School Field Studies
» Summer Special for Day Care Groups
» School Field Studies for K-8
» Project Wet Field Study: River of Words
» Outreach Programming - Dunwoody Nature Center comes to your school
» Field Trip Registration Policy
15% Discount for Field Trips Scheduled in September, January and February. Applies to Balance Above Deposit Paid.
"The findings are stunning: environment-based education produces student gains in social studies, science, language arts, and math; improves standardized test scores and grade-point averages; and develops skills in problem-solving, critical thinking, and decision-making." Richard Louv, Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder
Bring your class to DNC to learn outside the (classroom) box!
Two New School Programs For Fall
For Grades K-2: Amphibian Ambles . . . Students will explore the similarities an differences among frogs, toads, and salamanders, discuss their habitat needs, and examine their life cycles. 1 hour program ... $6 per student.
For Grades 3-5: Reptile Ramblings . . . Students will discuss the features that allow snakes, turtles, and lizards to live and thrive in this region of Georgia, examine reptiles' roles in the food chain, and recognize reptiles as a taxonomic group. 2 hour program ... $8 per student.
DISCOVERING NATURE
(Preschool & Head Start)
Explore Dunwoody Park and learn about nature through four seasonal programs. Students learn about plants, animals, colors, numbers, the alphabet, matching, taking turns, and safe ways to enjoy and respect nature.
- Winter Wonderland
- Spring Into Nature
- Butterflies Are Free
- Fall Frolics
1 Hour Program . . . $4/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
NATURE MAKES SENSE
(Kindergarten)
How do animals use their senses to survive? Students use their senses to explore the park, discover the differences between natural and human-made items, play hearing and smelling games, and share their discoveries with classmates. Meets GPS SKCS1, SKCS2a, SKCS5a, SKCS6a & c, SKP1a & b, SKL1a & b, SKL2c & d, ELAKR5
1 Hour Program . . . $6/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
TREE CYCLES
Kindergarten - 2nd Grade
What living and non-living things exist in a field habitat? What do living things need? This field experience will help your students answer these questions as they explore the trails of Dunwoody Park. Activities will include a tree life cycle scavenger hunt and a plant survival game. Meets multiple GPS.
1 Hour Program . . . $6/Student . . .$50 Minimum Deposit Required
PLANT PARTS
(1st grade)
What makes a plant a plant? What is the inner structure of a tree? Complement your classroom learning with this hands-on field study of plants in Dunwoody Park. Students will learn about the needs of all plants, identify plant parts and their functions, and review photosynthesis. Meets GPS S1CS4, S1CS5, S1CS7, S1L1, ELA1R5
1 Hour Program . . . $6/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
INSECTIGATION STATION
(2nd grade)
How does a caterpillar become a butterfly? Do all ants look alike? Here's an opportunity for your students to become "field entomologists" as they learn to identify insect body parts, life stages, and basic needs. Each child will collect and observe an insect, and then record the findings of their scientific investigation. Meets GPS S2CS5, S2L1, ELA2R3
1 Hour Program . . . $6/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
FROM BOULDERS TO CLAY
(3rd grade)
Which came first, the boulder or the clay? Through hands-on experiments and activities, your Junior Geologists can learn the basics of minerals, rocks, and soil types. Students will also examine the effects of erosion and and weathering as they explore Dunwoody Park. Meets GPS S3CS1, S3E1, S3CS8, ELA3R2
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
EXPLORING THE CANOPY
(3rd - 5th grades)
How do scientists study trees - from the bottom up, the top down, or the inside out? During this field study, your "Junior Botanists" will participate in a tree identification activity in the wetlands and explore the trails and tree house to learn about tree life cycles. Meets multiple GPS.
