Educational Programs

Field Trips

Educational Programs > For Schools & Scouts

Elementary - Grades 1-5

All programs are limited to 60 students

Eco-Exploration Programs
Grades 1 – 2 ● 1 ½ hours

Eco-Exploration programs feature exploratory walks through Tyler’s pond, woodlands, and meadows focusing on adaptive mechanisms, life cycles, and survival techniques in plants and animals during each season. Students will also play games that demonstrate survival mechanisms. Addresses Standards 4.6, 4.7, and 3.5

Fall Eco-Explorations

Approaching winter temperatures challenge plants’ survival. Students discover the adaptive mechanisms plants have developed through shedding vulnerable leaves and through the production and dispersal of seeds. They learn how birds and monarch butterflies migrate to warmer climates while other animals store food for the cold months to come.

Winter Eco-Explorations

How have plants and animals adapted to survive long periods of cold temperatures? Students examine evergreen leaves and the buds protecting flowers and leaves on deciduous plants. Looking for tracks and signs of animal activity, they learn which animals are active in the winter and which are hibernating – and why.

Spring Eco-Explorations

Spring is an intense period of activity and growth in the natural world. Students discover the relationships between insects and plants as they investigate flowers and learn about the process of pollination and plant reproduction. Through nest-building activities and birdsong identification, students learn about the many birds that call Tyler home. The students also explore the pond to discover the stages of frog and toad metamorphosis.

Land of the Lenape Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Winter, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Experience the daily life of Lenape families who lived in our region 1,000 years ago. Learn how they used native plants and animals for wigwam shelters, gardening, hunting, food preparation, tools, and clothing.
Addresses standards: 4.2, 4.8, and 8.2

Maple Sugaring Grades 2 – 5 ● January – Early March ● 1 ½ hours

During this hands-on program, learn about maple syrup production. Basic tree identification and physiology are explored while learning about the role of sap in the life of a tree.
Addresses Standards: 4.2, 4.6, 3.1, 3.3, and 3.5

Invertebrates: Worms, Slugs, and Bugs
Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Search the Arboretum to discover the amazing diversity and adaptations in the insect world. Learn about life cycles and their role in the food web.
Addresses Standards: 4.3, 4.6, and 3.3

Nature’s Adaptations Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Winter, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Compare the adaptive mechanisms of mammals, birds, insects, and plants that help assure their survival in within distinct ecological niches.
Addresses Standards: 4.6 and 4.7

Seeds and Plants Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Learn about how plants have adapted to different environments and plant life cycles and reproductive strategies through flower dissection and exploration of Tyler’s diverse trees and plants.
Addresses Standards: 4.2, 4.3, 3.1, and 3.3

Trees: From Roots to Leaves Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Winter, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Learn about tree survival by learning the function and purpose of the parts of a tree, differences among species, and how they have adapted.
Addresses Standards: 4.2, 4.6, 3.1, and 3.3

Watershed Investigations Grades 2 - 5 ● Fall, Spring ● 1 ½ hours

Learn about the water cycle and how water travels through our built environment. Engage in hands-on investigation to find what lives in our streams.
Addresses Standards: 4.1, 4.2, 4.6, and 3.5

NEW for 2011!

We are pleased to offer two new learning opportunities that allow 4th and 5th grade students longer and more intensive field study programs focusing on local ecology and environmental systems. These programs are designed for a 2 hour immersive experience with the option to have Arboretum staff come to your classroom to present pre- and/or post trip programs.

Woodland Ecology Intensive Grades 4 and 5 ● Fall and Spring ● 2 hours

Students will investigate the connection between the forest and the animals and plants that call it home. Students will identify and describe food, water and shelter as three essential components of habitats by exploring the effects of deer overpopulation. Students will also study invasive plants and why they are harmful to a healthy forest. Also your students will get their hands dirty while helping Tyler’s North Woods by planting a native plant!
Optional pre- and post trip classroom programs available for an additional $3/child.
Addresses Standards: 4.6, 4.7 and 3.3

Woodland Watershed Intensive Grades 4 and 5 ● Fall and Spring ● 2 hours

Students will travel through four stations to investigate the connection between the forest and water quality of streams. Explore the difference between the pond and the stream and discover the smaller animals that depend on those systems. Follow clues and complete tasks that will guide you to a hidden letterbox while learning about the special features of these woods. Use multiple senses and test your observational skills as you document a special site along the trail.
Optional pre- and post trip classroom programs available for an additional $3/child
Addresses Standards: 4.1, 4.6, 4.7 and 3.3