weekend. These students represent nine different regional high schools.

With a guest from University of Missouri, Jessica Bolt, the Curator of Collections at the Museum of Anthropology, she shared fascinating pieces of archeology and skills such as throwing an atlatl! Jessica has been a part of this program with Earth's Classroom for several years now and we are very appreciative of her expertise!

This 4-hour course also explored the differences between anthropology, archeology, and paleontology. With primary discussions of ancient and current uses of natural resources by humans, the students were tested in skills of fire starting and twining.

This weekend we had a fabulous group of people for the MO MAPLE SYRUP MAKING program! From sampling fake versus real maple syrup and learning about Indigenous and MO History on syrup/sugar making to identifying sugar maples and tapping them as a group, lots was covered in a short time.

So many great programs to come:
--Nature From The Saddle: Join us and Reining Trails by horseback!
--Dances With Woodcocks: The best spying adventure ever!
--Salamander Breeding Grounds: At night, track down wild salamanders with us!
--Ecology Wild Caving: Adventure with EC into the underworld!
--Ecology Canoe Trips and MORE...all found here https://www.earthsclassroom.org/events-public-programs

"Liquid Gold" LAST CALL for MO MAPLE SYRUP MAKING! Registration closes tonight at 8pm and there are just a few slots left.

So many fascinating facts to share with you all! Watch it boil down. More fun details and registration are here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/.../mo-maple-syrup-making-3

AND Gasconade County R-2 OMS, OES, and GES Families can attend completely FREE through the ExceL program. You just have to register while there is still room.

Pictured here is Erik Otto, Earth's Classroom's President of our Board of Directors. Two days ago we could have lost him in a helicopter crash in the Meramec River at Meramec State Park. But we didn't. He and three others unclipped their seatbelts as they were submerged in an upside-down cockpit filled with water, swam to the surface, swam out of a deep hole onto ice, then to shore, and Erik ran hard with one shoe, in deep snow, on a hiking trail, then through the forest to a road, making it to a civilian in a red truck to get help. All of them made it. We are all smiling. Erik's will and leadership is amazing.

Yesterday Bill and I, Jody, visited with Erik and it was SO good to give him a huge hug!

He is pictured at Pulltite Spring on the Current River while he was helping Earth's Classroom as a safety paddler and educator on last year's Paddle MO-Ozarks trip...as he has done every year for MANY with us. Grateful!!

The past two weekends we had the privilege of working with our FSCE (Field Science Career Experience) high school students who represent 9 different area high schools. NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/FIRE ECOLOGY and SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGY were the course topics. The FSCE students are halfway through their 90-hour field certification courses!

In NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT/FIRE ECOLOGY: students learned about federal/state fire training, the difference in habitat responses to fire, and how/why management tools are used for natural resources.

In SUSTAINABLE TECHNOLOGIES: students visited a home that was designed to be passive and active solar. They learned how to interpret and understand their own energy bills. Topics of energy "vampires", thermal mass, passive solar, active solar, reuse, personal sustainability practices and societal sustainability practices can affect systems.

Enjoy the mix of pictures!

Calling all teachers!! Earth's Classroom's Spring Field Trip Season is filling fast!

Topics from Earth's Magnetism to MO's Wild Mammals and Southern Fur Trade to Civil War, we have unique hands-on programs, bringing to life science and history.

Here are the dates we still have available: Contact us soon! 573-437-7628 or earthsclassroom@gmail.com
March 19th, 20th, 23rd, 24th, 25th
April 13th, 14th, 21st, 28th
May 6th, 13th, 14th, 18th, 19th

LAST CALL for tomorrow’s WINTER BACKYARD BIRDING program!

We’ve got a few spots left, and it’s the perfect low-key way to enjoy a cozy winter morning while learning something new.

We’ll be inside, warm and relaxed, watching the action at our south-facing feeders and uncovering the fun stories behind winter bird behavior. Binoculars, spotting scopes, and guides are all provided.

FREE for Gasconade County R-2 OES, GES, and OMS families
(Students must attend with an adult.)

📅 Tomorrow — Saturday, December 13th, 2025
🕘 9–11 AM

Claim a spot here:
https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/winter-backyard-birding-1

🐦 GASCONADE COUNTY R-2 OES, GES, and OMS Families – This Saturday!