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
PLANTS OF THE PIEDMONT
(3rd grade)
What plants are native to the Piedmont? What is an invasive species? How do people and pollution impact plants and the land? Students will also use field guides, measuring implements, their senses, and other tools to really get to know a tree. Meets GPS S3L1, S3L2, ELA3LSV1
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
FOOD WEBS AND CHAINS
(4th grade)
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link, right? The same is true of nature's fragile food webs and food chains. Discover the producers, consumers, and decomposers in the four habitats of Dunwoody Park: meadow, forest, wetlands, and stream. Students will play games to learn how changes in the environment can affect an ecosystem and will use field guides to support and expand their findings. Meets GPS S4L1, S4L2, ELA4LSV1
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
LEARN FROM THE LAND
(4th–8th grades)
How
did the native Americans live on this land? How did the
first European settlers change the land, and how do we
affect it today? Help your students look at their surroundings
with a critical eye as they become archaeologists for
a day, exploring the historic elements of Dunwoody Park.
Your class will participate in a mock archaeological
dig, develop a narrative based on their discoveries,
and present it to their classmates. Want to stay a little
longer? Hunt for "letterboxes" in
the park at no extra charge. Meets multiple GPS.
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
WATERWAY SURVEY
(5th grade)
Bring your students to explore Wildcat Creek and learn firsthand how constructive and destructive processes affect Georgia's waterways. During a hike upstream, students will find evidence of weathering, erosion, and the impact of organisms, and then construct a dam of their own. Meets GPS S5E1
2 Hour Program . . . $8/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
Also Available, in Partnership
with GA Project WET
RIVER OF WORDS
(1st - 12th grade)
An Environmental Art and Poetry Project . . . Do your students understand their ecological footprint? Bring them to DNC for this multi-disciplinary session. In the first hour, students learn about watersheds, and explore the creek and wetlands. During the second hour, students can express through poetry or visual arts their connection to water and the importance of protecting our watershed. DNC helps you prepare your students' entries for the state and national River of Words art and poetry project. » More info
2 Hour Program . . . $10/Student . . . $50 Minimum Deposit Required
'The Oaks" Outreach Program for Grade 5
New for Fall 2010 - Growing Science Skills through Nature Study
Quality hands-on nature exploration with DNC educators, without the hassle/cost of bus trips! We present these programs at your school, aligned with 5th grade GPS science standards. Address crucial characteristics of science, practice science skills and strengthen students' understanding of grade-level content.
Habits of the Mind: students will be aware of the importance of curiosity and will exhibit this trait in their own efforts to understand how the world works. The Nature of Science: students will understand important features of scientific inquiry.
Grade 5 - Science skills focusing on controlling erosion by using models and experimental methods, communicating clearly, and inspecting the school site where appropriate.
Fees - $150 for first class (up to 30 students); $100 for each additional class the same day, same topic. PLUS $2 per mile travel fee based on distance from Dunwoody Nature Center to your school.
Call (770-394-3322) or email our program manager for more information, pricing, and scheduling availability.
Premiering Spring 2011: "The Oaks" Outreach for Grades 3 and 4; "The Acorns" Outreach for Grades K-2, emphasizing science skills and content relationships.
Field Trip Registration Policy
Having a field trip to Dunwoody Nature Center is as easy as 1,2,3...
- Choose the program that is right for your class.
- Call DNC to check availability at 770-394-3322.
- Mail in your contract and $50 deposit
(or register online and confirm by phone with a credit card).NOTE: deposit required to schedule event.
How many students can you serve?
- Preschool thru 4th grade: 20 maximum in one session.
- Fifth grade and up: 25 maximum in one session.
- Two groups may attend programs simultaneously,
or - Alternate the DNC program with play/exploration on your own.
What if we arrive late?
Your class will receive a shorter program, ending at the scheduled time.
Payment Information:
A program reservation and deposit of $50 is required for each class. We must receive your deposit before we will schedule your field trip. The remaining payment may be paid on the trip day. The deposit is not refundable if you cancel your field study, but may be stored as credit and transferred to a future trip date. Chaperones/teachers always attend FREE.
Scheduling & Reservation Information
To schedule call 770-394-3322
- All school field trips are Monday — Friday from 9 am to 5 pm. I-Spy Packs may be rented for any day or time.
- We require advance reservation and deposit for all programs.
- You receive written confirmations by mail within 5 days.
- Return the signed contract and program deposit in advance.
- The balance is due upon arrival for the scheduled program.
- The deposit is applied to the balance due.
- All programs will take place rain or shine.
- Any schedule adjustments must be made at least 48 hours in advance of the program.