Program Overview

Research has demonstrated that time spent outdoors positively impacts children's physical, emotional, and intellectual development. Pease Park Conservancy has developed a robust children’s field trip program that activates Pease Park as an outdoor classroom and engages kids of all ages in experiencing the sights, scents, sounds, and textures of the outdoors.

Field trips to Pease Park, facilitated by Pease Park Conservancy, are service-learning opportunities where students volunteer in the park and learn about the environment through a curriculum thoughtfully designed by the Conservancy in partnership with Families In Nature. These field trips not only align with STEAM initiatives, but they also inspire creative thinking and offer students unique, hands-on learning opportunities.

Through this program we aim to help students

• engage with nature

• improve environmental literacy

• learn more about an expanding field of study and potential career path

Field Trip Structure

The Pease Park Conservancy team customizes each field trip to be reflective of the lessons being taught to students in the classroom at the time. A typical field trip in Pease Park will include:

• An introduction to the idea of a Conservancy and a nonprofit

• 30-45 minutes of volunteering with the Conservancy's Park Operations Team

• 30-45 minutes of learning and exploring nature, led by Pease Park Conservancy's Community Engagement Team

• Lunch & free play

Lessons & Activities

Pease Park Conservancy field trip leaders guide students on an ecological tour of the park, pointing out relevant environmental science lessons along the way. These experiences are aligned with what the students have been learning in the classroom and the seasons impacting what is most visible and interactive in the park. Students learn and share their knowledge of topics such as seed dispersal, water cycles, plant lifecycles, habitats, and more.

Volunteerism

It is Pease Park Conservancy's goal to not only maintain Pease Park, but to ensure the sustainable and equitable enjoyment of the 84-acre green space for all. At these field trips, children learn about the importance of giving back to the community and how they can inspire positive change in the world. Students assist our Park Operations and Conservation Teams in pertinent land stewardship tasks, including:

• Planting

• Seeding

• Weeding

• Mulching

• Litter Pick-Up

• And more!

The Conservancy is committed to creating equitable access to nature for all. Through grants and donations, the Conservancy is able to fully fund these field trips for Title 1 schools. This includes travel, lunch, and take-back-to-the-classroom curriculum for each Title 1 school that participates. The Conservancy's hope is to inspire students to love our planet and to inspire future generations of environmental stewards.

participate in a peasecology school field trip

If you are interested in coordinating one of these excursions for your class, please submit a request by filling out the following form.

SUPPORT programs like this

To support the program and allow us to continue providing this opportunity to the ecologists of the future, consider donating to Pease Park Conservancy.

Thank you to these schools that have joined us in Pease Park!

Thank you to our sponsors for supporting the peasecology school program!