Winter Backyard Birding is FREE for students and their families from OES, GES, and OMS!

Spend a warm, relaxing morning with Earth’s Classroom watching the birds at our south-facing feeders and discovering the surprising stories their behavior can tell. (Students must participate with an adult.)

📌 MUST REGISTER: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/winter-backyard-birding-1

Have you ever noticed the secret lives of winter birds and wondered what they’re really up to? Join us inside at Earth’s Classroom for a peaceful winter morning, warmed by our wood-burning stove, as we watch the birds visiting our south-facing feeders and uncover the surprising stories their behavior can tell.

Binoculars and a spotting scope will be ready for you (or bring your own!), and don’t forget your favorite mug for hot drinks.

Come see why winter birding is one of our favorite seasonal traditions!

MUST REGISTER here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/winter-backyard-birding-1

WE STILL HAVE OPEN SPOTS for Winter Backyard Birding this Saturday!
Register here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/winter-backyard-birding-1

Saturday, December 13th, 2025
9am—11am
Ages: 8 and up
Location: Earth’s Classroom
Members: $6 Non-members: $8

FREE SLOTS FOR Gasconade County R-2 OES, GES, and OMS!!!! (student must participate with an adult)

Spend a cozy winter morning learning the secrets behind bird behavior and how scientists study our everyday feathered friends. We’ll be set up behind warm south-facing windows with field guides, binoculars, spotting scopes — all provided (bring your own if you’d like!). And don’t forget a mug for hot drinks!

FINAL CALL! Don’t miss NATURE FROM THE SADDLE — FREE spots for Gasconade County R-2 (OES, GES, OMS)!! Register here: https://www.earthsclassroom.org/event-details/nature-from-the-saddle-2025-12-06-09-00

Saturday, December 6th, 2025 9:00am -12:00pm
Ages: 8 years and older Members: $147
(adult must accompany child) Non-Members: $157
Location: Reining Trails, Steelville, MO — https://reiningtrails.square.site/

Free slots for Gasconade County R-2 families (OES, GES, OMS) with a $50 refundable deposit — student must participate with an adult.

Do we have an exciting adventure for you! Reining Trails and Earth’s Classroom are partnering up to give an educational experience like no other in our area. We will take you on a 3-hour educational journey, learning everything from horse behavior and riding to learning about the wild critters and plants we come across associated with the season. Reining Trails’ 1,500-acre property offers an authentic Ozark experience. Earth’s Classroom’s professional outdoor educator can share the bizarre plant and animal life that dwell within this Ozark landscape. So, get your jeans on and saddle up with us!

IT IS GIVING TUESDAY this week! Please consider contributing to this fundraiser from a familiar face to Earth's Classroom, Granite Miles. CHECK OUT THE VIDEO LINK BELOW.
Earth's Classroom is incredibly honored that Granite has chosen us for his Eagle Scout Project! He has been approved by his local council, and he is ready to organize his Troop 22 from Owensville, Missouri to help install a solar system with batteries, lighting and outlets so Earth's Classroom's pavilion can have lights and a power source for AV equipment! How lucky are we!!!

Would you please consider helping this ambitious scout assist Earth's Classroom's needs? Venmo link: https://venmo.com/u/earths-classroom With deep appreciation, thank you for your time! And THANK YOU, Mr. Granite Miles!!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YiwARD-6HwQ

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@earths.classroom

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2026/2027
BOURBEUSE BLUEBELL RACE SPONSORS

We’re incredibly grateful for the generous support of our Bourbeuse Bluebell Race sponsors! Your contributions make this event possible and help further Earth's Classroom's mission of environmental education and outreach.

Thank you for paddling alongside us to make a difference!

(Click a logo to visit their website)

EARTH'S CLASSROOM

WELCOME TO

EARTH'S CLASSROOM

OUR MISSION

​Upcoming Events

STORIES FROM PARTICIPANTS

CONNECT WITH US

​

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2026/2027 BOURBEUSE BLUEBELL RACE SPONSORS

Upcoming Events

A SPECIAL THANK YOU TO OUR 2026/2027
BOURBEUSE BLUEBELL RACE SPONSORS