Central Wisconsin Environmental Station School Programs
Why CWES?
At the Central Wisconsin Environmental Station we are committed to making your trip full of education, adventure, and experience. Your students will participate in lessons that meet state standards, challenge them to grow socially and emotionally, and create memories that last a lifetime. There are a lot of reasons to bring your students to CWES, some of the best are listed below.
Outdoor learning at CWES leads to positive outcomes for students, such as:
- Engagement with learning
- Better student behavior
- Recovery from fatigue and stress
- Increased physical health
- Development of social skills
- Building self-esteem
- Learning scientific concepts
School Program Options
We offer a variety of lessons and themes for you to choose from. No matter the grade or the focus, CWES can accommodate your needs to create a fun and educational trip. You can create your own program by picking from our lesson menu or choose a special theme with specific lessons.
| Program Focus | Grade Levels | Possible Lessons |
| STEM | 4-12 | Global Positioning Systems, Cooperative Compass, Snowshoeing, Map and Compass, Lake Ecology, Solar Energy and the Sun |
| Wisconsin History | 4-8 | Native Americans, Early Explorers, Pioneers, Digging Up the Past, Lumberjack Olympics, Remembering the Forgotten Fire |
| Winter Ecology | 3-9 | Snowshoeing, Snow Walkers, Winter Lake Study, Winter Severity, Winter Survival Strategies, Survival of the Fittest, Slurp, Chilly Critters, Eco-Jeopardy |
| Outdoor Adventure | 4-12 | Archery, Canoeing, Survival Strategies |
| Forestry | 3-12 | Tree Identification, Forest Diversity, Forest for the Trees, Forest Habitat Suitability, Forest Inventory |
| Animal Adaptations | 2-8 | How Birds Make a Living, Beaver Adaptations, Skullduggery, Pond Study, Colorful Confusion, Snow Walkers, Leaps and Bounds, Wolf Pack Game, Sound Surveillance, Magnificent Mammals |
| Connecting to Nature | K-3 | Feathered Friends, Leaps and Bounds, Spring Fling, Micro-World Macro-Wow, Worm Wigglers, Five Alive, Magnificent Mammals, Pond Study, Colorful Confusion, Survival Lessons From Nature, Have Seed Will Travel |
| Team Building | 4-12 | Group Initiatives, Challenge Course, Cooperative Compass, Survival Strategies |
| Lake Study | 3-12 | Pond Study, Pond Power, Canoeing, Bottom’s Up, Lake Ecology, Moving Water |
| Art | 3-12 | Nature Photography, Nature Journaling, Art in Nature |
| Ecology and Conservation | 5-12 | Laws of Nature, Web of Life, Wolf Pack Game, Nation to Nation, Resource Management Role Play, Bird Trackers |
Planning a Trip
We want to make sure that you have everything you need to plan your trip to CWES. By working with the CWES Program Manager, you will be able to set up your sessions, lodging, food service, and anything else you might need. Please use the documents below to plan your trip.
Virtual Learning
CWES staff and practicum students have created some amazing videos for students to enjoy. Please visit our youtube page to learn more.
CWES staff and practicum students have created some amazing videos for students to enjoy. Please visit our youtube page to learn more.