Free Educational School Programs

Posted by Great Smoky Mountains National Park Mar - 9 - 2010 Comments Off

Spring is coming and one of the best places to shed the winter doldrums is Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The Parks As Classrooms (PAC) program operates March 22 through May 21 and provides students in grades K-12 the opportunity to participate in free, hands-on, outdoor education programs. All of the PAC programs integrate natural and cultural resources of Great Smoky Mountains National Park with North Carolina Standard Course of Study and provide a unique learning experience.

Park Rangers instruct the field trips and the lessons are crafted to incorporate many of the educational disciplines. In addition, they are enjoyable, learning experiences. A 7th grader, Katie, summed it up when she said, “The field trips are fun because you’re learning about the area you live in, and I think it helps you love the mountains more because you understand them better.”

The park is offering the following programs:

Sensory Exploration (Kindergarten): Students use their senses to learn about various plants and animals in the Park. They will also tour the Mountain Farm Museum and learn about mountain culture while speaking with Barney, the “talking barn”.
Have to Have a Habitat ( 1st grade): People and animals all need good habitat. The students learn about the needs of plants and animals at Deep Creek through an in-depth investigation of organisms in leaf litter, role-playing as bears, and scavenger hunts.
Mingus Mill Community (2nd grade): Students study communities as they tour the mill and learn the role corn played in lives of residents over 100 years ago. Students also learn about edible and medicinal plants and make a wooden toy to take home.
Plants Make the Smokies Great (3rd grade): Quiet forest trails provide the backdrop for students to discover soil properties, plant adaptations, and the issues facing the park. Lifecycles, biodiversity and interrelationships are a constant focus of the hands-on activities while stewardship is the underlying theme during discussions.
Mountain Farm Museum (4th grade): Students study past rural lifestyle by cooking at an open hearth, blacksmithing, examining artifacts, and exploring the challenges and opportunities for preserving national parks.
On Top of Old Smoky (5th grade): Newfound Gap is where students learn about sky-islands and Spruce–Fir ecosystems. Students build their understanding of weather and landforms through observation and the use of maps, instruments, and activities.
Exploring the Soils (6th grade) Students study soil characteristics, food chains and threats to soil health using the same tools and techniques as park biologists. The program is offered at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center.
Air Quality Interactions (7th grade): Students explore high elevation ecosystems while collecting data on snail and lichen populations for on-going monitoring studies looking at air pollution impacts on various natural resources. The program is offered at Newfound Gap during the Clingmans Dome closure.
Deep Creek Stream Scientist (8th grade): A picturesque mountain creek serves as a laboratory for students to study streams. Students conduct chemical water tests and determine stream health by assessing population and diversity of stream organisms.
Biodiversity: Salamanders and Insects (8th grade): Student hypotheses guide examinations of insects and salamanders. Using guides, students classify their finds and learn how pollution is impacting aquatic and terrestrial habitats. This program is offered at the Appalachian Highlands Science Learning Center (AHSLC) at Purchase Knob.

Most field trips begin at 10 a.m. and conclude at 1:00 p.m. Class size is limited to a minimum of 15 and a maximum of 50 students. In addition to the on-site trips, the units include a pre-visit materials package with logistical information and pre and post-site lesson plans for use in the classroom.

Interested teachers can contact the park at 828-497-1942. For teachers interested in the high school programs, please contact Appalachian Highlands Science and Learning Center at 828-926-6251 or visit the website, http://www.nps.gov/grsm/forteachers/pk-education.htm.

These educational programs would not be possible without the generous support of Friends of Great Smoky Mountains National Park and many other local donors.