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Field Trips at Riverbend

"Hands-on, Feet-In" Nature Exploration! A Riverbend field trip is all about exploring the natural world. We focus on the foundational science skills of making observations and asking questions.

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Riverbend offers standards-aligned programs designed to connect students with the natural world and bring nature-based science to life through the lens of the natural world. Riverbend’s environmental educators are trained to deliver developmentally appropriate programming that is relevant to children from all backgrounds and abilities.

 

Explore science concepts on a pristine 30-acre preserve.

Ever wonder what it's like to come face to face with a crawfish? Search under fallen logs or build your own investigation about water?  Students can do all of this and more all year round at Riverbend.

Students will learn through hands-on, inquiry-based activities at stations around Riverbend’s 30-acre preserve. Sites to explore include our pond, stream, meadow, forest, and Aquaponics Greenhouse. With the help of Riverbend Educators, your students will learn to navigate the natural world and investigate environmental concepts, building on their own curiosity. 

Book A Field Trip Today!

PreK - 2nd Grade

Habitat Exploration

What do all living things need to survive? Students will explore some of Riverbend’s habitats to find the answers to these and other questions about local wildlife. Habitats to explore: pond, stream, meadow, or forest. Students will practice science skills, including drawing, observations, and group discussion.

Want to customize your trip? Select from a variety of custom stations that you can incorporate into your trip; DETAILS ARE Below!

 

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3rd - 5th Grade

Water on the Move - Watersheds

Earth has been called the "water planet" because 2/3 of its surface is covered in water. All living things need water to survive and life exists everywhere there is water. This program focuses on the movement of water in a watershed (or drainage basin) and helps students understand what a watershed is by looking at the land at Riverbend and thinking about how water flows. Students will learn about pervious and impervious surfaces and how human impacts on the environment change water flow and quality. They will also explore some of the wildlife that depend on clean water for survival. Students will conduct a stream investigation, sample water, and hike a watershed trail to learn how water connects us all on the water planet.

Ecosystem Interactions

An ecosystem is a community of living (biotic) things interacting with the nonliving (abiotic) things in their environment. Bring this lesson to life by exploring the interrelationship of living and nonliving things at Riverbend’s forest, stream, meadow and/or pond!

Science skills include observations, collecting data, creating models, discussion with peers.

Want to customize your trip? Select from a variety of custom stations that you can incorporate into your trip; DETAILS ARE Below!

 


6th - 8th Grade

Riverbend's Amazing Race

Challenge your students with a team building race that happens all over Riverbend's 30 acre preserve. In small teams, students will compete to find and finish six challenges that are led by our educators. Challenges involve grade appropriate science concepts such as water quality testing, aquatic macroinvertebrate surveys, cycles of matter, aquaponics, and plant identification.

Due to the staffing requirements of this program, this unique experience is $21/student for up to 50 students (minimum of 50 students required), additional students up to our capacity (approximately 75 students) are $15/student. Use our Amazing Race to review science concepts or start your year with a collaborative, hands on experience to get students excited to learn.

Service Learning Field Trip

This extended field trip experience has been designed for middle school and high school students. Students spend the morning doing a traditional educational field trip that includes outdoor exploration, an introduction to naturalist skills and a tour of our Aquaponics Greenhouse. Then students break for lunch and meet with Riverbend's Director of Conservation to get the service learning assignments. The service projects will vary depending on the time of the year and the needs of the preserve. This field trip runs from 9am-2pm, but can be customized to suit the needs of your group. The cost for this trip is $1250 for up to 50 students and $20 per additional student up to 72 students.

Combo Day - Amazing Race & Service Learning

Take the day to enjoy the preserve while combining both our Amazing Race in the morning and follow with Service Learning for a full fun-packed day!

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High School

Service Learning Field Trip

Meet with Riverbend's Director of Conservation to learn about the ecological restoration work happening at Riverbend and then get your service learning assignments. The service projects will vary depending on the time of the year and the needs of the preserve. This field trip runs from 10am-1pm, but can be customized to suit the needs of your group. The cost for this trip is $750 for up to 50 students and $12 per additional student up to 60 students.

Winter Field Trips

Available December through March

Exploring Winter

Students will rotate through three stations: an outdoor winter hike, a tour of our APX greenhouse, and one custom station (see below).

  • ANIMAL ENCOUNTER (all ages) - Meet one of Riverbend's animal ambassadors.
  • NATURE JOURNALING (Grades 2-12)- Learn how to effectively use a nature journal to improve observation skills.
  • BIRDING & BINOCULARS (Grades 3-12) - Learn the basics of binocular use and then put them to use spotting and identifying local birds.
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Custom Stations

A custom station can be added to any of the preK-5 programs or a winter field trip. If you would like to do more than one custom station, please contact Julia Boyer, Education Manager, jboyer@riverbendeec.org to discuss your custom program. 

  • ANIMAL ENCOUNTER (all ages) - Meet one of Riverbend's animal ambassadors.
  • AQUAPONICS GREENHOUSE TOUR (all ages) - Learn how we are using fish waste to grow food.
  • NATURE JOURNALING (Grades 2-12)- Learn how to effectively use a nature journal to improve observation skills.
  • INVASIVE SPECIES (Grades 2-12) - What are they? What's the problem? Learn to identify some of the invasive plants in the Philadelphia region and then help Riverbend remove them from the preserve.
  • GEOLOGY (Grades 2-12) - Learn how erosion and weathering can shape an environment by exploring rock and soil weathering in the stream.
  • BIRDING & BINOCULARS (Grades 3-12) - Learn the basics of binocular use and then put them to use spotting and identifying local birds.
Book A Field Trip Today!

For more information please contact

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Suzanne Safran

Director of Education